Two decades after U2’s How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb shook the world and swept the Grammys, the band is marking its anniversary in epic style. Interscope Records has announced the release of a previously unheard “shadow album” titled How to Re-Assemble an Atomic Bomb, featuring a treasure trove of unreleased tracks from the original recording sessions. This newly unearthed collection is set to drop on November 29, 2024, giving fans a chance to dive back into U2’s early 2000s sonic exploration. The first tracks teased from the album, “Country Mile” and “Picture Of You (X + W),” offer a glimpse into this rediscovered era.
But that’s not all. To celebrate 20 years of one of their most celebrated records, U2 has gone back to the vaults to remaster How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb for the first time. The album, originally released on November 22, 2004, saw the band grapple with grief, reflection, and raw creative energy following the death of Bono’s father. The freshly remastered edition, slated for release on November 22, 2024, will also include the bonus track “Fast Cars.” For the true U2 die-hards, there’s even more: How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (Re-Assemble Edition)—a digital double feature of both the remastered original album and the shadow album—will also be available.
Reflecting on the anniversary, The Edge had this to say about the shadow album: “The sessions for How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb were incredibly creative. We were diving deep into our musical influences, and it was a time of personal introspection for Bono as he tried to process the loss of his father. Revisiting those recordings brought back that raw energy, and I went digging through the archives. We hit the jackpot. There were 10 tracks that spoke to us, songs we had set aside back then but now, with hindsight, they feel like they were contenders all along. What you’re getting with How to Re-Assemble an Atomic Bomb is that visceral energy, four musicians in a room, pure U2.”
How to Re-Assemble an Atomic Bomb isn’t just a simple collection of B-sides or leftovers. This shadow album features ten never-before-heard tracks from the original sessions that fans will now get to hear for the first time. Highlights include “Treason,” “Evidence of Life,” “Country Mile,” and “Happiness,” along with “Luckiest Man in the World”—a song long rumored to be the working demo “Mercy,” which was leaked online nearly 20 years ago. Now, it finally gets its official release. The collection also includes five remastered gems: “Picture Of You (X+W),” “I Don’t Wanna See You Smile,” “Are We Gonna Wait Forever?,” “Theme From The Batman,” and a reimagined version of “All Because Of You,” cheekily titled “All Because Of You 2.”
Let’s not forget what made How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb such an indelible part of U2’s legacy. Released in late 2004, this rock-centric album dominated charts in 34 countries, including the US, UK, and Ireland. Bono famously described it as the band’s “first rock album,” and with tracks like “Vertigo” and “Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own,” they proved him right. Produced by a dream team including Steve Lillywhite, Chris Thomas, Flood, and Brian Eno, among others, the album became a Grammy juggernaut. It snagged eight Grammys, with Vertigo alone nabbing three. The band took home Album of the Year and Song of the Year for “Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own” in 2006, cementing their status as one of the biggest rock bands of the era.
With this new chapter in the Atomic Bomb saga, U2 invites listeners to step back into one of their most creatively charged eras—only this time, with the benefit of hindsight and a few previously hidden secrets from their vault.
Mark your calendars: the remastered How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb and the double digital release Re-Assemble Edition drop on November 22, 2024, followed by How to Re-Assemble an Atomic Bomb on November 29. Fans, brace yourselves. This is the pure U2 drop you didn’t know you needed.
The tracklisting for How To Re-Assemble An Atomic Bomb is:
1. Picture Of You (X+W)
2. Evidence Of Life
3. Luckiest Man In The World
4. Treason
5. I Don’t Wanna See You Smile
6. Country Mile
7. Happiness
8. Are We Gonna Wait Forever?
9. Theme From The Batman
10. All Because Of You 2
The tracklisting for the remastered How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb 20th Anniversary Reissue is:
1. Vertigo
2. Miracle Drug
3. Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own
4. Love and Peace or Else
5. City of Blinding Lights
6. All Because of You
7. A Man and a Woman
8. Crumbs from Your Table
9. One Step Closer
10. Original of the Species
11. Yahweh
12. Fast Cars
The remastered How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb (20th Anniversary Edition) will be released in the following formats on November 22nd: Vinyl 8LP Super Deluxe Collectors Boxset (Limited Edition); Vinyl 2LP; Exclusive D2C 2LP Black & Red Ink Spot Vinyl (Limited Edition); 5CD Super Deluxe Collectors Boxset (Limited Edition); CD; and Exclusive Red & Black Cassette (Limited Edition). The digital releases include HTDAAB remastered (12 tracks); and HTDAAB & HTRAAB (22 tracks). How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb (Re-Assemble Edition) – featuring both How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb + How To Re-Assemble An Atomic Bomb – will be available as a dual digital release on November 22nd.
How To Re-Assemble An Atomic Bomb will be exclusively available in physical format for Record Store Day Black Friday as a Limited Edition Black & Red Marble 1LP Vinyl; and as a standalone 10 track digital release. Out November 29th.
