New Subscriber Playlist: “Songs From a Blood Red Sky”

There was a time in my life when U2 was the. Most. Important. Band. In. The. World. I don’t believe that quite so fervently these days, but there’s no denying that of Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr. have created some of the most influential, inspiring, and indelible rock n’ roll of the last 50 years.

Last month, U2 released Songs of Surrender, a companion piece to Bono’s memoir, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story, which features stripped down versions of 40 songs selected from throughout the band’s catalog. This month’s playlist — titled “Songs From a Blood Red Sky” — is my own 40-song survey of U2’s catalog.

I largely skipped the band’s signature songs (e.g., “Pride (In the Name of Love,” “Where the Streets Have No Name,” “With or Without You”). Instead, I focused on songs in the U2 catalog that may not be as well known, but have nevertheless stuck with me throughout the decades, and highlight the best aspects of the band’s musical ambitions.

Accompanying the playlist is the latest episode of my“Playlist Breakdown” podcast, in which I spotlight one of the playlist’s songs and why it’s so special, interesting, and/or meaningful. In this latest episode, I discuss “Walk to the Water,” an abstract-yet-affecting B-side for The Joshua Tree’s “With or Without You.”

Both of these are little bonuses for subscribers who support Opus financially. If you’d like to get access to them (and more), subscribe to Opus for $5/month or $50/year. (You can also subscribe for free and get my weekend newsletter.)