"Achtung Baby" is the seventh studio album by the Irish rock band U2, released on November 18, 1991, by Island Records. Produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, the album marked a significant shift in U2's musical direction following the mixed reception of their 1988 album Rattle and Hum. The band incorporated influences from alternative rock, industrial music, and electronic dance music into their sound, moving away from the more traditional rock style of their previous work. Thematically, Achtung Baby is darker, more introspective, and at times more playful and ironic than its predecessors. Bono's lyrics were influenced partly by the marital issues of the band's guitarist, the Edge.
Recording began in October 1990 at Berlin's Hansa Studios, with U2 seeking inspiration from the ongoing German reunification. The sessions, however, were fraught with tension, as the band members clashed over their musical direction and the quality of the material. At one point, the group was on the brink of disbanding due to the strained atmosphere. However, a breakthrough came when they spontaneously wrote the song "One", which revitalized the band's morale and set the course for the remainder of the album. The band then moved to Dublin, where the album was completed in 1991. To subvert the public's expectations and the band's previous image, U2 chose the ironic title Achtung Baby and designed a colorful, multi-image album sleeve.
Achtung Baby became one of U2's most commercially successful albums, debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200 and topping the charts in many other countries. Five singles were released from the album, all of which were successful, including "One", "Mysterious Ways", and "The Fly". The album has sold over 18 million copies worldwide and won a Grammy Award in 1993 for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. The accompanying Zoo TV Tour, which ran from 1992 to 1993, was also a major success, grossing $151 million from 5.3 million tickets sold. The album and the tour were central to U2's reinvention in the 1990s, both musically and in terms of their public image, shifting from a serious, earnest persona to a more ironic and playful one.
Achtung Baby is widely regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time, earning critical acclaim since its release. The album has been reissued multiple times, including special editions for its 20th anniversary in 2011 and 30th anniversary in 2021. U2 celebrated the album during their U2:UV Achtung Baby Live residency in Las Vegas from 2023 to 2024.
