U2's 1991 No. 1 Album 'Achtung Baby' Was One of Their Most Successful—and It Marked a Creative Shift

Whenever you're stuck in a creative rut, it's time to pivot. That's precisely what mega-popular Irish rock band U2 did in the early '90s, following the release of their critically panned album and documentary film, Rattle and Hum. Recorded between October 1990 and September 1991, Achtung Babywas the four-piece outfit's seventh studio album. It was also produced by legendary music producer Brian Eno, who undoubtedly contributed to the record's success.

Achtung Baby hit store shelves on Nov. 18, 1991, and the album went on to become one of U2's most successful records. After feeling creatively stagnant, the band evolved their sound, incorporating industrial, alternative, and electronic dance music (EDM) flourishes. The album also adopted an overall darker tone compared to U2's previous work. The recording process wasn't smooth, though—the group almost disbanded after arguing over the album's musical direction. Once they made progress on their third single, "One," the tension between them dissipated.

Achtung Baby had five singles: "The Fly," "Mysterious Ways," "One," "Even Better Than the Real Thing," and "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses." "The Fly" peaked at No. 1 on Billboard's US Alternative Airplay chart, while "Mysterious Ways" took the top spot on the aforementioned chart as well as Billboard's US Mainstream Rock chart.

This creative reinvention proved to be a boon for U2. The album skyrocketed to No. 1 on the US Billboard 200 chart, and it went Platinum in 14 countries and Gold in four. Achtung Baby also won a Grammy Award for "Best Rock Album by a Duo or Group" in 1993.

On the critics' front, the record was well-received, with publications like Rolling Stone giving it at least four stars. Retrospectively, it's still held in high esteem. A 2010 piece from Spin hailed it as U2 becoming "the emblematic band of the alternative-rock era." Rolling Stone has also included it on multiple iterations of its "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list, with the album sitting at No. 124 on the 2020 version.

Achtung Baby might not be in the same conversations as The Joshua Tree, but it was a creative swing for the fences that resulted in great commercial success.

source https://www.mensjournal.com/news/iconic-rock-bands-1991-no-1-album-was-one-of-their-most-successful-and-it-marked-a-creative-shift