The Joshua Tree is the Thriller of post-punk rock, its colossal success 20 million sales, and rising marking the point, in 1987, when U2 dragged indie-rock kicking and screaming into the full glare of the stadium floodlights. That year they won the biggest Grammy and Brit Awards, and were acclaimed as "Rock's Hottest Ticket" on the cover of Time magazine, the ultimate indication of mainstream acceptance.
This was quite some achievement, given the music's innovative blending of American roots modes like gospel and country with a more European affinity for hypnotic sequencer rhythms and evocative atmospheres. Two decades on, the album has been remastered from the original analogue tapes to deliver the music on CD with something approaching the impact of the original vinyl release. This reissue is available in a bewildering variety of formats, the most lavish being the Limited Edition box set, which has a DVD of contemporary video footage, including a live performance.
Download this: 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For', 'Where The Streets Have No Name', 'Bullet the Blue Sky', 'With Or Without You', 'Wave Of Sorrow (Birdland)'
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