The Hawk

Issue date: 3/14/07 Section: Entertainment

U2 has defined longevity in the industry; they've been playing for 31 years.

The '60s had the Beatles and the '70s had Pink Floyd, but it was not until late in the decade that the '80s had a band by which to define itself, and that band was U2.

With the release of their fifth studio album, "The Joshua Tree", twenty years ago on March 9, 1987, the Irish rock band marched into the mainstream and music history. Overnight, U2 became the defining rock band of the 1980s and instilled a legacy that still shapes music today.

Immediately, the album met with intense critical acclaim, with the New York Times hailing it as "U2's bid for 'great band' status" and receiving five out of five stars from Rolling Stone. Ultimately, the album would go on to garner Grammys for Best Rock Performance and Album of the Year. Two decades have done nothing to lessen the album's reputation as one of the greatest rock albums of all time as it appears on countless Best Albums of All Time lists and many of its tracks remain as some of the most iconic songs of the last 20 years.

The album's title refers to a specific type of tree that grows in the American Southwest that was named the Joshua tree by traveling Mormons because it reminded them of the Old Testament story of Joshua extending his arms to Heaven. This in turn hints at a spiritual and Christian context that is evoked in a number of album's songs, particularly in the opening few tracks.

In many ways, "The Joshua Tree" is a continuation and refinement of U2's earlier works, evoking numerous styles of music from the band's earlier albums. Heavy drumbeats and a certain punk rock influence are reminiscent of 1983's "War", and the use of organs and deceptively simple guitar artistry continues the trend that the band began in their previous album, 1984's "The Unforgettable Fire".

However, the album is by no means a rehashing of previous albums and supplements the styles of these albums with numerous other styles of music, including blues, folk, and even tribal music. In one song, drums beat in a militant march; in the next, a harmonica sounds in quiet solitude; and in another, tribal drums resonate vibrantly, unifying diverse styles in a single album.

Despite this diversity in sound, the album is unified by a current of darkness . Many critics have noted with surprise in the years since the album's release that such a dark and somber album could have ever attained such success, let alone go on to become on of the most influential and popular albums of all time.

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