In building U2 articles, try to base their layout on the Project's current Featured Articles (if possible). Song articles, for example, should use a layout similar to "City of Blinding Lights" while album articles should be fairly close in style to No Line on the Horizon. Of course this is by no means mandatory, but it is heavily recommended. All articles should have an applicable infobox and be well-referenced. References should follow the recommended formats at Wikipedia:WikiProject U2/References. Articles should have the following:
Covers: the four band members, Paul McGuinness, related personnel and family members.
It is imperative that articles on people follow the guidelines of WP:BLP first and foremost. Content should include sections on the following:
- Early life - from birth to the moment Feedback was formed.
- Personal life - family, friends, medical problems, etc.
- Musical career - this should include two subsections, the first being U2 (also covering Feedback and The Hype), and the second for musical work outside of the band.
- Other endeavours - activities outside of the band, including business ventures and humanitarian work.
Covers: U2 songs, collaborations with other artists, and songs band members have written/played outside of U2.
Song articles should have sections for the following:
- Background and inspiration - how the song was developed, where the inspiration came from, and the writing and recording process.
- Composition and theme - how the song is played (tempo, key, what the notes are, etc.), what the themes in the song are, and similarities in sound and theme to other works.
- Live performances - when the song was played, live themes and visuals.
- Reception and legacy - how the song was received by critics, how it has been referenced/used in/influenced culture, summary of chart performance (if applicable).
- Personnel - who played what instrument.
- Navigation boxes - the navigation box for the album the song was released on (ex. {{Achtung Baby}} for "Zoo Station") followed by {{U2}}. If it was released as a single, use {{U2 singles}} instead of {{U2}}. These should not be given their own section but should instead be included at the bottom of the page as part of "External links".
Articles on singles should include all of the above as well as the following:
- Release - when it was released, promotional releases, summary of release formats, inclusion on other albums (such as compilations), and music video. If there is enough information about the latter it should be included as a subsection of Release.
- Track listings - the specific tracks on each release, included with the use of {{tracklist}}. Information about the various B-sides should be included in this section.
- Charts - a table detailing the single's charting positions.
Covers: Studio and live albums, fanclub giveaways, extended plays, and concert videos.
Album articles should have sections for the following:
- Recording and production - details on the recording process from the beginning to the end of the sessions.
- Composition - The album's theme and how details of each song relate to that theme, as well as a brief summary of the songs (for those that do not have articles).
- Release - the release date, the various release formats (including remasters), and inormation on the album artwork.
- Promotion and singles - how the album was promoted by the band and the record label, and what the singles from the album were. If there is enough information available, consider splitting information about the singles into a new section.
- Reception - how it was received, chart positions, sales numbers, and a summary of certifications. For older albums, consider working information about it's legacy into this section. If there is enough information, split Legacy into a new section.
- Supporting tour - a brief summary of the tour held in support of the album. This should not be overly detailed; the specifics should be contained in the Tour article.
- Track listing - a list of the tracks on the release using {{tracklist}}, including bonus tracks under their own heading. Also should include information about who wrote the songs, who produced them, and their length.
- Charts and certifications - Ten locations in alphabetical order where the album charted and what the most recent cetifications in those locations was. Ireland should be included at the top of the list regardless of alphabetization. Recommended markets for inclusion are Australia, Belgium (Flanders or Wallonia), Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. A separate chart box should be included to the right for the singles and other songs that charted from the album (see Achtung Baby#Charts and certifications for an example).
- Personnel - who worked on the album and what their roles were. Separate the band members (as U2) and everyone else (as Additional).
- Navigation boxes - the navigation box for the album (ex. {{October (U2 album)}} for 'October') followed by {{U2}}. These should not be given their own section but should instead be included at the bottom of the page as part of "External links".
Please feel free to list your new U2-related articles here (newer articles at the top, please). Any new articles that have an interesting or unusual fact in them, are at least over 1,000 characters, don't have any dispute templates on them, and cite their sources, should be suggested for the Did you know? box on the Wikipedia Main Page.
This is a list of U2's related facts that were featured on the Main Page as part of Did you know?
- ... that for 24 hours, for every download of the song "Invisible" by U2, Bank of America was giving $1 to the organisation (RED), raising $3,138,470 to fight HIV-AIDS? – (DYK – 11 February 2014)
- ... that U2's autobiography U2 by U2 was inspired by The Beatles Anthology? – (DYK – 11 November 2013)
- ... that both the Angelina Jolie Trapdoor Spider (pictured) and Bono's Joshua Tree Trapdoor Spider inject their prey with venom after ambushing it from their burrows? – (DYK – 1 July 2013)
- ... that as a choreographer and dancer, Morleigh Steinberg presented her arms as noodles, but to much of the public she is known for being next to The Edge? – (DYK – 7 May 2013)
- ... that the intro to "Already There", a song by Christian rock band Casting Crowns, was compared to U2's "Beautiful Day"? – (DYK – 10 April 2013)
- ... that Bono counts off the song "Vertigo" with "one, two, three, fourteen!" in Spanish? – (DYK – 24 February 2013)
- ... that Casting Crowns' 2005 single "Lifesong" has been musically compared to rock band U2? – (DYK – 4 July 2012)
- ... that Brian Eno described Kaddish, an album that reflects on the Holocaust, as "the most frightening record I have ever heard"? – (DYK – 3 January 2012)
- ... that when Jimmy Iovine asked will.i.am who he wanted to collaborate with on "T.H.E. (The Hardest Ever)", will mentioned Mick Jagger because he felt it would never happen? – (DYK – 4 December 2011)
- ... that U2's song "Exit" was used in the defence of Robert John Bardo at his trial for the murder of Rebecca Schaeffer? – (DYK – 2 October 2011)
- ... that for the production of the upcoming U2 documentary, From the Sky Down, director Davis Guggenheim was given full access to the band's archives? – (DYK – 18 September 2011)
- ... that Bono personally lobbied for Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to investigate the treatment of imprisoned conscientious objector İnan Süver? – (DYK – 12 May 2011)
- ... that Smaart software was used to tune the sound reinforcement system during U2's PopMart Tour 1997–1998? – (DYK – 19 January 2011)
- ... that critic Christopher Gray said the U2 song "Yahweh" could be about Jesus or lead singer Bono's two children? – (DYK – 6 December 2010)
- ... that U2's latest live EP was created as part of a program to draw customers to independent record shops during the 2010 holiday shopping season? – (DYK – 10 November 2010)
- ... that U2 wrote the song "Mothers of the Disappeared" about the Madres de Plaza de Mayo, whose children disappeared during the Dirty War? – (DYK – 4 October 2010)
- ... that Brian Eno, one of the principal innovators of ambient music, played synthesisers on Coldplay's 2007 single "White Shadows"? – (DYK – 3 June 2010)
- ... that U2's experience in Shinjuku, Tokyo (pictured) at the conclusion of the Zoo TV Tour was the inspiration for the Passengers' song "Slug"? – (DYK – 14 March 2010)
- ... that when U2 played a concert in Sarajevo in 1997 (concert stage pictured), they attempted to include all the conflicting ethnicities of the region in the audience? – (DYK – 16 February 2010)
- ... that the U2 song "Winter" was written for the war film Brothers after the band viewed a rough cut of the film? – (DYK – 31 December 2009)
- ... that the lyrics in the U2 song "No Line on the Horizon" were inspired by an image of a place "where the sea meets the sky and you can't tell the difference between the two"? – (DYK – 30 October 2009)
- ... that the U2 song "Fez – Being Born", created by joining the two in-progress songs "Fez" and "Being Born" together, was originally called "Chromium Chords"? – (DYK – 30 October 2009)
- ... that the U2 song "Stand Up Comedy" was recreated so many times during the No Line on the Horizon sessions that six different songs were written as a result? – (DYK – 26 October 2009)
- ... that the U2 song "Breathe" is set on 16 June, an intentional reference to James Joyce's novel Ulysses? – (DYK – 24 October 2009)
- ... that the U2 song "Unknown Caller" was written from the perspective of a suicidal drug addict whose phone begins receiving cryptic text messages? – (DYK – 23 October 2009)
- ... that music on The O.C. included world premieres of singles by the Beastie Boys, Gwen Stefani and U2? – (DYK – 14 September 2009)
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