U2 “Achtung Baby” (1991)

From the opening seconds of “Zoo Station,” Achtung Baby announces itself with a roaring crunch, signaling the end of the earnest U2 of the ‘80s. Between the Edge’s snarling, textured guitars and Adam Clayton’s blood-pumping basslines, Bono’s mood careens from sarcastic and playful to heartbroken and hung-over. Fans were immediately deeply divided, deciding that the band was either brilliant or out of their collective gourd. Nearly two decades later, the album is considered a masterpiece, packed with classics like “Mysterious Ways,” “Until the End of the World,” and fan-favorite “Ultraviolet (Light My Way).” (And let’s not forget “One,” the beautifully ambiguous piece considered by many to be the best song of the ‘90s.) If you’re among the masses who believe U2 to be nothing more than the Irish fathers of Coldplay, take a listen. I guarantee you’ve never heard this side of Bono and the boys. – Reilly