2023 marks the 31st anniversary of U2’s Achtung Baby, an album that’s been recognized by both U2 fans and the music world as one of the greatest albums ever released. Released worldwide on November 18/19, 1991, Achtung Baby earned significantly positive reviews and influenced a generation of musicians in the decades since.
U2 began working on the album in Dublin in the summer of 1990. Work continued in the fall and winter at Hansa Studios in Berlin, and the album was eventually finished in 1991 back in Dublin.
Achtung Baby was a dramatic change for U2 both aurally and visually, and critics (and fans) acknowledged the album as a dense, sometimes difficult album that earns its respect over repeated listens. Bono described the lead single, “The Fly,” as “the sound of four men chopping down The Joshua Tree.” The album’s first song, “Zoo Station,” had industrial guitar and drum sounds, and Bono’s voice was treated to the point of making it nearly unrecognizable. He wore head-to-toe leather in his role as “The Fly,” and sported a pair of large, wraparound sunglasses — “Fly shades,” as they came to be known. Even the album cover involved a new look for U2 and caused controversy as soon as it was released.
Achtung Baby would go on to win numerous awards and sell more than 10 million copies worldwide.
From September through December 2023, U2’s Achtung Baby enjoyed renewed attention as it was performed in its entirety in a residency of shows opening Las Vega’s new Sphere arena.
AchtungBaby.com exists to celebrate and commemorate this fantastic album!
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