U2 by decade

Here are a few,
oversimplified, grids for looking at the canon of U2's work:


1980s: simplicity
1990s: complexity
2000s: the simplicity on the other side of complexity

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1980s: innocence
1990s: innocence lost
2000s: innocence regained..(or wanting it back)


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1980s: light
1990s: light viewed from darkness
2000s: light and dark viewed from light
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1980s: direct
1990s: indirect
2000s:directly indirect

1980s: rock
1990s: roll
2000s: rock and roll

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which is very different that the typical Squeaker-fundy take on the trajectory:

1980s: faith (if they ever really had it)
1990s: apostate (if they ever really had faith)
2000s: faith again (if they really have it)