The Ivors Academy has today announced U2 as the latest songwriters to become Academy Fellows, the highest honour the organisation bestows. With this, Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. become the first-ever Irish songwriters that the Academy has inducted into Fellowship during its 81-year history.
Formed in Dublin in 1978, U2 is one of the greatest songwriting partnerships and most influential bands of all time. The band’s songwriting is marked by an emotional authenticity that has crafted some of the most powerful songs in the history of rock spanning nearly five decades, including ‘I Will Follow’, ‘Pride (In The Name of Love)’, ‘Bad’, ‘I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For’, ‘With or Without You’, ‘One’, ‘Beautiful Day’, ‘Walk On’, ‘Vertigo’, ‘Magnificent’ and ‘Ordinary Love’.
Their distinctive sound and constant innovation has resulted in 15 iconic studio albums, more than 175 million records sold worldwide and 28 industry-defining landmark tours. The only band in history to have topped the Billboard 200 in the US in four successive decades, they have also achieved 10 UK no 1 albums. U2 have received countless accolades including 22 GRAMMYs and Amnesty International’s Ambassador of Conscience award, as well as four Ivor Novello Awards – winning the Special Award for International Achievement in 1994, Best Song Musically and Lyrically for ‘Walk On’ in 2002, Outstanding Song Collection in 2003 and International Hit of the Year for ‘Vertigo’ in 2005.
U2’s early songs announced a band unafraid to tackle issues of social unrest and human rights, shaping rock’s engagement with political activism. Their achievements as songwriters are marked by the ability to blend anthemic melodies with socially and politically charged lyrics, addressing both personal and universal issues such as love, faith, war, politics and religion. Having written many of the most enduring and iconic songs and lyrics in modern rock history, U2’s songwriting legacy continues to expand and resonate with audiences worldwide.
Bono said: “We were a band before we could play, let alone write songs… In fact it was our inability to play other people’s songs that kicked off our own songwriting. Early musical heroes like The Ramones, Patti Smith, The Clash were our inspiration. There’s alchemy at play, turning base metals into gold… your shite into gold would be another way of putting it.”
The Edge said: “Songs are kind of magic. The best ones feel like gifts from some other dimension, but to catch them you have to make yourself available. I’m not sure songs can change the world but they sure have changed mine.”
Adam Clayton said: “To be recognised in this way by The Ivors Academy feels very special indeed. The appreciation of one’s peers is a humbling honour and we are immensely grateful. We’ve been playing our songs in this country for over 45 years, thank you to all those who have not just supported us, but carried us… producers, engineers, crew, fans, management, label.”
Larry Mullen Jr. said: “Making music collectively, as we’ve done for close to 50 years, has been an incredible experience and privilege for the four of us and I believe it’s a testament to a band that values individual creativity and independence of mind. We are grateful to each other and very grateful to The Ivors Academy for recognising us with this award.”
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