The Joshua Tree is an album by U2, released on March 9, 1987 on Island Records (see 1987 in music). It was produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. It won Album of the Year award from the Grammy Awards of 1988.

It continues the sonic experimentation of The Unforgettable Fire. For instance, the album opener, "Where the Streets Have No Name," begins with a soft organ fade-in over which The Edge plays a simple echo-laden arpeggio, ringing each note out twice, an elegant effect that gives the band a deceptively detailed sound. "With or Without You," the album's first single and one of the band's most well known songs, uses a technique called "infinite guitar," developed by Michael Brook, to distort the notes into an eerie wail.

It also picks up where the political themes of War left off. "Bullet the Blue Sky" is a fierce attack on the United States' policy of arming rebels in El Salvador. The song has a martial drum beat, thundering bassline, and wailing guitar reminiscent of falling bombs. Bono reportedly told Edge to "put El Salvador through your amplifier." "Mothers of the Disappeared" is an understated dirge written for the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, the mothers of the thousands of "disappeared"--people who opposed the coup d'état that overtook Argentina in 1976, who were kidnapped and never seen again.

In addition to the political matter, there are many personal songs, including "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," a song about Bono's inner struggles with faith and temptation, and "One Tree Hill," an elegy written for a friend of the band, Greg Caroll (for whom the album is dedicated), who died in 1986.

Musically, the band began to incorporate American music folk and blues influences into their songwriting, most evident on "Running To Stand Still," a rustic ballad about heroin addiction, and "Trip Through Your Wires," a harmonica-filled blues romp. Rattle and Hum (1988) would examine these influences in greater depth.

The Joshua Tree is not only widely considered one of the band's best albums--it was named by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the band's "three masterpieces," alongside Achtung Baby and All That You Can't Leave Behind--it is often considered one of the greatest albums ever recorded--it, for instance, appears as #26 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The album has sold over 10 million copies in the USA alone and remains the band's best-selling album. It was followed by a successful world tour.

Track listing

1. "Where the Streets Have No Name" (5:37)
2. "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" (4:37)
3. "With or Without You" (4:56)
4. "Bullet the Blue Sky" (4:32)
5. "Running To Stand Still" (4:18)
6. "Red Hill Mining Town" (4:52)
7. "In God's Country" (2:57)
8. "Trip Through Your Wires" (3:32)
9. "One Tree Hill" (5:23)
10. "Exit" (4:13)
11. "Mothers of the Disappeared" (5:14)

Music by U2, words by Bono.

Produced and engineered by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois.

"With or Without You," "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For," and "Where the Streets Have No Name" were released as singles internationally.

In addition, "In God's Country" was released as a fourth single in North America and "One Tree Hill" was released as a fourth single in New Zealand.

The original CD pressings of the album incorrectly indexed the ending of "One Tree Hill" at the beginning of "Exit." This has been corrected on later editions.

In 1996, Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab remastered the album and released it as a special gold CD. This edition has slightly different running times.

Personnel

• Bono--lead vocals, harmonica
• The Edge--guitar, vocals
• Adam Clayton--bass guitar
• Larry Mullen, Jr.--drums

• Brian Eno--keyboards, backing vocals
• Daniel Lanois--rhythm guitar, tambourine, backing vocals

Charting singles

1987  The Joshua Tree                              The Billboard 200            No. 1
1987  The Joshua Tree                              Top Contemporary Christian   No. 36
1987  I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For   Adult Contemporary           No. 16
1987  I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For   The Billboard Hot 100        No. 1
1987  Where The Streets Have No Name               The Billboard Hot 100        No. 13
1987  With Or Without You                          The Billboard Hot 100        No. 1
1987  Bullet The Blue Sky                          Mainstream Rock Tracks       No. 14
1987  I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For   Mainstream Rock Tracks       No. 2
1987  Where The Streets Have No Name               Mainstream Rock Tracks       No. 11
1987  With Or Without You                          Mainstream Rock Tracks       No. 1
1987  In God's Country                             Mainstream Rock Tracks       No. 8
1987  In God's Country                             The Billboard Hot 100        No. 53
1988  In God's Country                             The Billboard Hot 100        No. 44
1988  In God's Country                             Mainstream Rock Tracks       No. 6

External links

• Discography entry at U2 Wanderer--Comprehensive details on various editions, cover scans, lyrics, and more.
• "My two visits to U2's Joshua Tree"--Article about the tree on the album's cover.
• "Restore the Joshua Tree!"--An alternative track listing for the album that includes all of the B-sides, making it a double album.
• In God's Country: The Music That Inspired the Joshua Tree--A special compilation of artists named by the band as influences on the album's sound.
• U2 tours overview at U2-Vertigo-Tour.com--Includes setlists for every date on the Joshua Tree Tour.
• Quotes and information--Detailed background on each song.