American Songwriter highlights four U2 ballads as examples of the band’s ability to move beyond its early, anthemic rock sound into slower and more emotionally direct material. The selections span different phases of U2’s career, showing how the group used arrangements, songwriting and Bono’s vocals to address longing, relationship breakdown and family grief.

– ‘All I Want Is You’ closes 1988’s *Rattle and Hum*, pairing Van Dyke Parks’ string arrangement with The Edge’s guitar; its use in *Reality Bites* widened its exposure.
– ‘So Cruel’, from 1991’s *Achtung Baby*, draws partly on The Edge’s marital difficulties and examines the harsh emotions surrounding separation.
– ‘Staring at the Sun’, from 1997’s initially divisive *Pop*, retained a more recognisable U2 ballad style amid the album’s electronic experimentation.
– ‘Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own’, from 2005’s *How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb*, was written by Bono for his father and performed at his funeral before recording.