View source for The Complete U2

{{Short description|2004 digital box set by U2}}
{{About|the iTunes Store digital box set|U2's complete discography|U2 discography}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2025}}
{{Use Irish English|date=August 2025}}

{{Infobox album
| name       = The Complete U2
| type       = box
| artist     = [[U2]]
| cover      = completeu2.jpg
| alt        =
| released   = 23 November 2004
| recorded   = 1978–2004
| genre      = [[Rock music|Rock]]
| length     =
| label      = [[Island Records|Island]], [[Interscope Records|Interscope]]
| producer   = [[U2]], [[Martin Hannett]], [[Steve Lillywhite]], [[Brian Eno]], [[Daniel Lanois]], [[Jimmy Iovine]], [[Chris Thomas (record producer)|Chris Thomas]], [[Jacknife Lee]]
| prev_title = [[How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb]]
| prev_year  = 2004
| next_title = [[Live from Under the Brooklyn Bridge]]
| next_year  = 2004
}}

'''''The Complete U2''''' is a digital box set by Irish rock band [[U2]]. It was released on 23 November 2004 exclusively through the [[iTunes Store]] by [[Apple Inc.]] in partnership with Island and Interscope Records.<ref name="Apple2004">{{Cite web|url=https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2004/10/26Apple-Introduces-the-U2-iPod/|title=Apple Introduces the U2 iPod|website=Apple Newsroom|date=26 October 2004|access-date=16 August 2025}}</ref><ref name="MacWorld">{{Cite web|url=https://www.macworld.com/article/173439/u2complete.html|title=The Complete U2: The World's First Digital Box Set|website=Macworld|date=23 November 2004|access-date=16 August 2025}}</ref> The collection has been described as the first major digital-only box set by a recording artist, comprising 446 tracks spanning 1978–2004, including albums, singles, live recordings, rarities and previously unreleased material.<ref name="MacWorld"/><ref name="U2SongsMain">{{Cite web|url=https://www.u2songs.com/discography/u2_the_complete_u2_digital_box_set|title="The Complete U2" Digital Box Set|website=U2Songs.com|access-date=16 August 2025}}</ref>

==Background and release==
Announced alongside the [[iPod U2 Special Edition]], the set was positioned by Apple as the online music industry’s first “Digital Box Set.”<ref name="Apple2004"/> At launch it contained 446 tracks organized in 67 digital “groupings” corresponding to U2’s albums, singles and EPs; in iTunes each grouping was labelled ''The Complete U2''.<ref name="U2SongsMain"/><ref name="U2Wanderer">{{Cite web|url=https://www.u2wanderer.org/disco/dalb005.html|title=The Complete U2 – Digital Box Set|website=U2Wanderer.org|date=23 November 2004|access-date=16 August 2025}}</ref> Four titles were exclusive to the set: ''Unreleased & Rare'', ''Live from Boston 1981'', ''Live from the Point Depot'' and the ''Early Demos'' EP.<ref name="U2SongsMain"/>

A 48-page digital booklet (PDF) accompanied the set, featuring artwork, track listings and liner notes—essays by Bill Flanagan for previously released albums and notes by [[the Edge]] for the exclusive content. Design was handled by Dublin firm Four5One Creative, long-time U2 collaborators.<ref name="U2SongsMain"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.u2.com/news/title/stealing_hearts_690/|title=Stealing Hearts|website=U2.com|date=17 June 2003|access-date=16 August 2025}}</ref> (The booklet credits Four5One and Flanagan.)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pdfcoffee.com/the-complete-u2-digital-booklet-3-pdf-free.html|title=The Complete U2 – Digital Booklet (scan)|website=PDFCoffee|access-date=16 August 2025}}</ref>

At release the U.S. price was US$149.99; purchasers of the U2 iPod received a US$50 coupon toward the set.<ref name="Apple2004"/><ref name="MacWorld"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/music/pop/reviews/10650/|title=Under a Blood-Red Customized iPod Case|last=Wolk|first=Douglas|website=New York Magazine|date=8 December 2004|access-date=16 August 2025}}</ref> Files were delivered as 128 kbps AAC (.m4a). When Apple expanded its [[iTunes Plus]] offering, prior purchasers could upgrade their copies to 256 kbps for a fee, although the box set itself was no longer sold by that time.<ref name="U2SongsMain"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.macworld.com/article/194284/itunesplus.html|title=Upgrading to iTunes Plus: Why the hassle?|website=Macworld|date=6 January 2009|access-date=16 August 2025}}</ref>

==Content==
Although marketed as “complete,” the package necessarily repeated many tracks across albums, singles and compilations (for example, “[[One (U2 song)|One]]” appears in its album, single and compilation groupings). Several items in U2’s wider discography were not included.<ref name="U2Wanderer"/>

==Errors and issues==
Contemporary documentation and fan reports noted a number of metadata and audio issues at launch, some later corrected in store updates, others persisting:<ref name="U2SongsMain"/>
* Version discrepancies (e.g., “Stories for Boys” sourced from a compilation rather than the ''Three'' EP; “Even Better Than the Real Thing” and “Mysterious Ways” not matching the album edits).  
* Truncated audio on certain regional listings (e.g., the opening drum hit of “[[Sunday Bloody Sunday]]” in the U.S.).  
* Faulty or mislabelled files at launch (e.g., “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses (Temple Bar Remix)” resolving to “Paint It, Black”; “A Sort of Homecoming (Live from Wembley)” uploading initially as a 0:12 clip).  
Subsequent 256 kbps iTunes Plus upgrades in 2009 introduced further mismatches in some territories (for example, substitution of mixes and mislabelled tracks), with corrections varying by region.<ref name="U2SongsMain"/>

==Withdrawal==
On 20 December 2007 the set was removed from the iTunes Store worldwide and has not been reissued as a complete package since; existing owners later gained access to iTunes Plus upgrades.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.u2wanderer.org/?p=356|title=Happy Holidays and RIP The Complete U2|website=U2Wanderer.org|date=20 December 2007|access-date=21 December 2007}}</ref><ref name="U2SongsMain"/>

==Disc list==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Disc
! Title
! Type
! Length
! Tracks
|-
| 1
| "[[Another Day (U2 song)|Another Day]]"
| single
|  {{Sort|07:57|7:57}}
|  2
|- bgcolor={{Infobox album/color|EP}}
| 2
|''[[Three (U2 EP)|Three]]''
| EP
|  {{Sort|09:24|9:24}}
|  3
|-
| 3
| "[[11 O'Clock Tick Tock]]"
| single
|  {{Sort|07:11|7:11}}
|  2
|-
| 4
| "[[A Day Without Me]]"
| single
|  {{Sort|05:31|5:31}}
|  2
|-
| 5
| "[[I Will Follow]]"
| single
|  {{Sort|07:01|7:01}}
|  2
|- bgcolor={{Infobox album/color|studio}}
| 6
| ''[[Boy (album)|Boy]]''
| studio album
|  42:13
|  11
|-
| 7
| "[[Fire (U2 song)|Fire]]"
| single
|  18:11
|  4
|-
| 8
| "[[Gloria (U2 song)|Gloria]]"
| single
|  {{Sort|08:04|8:04}}
|  2
|- bgcolor={{Infobox album/color|studio}}
| 9
| ''[[October (U2 album)|October]]''
| studio album
|  41:08
|  11
|-
| 10
| "[[A Celebration]]"
| single
|  {{Sort|05:31|5:31}}
|  2
|-
| 11
| "[[New Year's Day (U2 song)|New Year's Day]]"
| single
|  18:10
|  4
|- bgcolor={{Infobox album/color|studio}}
| 12
| ''[[War (U2 album)|War]]''
| studio album
|  43:08
|  10
|-
| 13
| "[[Two Hearts Beat as One]]"
| single
|  18:05
|  5
|- bgcolor={{Infobox album/color|live}}
| 14
| ''[[Under a Blood Red Sky]]''
| live album
|  33:25
|  8
|-
| 15
| "[[Pride (In the Name of Love)]]"
| single
|  19:12
|  5
|- bgcolor={{Infobox album/color|studio}}
| 16
| ''[[The Unforgettable Fire]]''
| studio album
|  42:19
|  10
|-
| 17
| "[[The Unforgettable Fire (song)|The Unforgettable Fire]]" & B-Sides
| single
|  17:27
|  4
|-  bgcolor={{Infobox album/color|EP}}
| 18
| ''[[Wide Awake in America]]''
| EP
|  20:43
|  4
|-
| 19
| "[[With or Without You]]"
| single
|  14:18
|  3
|- bgcolor={{Infobox album/color|studio}}
| 20
| ''[[The Joshua Tree]]''
| studio album
|  50:11
|  11
|-
| 21
| "[[I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For]]"
| single
|  12:21
|  3
|-
| 22
| "[[Where the Streets Have No Name]]"
| single
|  16:20
|  4
|-
| 23
| "[[Desire (U2 song)|Desire]]"
| single
|  12:39
|  3
|- bgcolor={{Infobox album/color|studio}}
| 24
| ''[[Rattle and Hum]]''
| double album
|  {{Sort|72:23|1:12:23}}
|  17
|-
| 25
| "[[Angel of Harlem]]"
| single
|  14:32
|  3
|-
| 26
| "[[When Love Comes to Town]]"
| single
|  15:46
|  3
|-
| 27
| "[[All I Want Is You (U2 song)|All I Want Is You]]"
| single
|  10:43
|  2
|-
| 28
| "[[The Fly (U2 song)|The Fly]]"
| single
|  14:33
|  3
|- bgcolor={{Infobox album/color|studio}}
| 29 
|''[[Achtung Baby]]''
| studio album
|  55:29
|  12
|-
| 30 
|"[[Mysterious Ways (song)|Mysterious Ways]]" & Remixes
| single
|  13:22
|  7
|-
| 31
| "[[One (U2 song)|One]]"
| single
|  15:27
|  3
|-
| 32
| "[[Even Better Than the Real Thing]]"
| single
|  18:19
|  4
|-
| 33
| "[[Even Better Than the Real Thing]]" Remixes
| single
|  37:15
|  6
|-
| 34
| "[[Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses]]"
| single
|  21:27
|  4
|- bgcolor={{Infobox album/color|studio}}
| 35
| ''[[Zooropa]]''
| studio album
|  51:21
|  10
|-
| 36
| "[[Lemon (U2 song)|Lemon]]" Remixes
| single
|  59:45
|  9
|-
| 37
| "[[Stay (Faraway, So Close!)]]"
| single
|  19:50
|  4
|- bgcolor={{Infobox album/color|remix}}
| 38
| ''[[Melon: Remixes for Propaganda|Melon]]''
| remix album
|  47:01
|  7
|- bgcolor={{Infobox album/color|studio}}
| 39
| ''[[Original Soundtracks 1]]''
| studio album
|  58:08
|  14
|-
| 40
| "[[Miss Sarajevo]]"
| single
|  19:30
|  4
|-
| 41
| "[[Discothèque (song)|Discothèque]]"
| single
|  14:42
|  3
|-
| 42
| "[[Discothèque (song)|Discothèque]]" Remixes
| single
|  {{Sort|65:08|1:05:08}}
|  10
|- bgcolor={{Infobox album/color|studio}}
| 43
| ''[[Pop (U2 album)|Pop]]''
| studio album
|  {{Sort|60:13|1:00:13}}
|  12
|-
| 44
| "[[Staring at the Sun (U2 song)|Staring at the Sun]]"
| single
|  14:42
|  3
|-
| 45
| "[[Staring at the Sun (U2 song)|Staring at the Sun]]" Remixes
| single
|  16:34
|  3
|-
| 46
| "[[Last Night on Earth (U2 song)|Last Night on Earth]]"
| single
|  14:01
|  3
|-
| 47
| "[[Please (U2 song)|Please]]"
| single
|  48:48
|  9
|-
| 48
| "[[If God Will Send His Angels]]"
| single
|  22:29
|  5
|-
| 49
| "[[Mofo (song)|Mofo]]" Remixes
| single
|  37:40
|  5
|-
| 50
| "[[Sweetest Thing]]"
| single
|  22:25
|  5
|- bgcolor={{Infobox album/color|greatest}}
| 51
| ''[[The Best of 1980–1990]]''
| greatest hits
|  {{Sort|64:28|1:04:28}}
|  15
|-
| 52
| "[[Beautiful Day]]"
| single
|  20:07
|  5
|- bgcolor={{Infobox album/color|studio}}
| 53
| ''[[All That You Can't Leave Behind]]''
| studio album
|  53:09
|  12
|- bgcolor={{Infobox album/color|live}}
| 54
| ''[[Hasta la Vista Baby! (U2 album)|Hasta la Vista Baby!]]''
| live album
|  {{Sort|69:19|1:09:19}}
|  14
|-
| 55
| "[[Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of]]"
| single
|  36:06
|  7
|-
| 56
| "[[Elevation (song)|Elevation]]"
| single
|  19:42
|  4
|-
| 57
| "[[Elevation (song)|Elevation]]" Remixes
| single
|  31:15
|  5
|-
| 58
| "[[Walk On (U2 song)|Walk On]]"
| single
|  20:59
|  4
|-
| 59
| "[[Electrical Storm (song)|Electrical Storm]]"
| single
|  32:05
|  5
|- bgcolor={{Infobox album/color|greatest}}
| 60
| ''[[The Best of 1990–2000]]''
| greatest hits
|  {{Sort|76:20|1:16:20}}
|  17
|-
| 61
| "[[Vertigo (U2 song)|Vertigo]]"
| single
|  {{Sort|07:01|7:01}}
|  2
|-
| 62
| "[[Vertigo (U2 song)|Vertigo]]" Remixes
| single
|  18:36
|  4
|- bgcolor={{Infobox album/color|studio}}
| 63
| ''[[How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb]]''
| studio album
|  52:58
|  12
|- bgcolor={{Infobox album/color|compilation}}
| 64
| ''[[#Unreleased & Rare|Unreleased & Rare]]''
| compilation
|  {{Sort|77:12|1:17:12}}
|  18
|- bgcolor={{Infobox album/color|live}}
| 65
| ''[[#Live from Boston 1981|Live from Boston 1981]]''
| live album
|  54:34
|  13
|- bgcolor={{Infobox album/color|live}}
| 66
| ''[[Live from the Point Depot]]''
| live album
|  {{Sort|99:44|1:39:44}}
|  21
|-  bgcolor={{Infobox album/color|EP}}
| 67
| ''[[#Early Demos|Early Demos]]''
| EP
|  13:14
|  3
|-
| '''Total:'''
|colspan=2 align="center"| 20 albums <br/> 3 EPs
| 28:00:00 <br/> (approx.)
| 446
|}

===Digital box set-exclusive albums===
The following albums are only officially available as part of this set:

====''Unreleased & Rare''====
''Unreleased & Rare'' compiles previously unreleased and hard-to-find tracks, many originating from the ''[[All That You Can't Leave Behind]]'' and ''[[How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb]]'' sessions; some edits and remixes from singles and compilations are also included.<ref name="U2SongsMain"/>
{{tracklist
|
|extra_column=From
|title1=Levitate
|extra1=''[[All That You Can't Leave Behind]]'' sessions
|length1=5:09
|title2=Love You Like Mad
|extra2=''All That You Can't Leave Behind'' sessions
|length2=4:17
|title3=Smile
|extra3=''[[How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb]]'' sessions
|length3=3:17
|title4=Flower Child
|extra4=''All That You Can't Leave Behind'' sessions
|length4=4:54
|title5=Beautiful Ghost / Introduction to Songs of Experience
|extra5=''[[The Joshua Tree]]'' sessions
|length5=3:52
|title6=Jesus Christ
|extra6=''[[Rattle and Hum]]'' sessions
|length6=3:12
|title7=Xanax and Wine
|extra7=''How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb'' sessions
|length7=4:39
|title8=[[All Because of You (U2 song)|All Because of You]]
|note8=Alternate version
|extra8=''How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb'' sessions
|length8=3:35
|title9=Native Son
|extra9=''How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb'' sessions
|length9=3:08
|title10=Yahweh
|note10=Alternate version
|extra10=''How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb'' sessions
|length10=4:31
|title11=[[Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own]]
|note11=Alternate version
|extra11=''How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb'' sessions
|length11=5:30
|title12=[[Numb (U2 song)|Numb]]
|note12=Radio edit
|extra12="Numb" promotional single
|length12=3:57
|title13=Bass Trap
|note13=Edit
|extra13=''The Best of 1980–1990 B-sides''
|length13=3:33
|title14=[[Night and Day (song)|Night and Day]]
|note14=Twilight Remix
|extra14="Night and Day" promotional single
|length14=5:20
|title15=Numb
|note15=Gimme Some More Dignity Mix edit
|extra15=''The Best of 1990–2000 B-sides''
|length15=5:50
|title16=Salomé
|note16=Zooromancer Remix edit
|extra16=''The Best of 1990–2000 B-sides''
|length16=5:51
|title17=[[Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)]]
|extra17=''[[A Very Special Christmas (album)|A Very Special Christmas]]'' (1987)
|length17=2:19
|title18=Stateless
|extra18=''[[The Million Dollar Hotel: Music from the Motion Picture]]''
|length18=4:05
}}

====''Live from Boston 1981''====
''Live from Boston 1981'' was recorded at the [[Paradise Rock Club]] on {{Start date|df=yes|1981|3|6}} during the [[Boy Tour]]. Several performances had previously appeared as B-sides or bonus tracks on various singles.<ref name="U2SongsMain"/>
{{tracklist
|
| extra_column=Originally released on
| title1=The Ocean
| length1=2:22
| title2=[[11 O'Clock Tick Tock]]
| length2=5:02
| title3=Touch
| length3=3:01
| title4=[[An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart]]
| length4=7:54
| title5=Another Time, Another Place
| length5=4:33
| title6=The Cry/[[The Electric Co.]]
| extra6="[[Fire (U2 song)|Fire]]" single
| length6=4:53
| title7=Things to Make and Do
| length7=3:05
| title8=Stories for Boys
| extra8="[[Sweetest Thing]]" single
| length8=3:03
| title9=Twilight
| length9=4:27
| title10=[[I Will Follow]]
| extra10="[[Gloria (U2 song)|Gloria]]" single
| length10=3:58
| title11=[[Out of Control (U2 song)|Out of Control]]
| extra11="[[I Will Follow]]" single
| length11=5:18
| title12=11 O'Clock Tick Tock
| note12=encore
| extra12="Fire" single
| length12=5:01
| title13=The Ocean
| note13=encore
| extra13="Fire" single
| length13=2:11
}}

====''Live from the Point Depot''====
{{Main|Live from the Point Depot}}
''Live from the Point Depot'' documented U2’s [[New Year's Eve]] performance at Dublin’s [[Point Theatre|Point Depot]] in 1989, officially released here after years of circulation as a bootleg recording.<ref name="U2SongsMain"/>

====''Early Demos''====
{{Infobox album
| name       = Early Demos
| type       = EP
| longtype   = from ''The Complete U2'' box set
| artist     = U2
| cover      = u2earlydemos.jpg
| alt        =
| recorded   = November 1978
| genre      =
| length     = 13:14
| label      =
| producer   = [[Barry Devlin]]
}}
''Early Demos'' contains three studio demos produced by [[Barry Devlin]] and recorded at Keystone Studios in November 1978. Two tracks (“Street Mission” and “The Fool”) are otherwise unavailable on U2 studio albums; “Shadows and Tall Trees” later appeared on ''[[Boy (album)|Boy]]'' (1980).<ref name="U2SongsMain"/>

{{tracklist
|title1=Street Mission
|length1=4:17
|title2=Shadows and Tall Trees
|note2=Demo
|length2=4:40
|title3=The Fool
|length3=4:15
}}

==See also==
* [[U2 discography]]
* [[List of U2 songs]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.u2wanderer.org/isthatall/004.html Complete track listing] of all 446 songs, with a discussion of excluded and redundant tracks

{{U2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Complete U2, The}}
[[Category:Albums produced by Brian Eno]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Chris Thomas (record producer)]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Daniel Lanois]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Jacknife Lee]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Jimmy Iovine]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Martin Hannett]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Steve Lillywhite]]
[[Category:ITunes-exclusive releases]]
[[Category:U2 compilation albums]]
[[Category:U2 live albums]]
[[Category:U2 EPs]]
[[Category:2004 live albums]]
[[Category:2004 compilation albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Bono]]
[[Category:Albums produced by the Edge]]