"Boy" is the debut studio album by Irish rock band U2, released on October 20, 1980, by Island Records. Produced by Steve Lillywhite, the album includes songs from U2's early repertoire, featuring tracks that were re-recorded from their EP Three.
Recording took place at Windmill Lane Studios in Dublin from July to September 1980. Lillywhite employed innovative production techniques, such as recording drummer Larry Mullen Jr. in a stairwell and using unconventional sound effects like smashed bottles and bicycle wheels. Thematically, the album explores adolescence, innocence, and the transition to adulthood, with lyrics reflecting personal experiences and literary references.
Boy received positive reviews and included the breakout single "I Will Follow," which gained traction on US radio. It peaked at number 52 in the UK and number 63 in the US, and it was later included in Rolling Stone's list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time."
The album cover features a photograph of a young boy, Peter Rowen, and was changed for the US release due to concerns about its appropriateness. A remastered edition was released in 2008, and for its 40th anniversary, Boy was reissued on white vinyl in 2020.
