Album
The Unforgettable Fire
The Unforgettable Fire is U2's fourth studio album, released on 1 October 1984 on Island. After the harder-hitting rock of War (1983), the Irish band wanted to try something different, so they brought in Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois to produce and help them explore a more ambient sound. At the time it was their most dramatic change of direction. The title comes from an art exhibit about the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.
Recording began in May 1984 at Slane Castle, where the band lived, wrote and recorded in search of fresh inspiration, and was finished in August at Windmill Lane Studios. The sound is atmospheric, and Bono describes the lyrics as "sketches". "Pride (In the Name of Love)" and "MLK" pay tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. The former was the band's biggest hit up to that point, while "Bad" became a live favourite. Reviews were generally favourable.
The Unforgettable Fire: tracklist, credits and charts
10 tracks · 42:42Tracklist
- 1A Sort of HomecomingBono, Clayton, Edge, Jr.5:29
- 2Pride (In the Name of Love)Bono, Clayton, Edge, Jr.3:49
- 3WireBono, Clayton, Edge, Jr.4:19
- 4The Unforgettable FireBono, Clayton, Edge, Jr.4:55
- 5PromenadeBono, Clayton, Edge, Jr.2:33
- 64th of JulyBono, Clayton, Edge, Jr.2:15
- 7BadBono, Clayton, Edge, Jr.6:09
- 8Indian Summer SkyBono, Clayton, Edge, Jr.4:18
- 9Elvis Presley and AmericaBono, Clayton, Edge, Jr.6:23
- 10MLKBono, Clayton, Edge, Jr.2:32
- Produced by
- Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois
- Recorded at
- Slane Castle (County Meath), Windmill Lane (Dublin)
- Recorded
- 7 May – 5 August 1984
- Engineered by
- Brian Eno, Kevin Killen, Daniel Lanois
- Label
- Island
- Length
- 42:42
Line-up
- Bono · lead vocals, vocals
Singles
- “Pride (In the Name of Love)” · 3 September 1984
- “The Unforgettable Fire” · 22 April 1985
Peak chart positions
| Chart | Peak |
|---|---|
| UK Albums Chart | 1 |
| US Billboard 200 | 12 |
| "The Unforgettable Fire" · Combined | 1 |
| Australia (Kent Music Report) | 1 |
| New Zealand Albums Chart | 1 |
| "Pride (In the Name of Love)" · Combined | 2 |
| Canadian Albums Chart | 5 |
| Norwegian Albums Chart | 6 |
| Swedish Albums Chart | 6 |
| Portuguese Albums Chart | 27 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification |
|---|---|
| Canada | 3× Platinum |
| France · 1985 | Gold |
| Netherlands | Gold |
| New Zealand | Platinum |
| Switzerland | Gold |
| United Kingdom | 2× Platinum |
| United States | 3× Platinum |
From MusicBrainz, Wikipedia and Wikidata. Only what the sources record is shown.
90.6
Popularity (0–100, vs the whole vault)
6.0k
ListenBrainz listeners
149k
Wikipedia views, last 12 months
73k
Deezer fans (all editions)
Released the same week
Also released on 1 October
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1979
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1981
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1983
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1985
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1988
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1991
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1993
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2003
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Early Demos
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The Complete U2
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Love: Live From the Point Depot
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Live From Under the Brooklyn Bridge
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U2.COMmunication
2005
U218 Singles
2006
Live From Paris
2007
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2009
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The best of 1984
All of 1984 →
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Metallica · 1984
Powerslave
Iron Maiden · 1984
1984
Van Halen · 1984
The Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers · 1984
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi · 1984
The Top
The Cure · 1984
Tonight
David Bowie · 1984
The Works
Queen · 1984
Iron Maiden Christmas EP 1984
Christmas EP
Iron Maiden · 1984
Perfect Strangers
Deep Purple · 1984
Defenders of the Faith
Judas Priest · 1984
Animalize
KISS · 1984
More on Island
The label →The Joshua Tree
U2 · 1987
Achtung Baby
U2 · 1991
War
U2 · 1983
All That You Can’t Leave Behind
U2 · 2000
Songs of Innocence
U2 · 2014
Boy
U2 · 1980
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb
U2 · 2004
Pretty Hate Machine
Nine Inch Nails · 1989
All Killer No Filler
Sum 41 · 2001
Rattle and Hum
U2 · 1988
Pop
U2 · 1997
Songs of Experience
U2 · 2017
Releases and pressings
How we know the release date wikipedia + musicbrainz + wikidata
| Source | Date | Note |
|---|---|---|
| MusicBrainz | 1 October 1984 | |
| Wikipedia infobox | 1 October 1984 | |
| Wikidata | 1 October 1984 | |
| US release | 1984 | earliest US date |
| UK / Europe release | 1 October 1984 | earliest UK or European date |
43 editions
| Date | Country | Label | Barcode | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | XW | Island | 602517924147 | other |
| — | US | Island | 075679023124 | other |
| — | US | Island | other | |
| — | US | Island | other | |
| — | US | Island | 042282289827 | other |
| — | IT | Island | other | |
| 1984 | GB | — | 5014474801020 | other |
| 1984 | DE | Island | 4007196101944 | other |
| 1984 | AU | Island | other | |
| 1984 | US | Island | 075679023117 | other |
| 1984 | CA | Island | 777495435128 | other |
| 1984 | IE | CBS | other | |
| 1984 | US | Island | 075679023124 | other |
| 1984 | US | Island | other | |
| 1984 | FR | Island | 042282289810 | other |
| 1984 | US | Island | 07567902312 | other |
| 1984 | DK | Island | other | |
| 1984 | DE | Island | 4007196101944 | other |
| 1984 | US | Island | other | |
| 1984 | US | Island | other | |
| 1984 | US | Island | 075679023124 | other |
| October 1984 | US | Island | 075679023124 | other |
| 1 October 1984 | FR | Island Records Ltd. | 042282289827 | original |
| 1 October 1984 | GB | Island | original | |
| 1 June 1985 | GB | Island | 042282289827 | other |
| 25 June 1985 | JP | Polystar | other | |
| 1987 | CA | Island | other | |
| 1 September 1989 | JP | Island | 4988023009384 | other |
| 1990 | AU | Island | 9399082289825 | other |
| 15 June 1990 | US | Island | 042282289827 | other |
| 1995 | US | Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab | 015775120716 | other |
| 15 March 1995 | US | Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab | 015775162426 | remaster |
| 1996 | ZA | Island | 6001210883333 | other |
| 1996 | GB | Island | 042282289827 | other |
| 18 February 1998 | JP | Island | 4988011356544 | other |
| 23 October 2009 | XE | Island | 602527014036 | remaster |
| 23 October 2009 | XE | — | 602517924017 | other |
| 25 October 2009 | XE | Island Records Group | 602517924178 | other |
| 26 October 2009 | US | Island | 602517924178 | remaster |
| 26 October 2009 | US | Island | 602517924017 | other |
| 1 November 2015 | ES | Island | other | |
| 26 May 2017 | XW | UMC | 00602557629590 | other |
| 20 September 2017 | JP | Island | 4988031237298 | other |
Cover art sources
coverartarchive · upscaled: minor: best source 1400x1400, upscaled to 1500 (x1.07)
| Source | Size | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| coverartarchive ✓ | 1400×1400 | upscaled: minor: best source 1400x1400, upscaled to 1500 (x1.07) |
| deezer | 1200×1200 | upscaled |
| fanarttv | 1000×1000 | upscaled |