I would start with Achtung Baby or JT.

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I'd start with BOY. To me, if I were just starting out, I'd want to see where it all began. I started with WAR, right when it first came out. That would have been the summer of 1983. Yikes! The New Year's Day and Two Hearts Beat As One videos that they made from that album were on music video shows everywhere.

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I suggest starting out with Best Of, stuff he's familiar with, then expanding to JT and AB and ATYCLB, maybe throw in some Pop and UF to get him acclimated to their more out-there stuff. Then do the chronological thing. ^_^

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I personally started out with The Joshua Tree, Zooropa, and All That You Can't Leave Behind. Since your current music is "Dirty Day" I'm just going to go right ahead and assume you have Zooropa.

I dunno, you might even want to check out the ZooTV and Popmart videos or the Elevation DVD and pick out some of the songs you like there.

It's really up to you, of course. When I began my exploration of U2 (and it was just that, an exploration!), I dedicated a period that lasted at or around a month to one particular album, which, for me, was the appropriate amount of time to grow to love, understand and truly feel the album.

But if you're looking for U2, don't go right to Passengers: Original Soundtracks! lol

Ok ok, now that I've thrown ALL of that at you, I'll just make my suggestions clear once and for all:

The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby

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i'd start with Achtung Baby first, just because it's their best. I mean, you could start at the beginning with Boy - but just sample it and then go to AB, Joshua Tree and then ATYCLB to show their different sounds and let him decide from there!

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I would start out with Achtung Baby cuz IMO it is the sexiest and most intense U2 album!

Welcome here btw!

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Achtung Baby was my first (and now favorite) album. And then I got All That You Can't Leave Behind.

(And looking back, it's kind of interesting.. start with the darkest.. move to the most uplifting..)

And then I began the process of compulsively hoarding cds.. Hummm.

I'd go for Achtung Baby and the Joshua Tree (or *maybe* ATYCLB, I'm not sure yet..), introduction to the major U2-esque styles.. Then Pop. Maybe. Hell. I don't know.

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for a newish fan, I'd say the best of 80-90 album. I love the joshua tree album too (becasue my favourite song is on it), Achtung Baby and ATYCLB :/. But that's my vote. Best Of.

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My first U2 CD was the Best Of, and then I bought Achtung Baby and Joshua Tree at the same time.. so I would say get those three.. Achtung Baby is my favorite, but Joshua Tree is like THE U2 album.. people who aren't even huge fans probably have it. And then get ATYCLB. :)

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actually if you have the elevation DVD how bout playing that, unless you're set on the album. has a little bit of songs from everything, and i think the live versions of a bunch of the songs are amazing. plus you get to see them perform.

if it had to be album, i'd go w/ the one that has the most songs their familiar with. that way every so often they'll have that "safety" of something they recognize and already love.

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Best bet to convert someone to U2 fanaticism is The Joshua Tree. Because everybody knows the first three songs, they get into it, then they listen to the rest of the album and are amazed at how great it is (especially once they hear Running to Stand Still). After that, depending on their musical leanings, head for Achtung Baby, or ATYCLB. AB has the well-knowns: One, Mysterious Ways, etc., but then they hear Until the End of the World, and THE FLY, and all the stuff after Mysterious Ways. Slowly the realize that there is something good and interesting in every U2 song, and want to hear more. My experience is that you don't expose them to Boy until they are an affirmed fan...with the exception of Out of Control. Nobody can here that song and not start bouncing off the walls...except my girlfriend apparently. lol

I'm rambling now. Hope that helps.

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Joshua Tree was my first U2 album, and I think it is impossible not to fall in love with U2 after you listen to that album from Streets to Dissapeared. It is an amazing album, so I would start with Joshua Tree, work forward to ATYCLB, then go back to Boy and such.

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ACHTUNG BABY!
Without a DOUBT!!

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....and the Best Of, yeah. My first U2 CD was the Best Of, my second was Achtung Baby, which is the best U2 album and guaranteed to hook someone.

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....I should clarify I mean the Best Of & B-Sides, not just the single CD!

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