That was then...
That was then...
That was then...

That was then...

Some of our highlights from 2013, including those special to our subscribers.

06 Jan 2014
Some of our site highlights from the past 12 months, including those special to subscribers. (Add your comments below.)

February: 'We knew there was something special there.' Larry was talking about War, which arrived thirty years ago this month.
What did the band's third album mean to you ?

March: He's one of Germany's biggest stars - and a big fan of U2. We tracked down Herbert Gronemeyer who told us that 'In Germany the brain needs to be touched first, and once the brain says it’s OK, you’re free to check the music out too.' (Subscriber Story)

April: Everybody loved 'From The Ground Up' the tour book, with Edge's Picks live CD, and the final word on U2360°. In a very clever play on words, we asked what you were building 'from the ground up'.
Naturally, we loved your work...

April: The great Willie Nelson marked his 80th birthday and the band sent best wishes with some rare footage of Slow Dancing, shot by filmmaker Lian Lunson.
Happy Birthday Willie.

May: Lian Lunson herself, the woman who'd introduced U2 and Willie Nelson, came up with her all time U2 Playlist, including 'Promenade' and 'The Playboy Mansion'. '
Wow... what's that song?' (Subscriber Story)

May: 'People say that your songs, they're like your children. No, they're like your parents. They tell you what to do, they tell you how to behave...' Bono was the guest of Charlie Rose, an extended interview.

June: On a rooftop in New York City, the band recorded an acoustic performance of 'Sunday Bloody Sunday' for agit8.

June: All the way from Electric Lady Studios U2 paid tribute to Christy Dignam with a performance of Aslan's 'This Is'.

That was then...

July: 'It was going to be an EP, maybe four songs.' But when it arrived, 20 years ago this month, it turned out to be an album and a bit special. Here's why we loved Zooropa at 20 and how The Edge talked about it in a vintage interview for Propaganda that we dug out of the archives. (Subscriber Story)

September: Long before the internet, there were these printed artefacts called 'magazines'. The band published their own, Propaganda, and this year we began digitising entire editions, bringing them online for subscribers.
Three editions so far. (Subscriber Story)

October: 'If I had feet like that Lawrence, I wouldn't want them in the film.' Another anniversary, 25 years of Rattle and Hum.



November: A NEW song. 'Ordinary Love', written for the movie 'Mandela:Long Walk To Freedom', was released on vinyl for Record Store Day and came with a striking lyric video from Oliver Jeffers and Mac Premo, who also spoke to us about how they came up with the idea. (Subscriber Story)
The MP3 was downloadable for subscribers, and available to buy from iTunes.

November also saw the launch of our annual subscription offer. 'North Side Story' is the definitive account of the emergence of U2 in Dublin. Commmissioned from the Hot Press team in Ireland, it covers six formative years from 1978 to 1983, from the single, 'U23', to the live set, Under A Blood Red Sky.

December: When Nelson Mandela passed away, the band paid tribute with a special video treatment of Breathe (Mandela Version).
'Ordinary Love' was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and the band posted a new version, by Paul Epworth, to Soundcloud.
Before the year ended everyone dropped by the New York studios of Oliver and Mac who came up with a new cut of the video.

MORE NEWS

ALL NEWS
UK & Europe Dates for The Greatest Show On Earth World Tour
CARNAVAL DE LUZ

European tour to open in Stockholm on April 26th. U2.com subscriber presales from Monday November 2nd.

29 OCT 2026
Listen Up!
CARNAVAL DE LUZ

Want to hear Carnaval De Luz first? Head to one of the global listening parties.

27 OCT 2026
Two More Shows in Latin America
THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH TOUR

A third show in Buenos Aires and a fourth in São Paulo have just been announced. Subscriber presales...

27 OCT 2026
'Get Back To Now'
CARNAVAL DE LUZ

It's a bonus track on Carnaval De Luz and it's only on the album from the iTunes Store....

25 OCT 2026
Fourth Night in Mexico City
THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH TOUR

A fourth and final Mexico City show has been added for The Greatest Show On Earth World Tour,...

23 OCT 2026
Third Night in São Paulo
THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH TOUR

A new show has been added for U2's The Greatest Show On Earth World Tour: Estádio MorumBIS, São...

22 OCT 2026
Third Night in Mexico City
THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH TOUR

A new show has been added for The Greatest Show On Earth World Tour: Mexico City on Sunday...

21 OCT 2026
Halftime Headline for NFL's Thanksgiving Eve - Live on Netflix
CARNAVAL DE LUZ

The band will headline the halftime show of the NFL's first-ever Thanksgiving Eve game on Wednesday, November 25...

20 OCT 2026
CARNAVAL DE LUZ PRESENTS: THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH
CARNAVAL DE LUZ

World tour opens in February with dates announced for Mexico City, São Paulo and Buenos Aires. Presales from...

15 OCT 2026
Carnaval De Luz: Special Editions for Subscribers
CARNAVAL DE LUZ

Carnaval De Luz, the band's first studio album in nine years, arrives in just a few weeks and...

07 OCT 2026
Carnaval De Luz Indie Record Store Edition
CARNAVAL DE LUZ

Limited Edition Third Man Records Yellow Vinyl of New Album Arrives November 13 at Independent Record Stores

30 SEP 2026
Central Bank Deputy Governor Vasileios Madouros presented the coin to Larry Mullen Jr.
50TH ANNIVERSARY

Central Bank of Ireland launches U2 commemorative coin marking 50 years since the band's formation.

28 SEP 2026
SHOWING 12 OF 4780 STORIES KEEP SCROLLING FOR MORE ↓

Related Topic

LATEST COMMENTS

THE NEW ALBUM
CARNAVAL DE LUZ

The new album. Out 13 November 2026.

PRE-ORDER

SUBSCRIBE TO U2.COM

Special editorial and video, exclusive newsletters and events, 25% coupon for the shop and first access to ticket sales when the band tour.