How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb - Definition and Overview

How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb is the title of a an album by Irish rock music group U2. It was released on November 22 2004. U2 lead singer Bono has described the album as "our first rock and roll record". The album deals with the world at the crossroads of its existence. Love, war, peace and harmony are running themes throughout the album.

The album is produced by Steve Lillywhite. Others involved in the production are: Flood, Jacknife Lee, Nellee Hooper and Chris Thomas.

Following the November 22 2004 release, the album debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200, the UK album chart, and the Aria charts.

The album has debuted at #1 for 34 countries.

It has now sold 3 million copies and shipped 5.6 million in its third week.

Track listing

The album is slated to include 11 tracks. A list of known song titles includes:

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" (released on UK version)

Singles

"Vertigo"

The first single from the album, titled "Vertigo", was released for airplay on September 24, 2004. The song received extensive airplay in the United States in the first week after its release and debuted at #18 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart and #46 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In the weeks after its release, the track jumped to #1 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart and also moved from #27 to #3 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart and from #35 to #9 on the Adult Top 40. It also debuted at #1 on the Hot Digital Tracks chart and, after falling to #4, returned to the top position. The track later moved into the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #31; it has spent 16 weeks on the chart.

In the United Kingdom, the song moved from BBC Radio 1's B-list on the first week of its release to the A-list in the second week. The song was released on 15 November; it debuted at #1 and remained there for one week; it spent 8 weeks in the top 40.

The track debuted at #5 on the Aria charts.

"Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own"

The song is planned for worldwide release as a single on 7 February, 2005. The song was added to BBC Radio 1's "C List" Playlist on 29 December 2004. It moved to the B List a week later and to the A List a week after that. The song was also playlisted by XFM.

Bono wrote the song about his father, Brendan Robert "Bob" Hewson, and his love for the opera, after his father died of cancer in August 2001, and later performed the song at his funeral.

"All Because of You"

This is the second single in North America. Upon the album's release, "All Because of You" was released for airplay in the United States. The song debuted at #27 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart and has moved to #6 since then. It entered at #39 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart three weeks after its release and has jumped to #20 since then.

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Singles - Billboard (North America)