Bono Is Embarrassed By U2’s Music

U2’s musical approach has altered over time, but Bono’s expressive vocals and the Edge’s chiming, effects-based guitar sounds have maintained an anthemic appeal. The band’s lead singer revealed there’s actually only a handful of their songs he can listen to without cringing.

Apple’s decision to force U2’s album Songs of Innocence on every iPhone user in the globe may have been more difficult for Bono than it was for listeners. While U2 has been one of the most popular bands in the world for decades, its lead singer admitted in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast that he considers much of their music repulsive.

I’ve been in the car when one of our songs has come on the radio and I’ve been the color of, as we say in Dublin, scarlet. I’m just so embarrassed. The one that I can listen to the most is ‘Miss Sarajevo’ with Luciano Pavarotti. Genuine, most of the other ones make me cringe a little bit.

But he added that there’s still some salvageable hits within their extensive discography. He said that admitting that he’s probably proudest of the song “Vertigo.” Bono claimed he was against the band’s name when they first came up with it, and it’s not just the track-list that he hates.

Paul McGuinness, the band’s first manager, eventually persuaded the vocalist to keep it, calling it fantastic and claiming that it would “look well on a t-shirt, a letter, and a number.” But it appears that the name hasn’t grown on him yet.

What’s your take on this story? Sound off in the comments!