The Fly
U2 | Artist Essentials
First released: 1991 (year verified)
Original 1991 studio single recording
MusicAtlas editorial note: The low vocal and abrasive guitar colors push against the bright refrain.
YouTube opens a title-and-artist search. The selected recording and date are identified below.
Release evidence and recording details
First released: 1991 (year verified)
The official discography documents the original 1991 single. Its earlier release is used ahead of the later album or annual-list association; separately labeled remixes and live versions are not selected.
Recording: Original 1991 studio single recording
Credit: U2
Role in this collection: Primary artist
Original single: The Fly
The Fly - U2 official single history
Explicit 1991 original single release. Original single before Achtung Baby; the Lounge Fly Mix is separately named. | Reviewed 2026-10-17
In the yearly lists
This selected recording is beyond the current yearly lists.
About U2
U2 formed in Dublin in 1976 with Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. Their early records drew on punk energy, with Steve Lillywhite producing Boy, October and War. Work with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois brought a wider atmospheric palette on The Unforgettable Fire and The Joshua Tree. Achtung Baby and the subsequent 1990s records introduced further rhythmic and electronic changes. The catalog later continued through All That You Can't Leave Behind, No Line on the Horizon and Songs of Innocence.
Artist background sources
The Band - U2 official history
Identifies Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr.; formation in Dublin in 1976; early punk influence and Steve Lillywhite albums; subsequent Eno/Lanois collaboration and the 1990s change in sound. Album dates are corroborated with their original release pages. | Retrieved 2026-10-17
Boy - U2 official original album entry
Original 1980 album release and full original tracklist reviewed. Year precision avoids inconsistencies in some official month labels. Recording sessions, award years, later remasters and bonus versions do not establish first release. Earlier selected singles are reviewed separately. | Retrieved 2026-10-17
October - U2 official original album entry
Original 1981 album release and full original tracklist reviewed. Year precision avoids inconsistencies in some official month labels. Recording sessions, award years, later remasters and bonus versions do not establish first release. Earlier selected singles are reviewed separately. | Retrieved 2026-10-17
War - U2 official original album entry
Original 1983 album release and full original tracklist reviewed. Year precision avoids inconsistencies in some official month labels. Recording sessions, award years, later remasters and bonus versions do not establish first release. Earlier selected singles are reviewed separately. | Retrieved 2026-10-17
The Unforgettable Fire - U2 official original album entry
Original 1984 album release and full original tracklist reviewed. Year precision avoids inconsistencies in some official month labels. Recording sessions, award years, later remasters and bonus versions do not establish first release. Earlier selected singles are reviewed separately. | Retrieved 2026-10-17
The Joshua Tree - U2 official original album entry
Original 1987 album release and full original tracklist reviewed. Year precision avoids inconsistencies in some official month labels. Recording sessions, award years, later remasters and bonus versions do not establish first release. Earlier selected singles are reviewed separately. | Retrieved 2026-10-17
Achtung Baby - U2 official original album entry
Original 1991 album release and full original tracklist reviewed. Year precision avoids inconsistencies in some official month labels. Recording sessions, award years, later remasters and bonus versions do not establish first release. Earlier selected singles are reviewed separately. | Retrieved 2026-10-17
Pop - U2 official original album entry
Original 1997 album release and full original tracklist reviewed. Year precision avoids inconsistencies in some official month labels. Recording sessions, award years, later remasters and bonus versions do not establish first release. Earlier selected singles are reviewed separately. | Retrieved 2026-10-17
All That You Can't Leave Behind - U2 official original album entry
Original 2000 album release and full original tracklist reviewed. Year precision avoids inconsistencies in some official month labels. Recording sessions, award years, later remasters and bonus versions do not establish first release. Earlier selected singles are reviewed separately. | Retrieved 2026-10-17
No Line on the Horizon - U2 official original album entry
Original 2009 album release and full original tracklist reviewed. Year precision avoids inconsistencies in some official month labels. Recording sessions, award years, later remasters and bonus versions do not establish first release. Earlier selected singles are reviewed separately. | Retrieved 2026-10-17
Songs of Innocence - U2 official original album entry
Original 2014 album release and full original tracklist reviewed. Year precision avoids inconsistencies in some official month labels. Recording sessions, award years, later remasters and bonus versions do not establish first release. Earlier selected singles are reviewed separately. The text explicitly describes the 2014 digital album release before the later physical edition. Every Breaking Wave is on original disc one; the additional Acoustic Sessions are separate. | Retrieved 2026-10-17
Profile reviewed: 2026-10-17. Artist background does not establish a song's creative origin or release date.
Continue listening
Recommended positions express one editorial listening sequence. They are not measured quality scores.
Browse by year
1960-2025. Each year contains 150 selections.