War

(Released March 1983)	Track list:
	Sunday Bloody Sunday
	Seconds
	New Year's Day
	Like a Song
	Drowning Man
	The Refugee
	Two Hearts Beat as One
	Red Light
	Surrender
	40

A break finally came for U2 in 1983 when their third album, "War," hit number one in the United Kingdom. U2 now had enough fan support to tour in Europe and the United States, proving that "War" was a success. The album ranked #221 in Rolling Stone Magazine's 500 Greatest Albums of All-Time.

"War" was a new musical twist for U2, described by Bono to be "like graffiti." The sound was different, and the first guest vocals, The Coconuts, were featured on the album in two songs. In addition to having a new sound, "War" was the first album to speak out on major issues, and thus the first album geared toward political ideas.

Certain songs dealt with certain issues; "Sunday Bloody Sunday", which became the band's signature song, addressed the Northern Ireland situation. It refers to the events of "Bloody Sunday" in 1920 and 1972, days of violence and massacre in Irish history . The song ranked #7 in the U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks in 1983. The album also includes songs about nuclear weapons trades and prostitution. Some songs, like "New Year's Day," are a combination of political issues and love songs to bring a balance to the album.

The boy on the cover of their first album was also featured on the cover of their third album. This time, the boy depicted was more aggressive U2 was not only older but also not as innocent and pure as before.