U218 Singles is a greatest hits album by Irish rock band U2, released in November 2006. In most markets, the album contains 18 songs: 16 of their most successful and popular singles, and two new songs. The 17th track is a cover version of the Skids' "The Saints Are Coming", recorded with Green Day to benefit Hurricane Katrina charities. The 18th and closing track was a new song entitled "Window in the Skies". In some markets such as the United Kingdom, an extra song, "I Will Follow", was included as the opening track. A DVD compilation of music videos from throughout the group's career entitled U218 Videos was released concurrent to U218 Singles.
The album debuted on the Billboard 200 albums chart on 9 December 2006 at number 12 with sales of 134,000 copies. It spent 45 weeks on the chart. Despite not being released until November 2006, it was the seventh-highest-selling album in the world that year.[6]
Artwork and packaging
The art direction and design for U218 Singles was handled by Shaughn McGrath. Many different photographs were used in the album's packaging with front and back cover photographs taken by David Corio and Anton Corbijn, respectively with booklet photographs by Corbijn, Paul Slattery, Andrew McPherson, Colm Henry, Matt Mahurin, Pennie Smith, and Sheila Rock.[7]
A limited edition version includes a live DVD featuring ten songs recorded on the Vertigo Tour in Milan. "I Will Follow" appears as a bonus track on UK and Australian editions of the CD.[8] The deluxe version in the UK, Ireland, and Canadian iTunes Stores also contains nine of the live songs from the limited edition bonus disc as audio tracks, as well as a digital booklet and a bonus track, "Smile," for those who pre-ordered the album. The United States deluxe iTunes version does not come with a digital booklet, but instead with "Smile" as a bonus track even if it was not pre-ordered.[9]
Vertigo 05: Live from Milan is a concert film included as a bonus DVD in the deluxe edition of U218 Singles. The DVD features ten songs from the band's 25-song concert[10] on 21 July 2005 in Milan, Italy, during the Vertigo Tour. It is U2's second concert release from the tour, preceded by Vertigo 2005: Live from Chicago and followed by U2 3D. On the iTunes Store deluxe edition of the album, these songs are featured as bonus audio tracks, except for "Original of the Species", which was later released as an iTunes Store exclusive single.[11]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
References
^Lomas, Michael (10 January 2007). "U2: U218 Singles". PopMatters. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
^Endelman, Michael (24 November 2011). "Music Review: U218 Singles (2006) – U2". Entertainment Weekly. No. 908. ISSN 1049-0434. Archived from the original on 9 October 2012. Retrieved 4 September 2011.
^Richardson, Mark (29 November 2006). "U2: 18 Singles". Pitchfork.
^"Lescharts.com – U2 – 18 Singles". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"Offiziellecharts.de – U2 – 18 Singles" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"Greek Albums Chart". IFPI Greece. 10 March 2007. Archived from the original on 10 March 2007. Retrieved 25 April 2012.
^"Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2007. 4. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"Irish-charts.com – Discography U2". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"Italiancharts.com – U2 – 18 Singles". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"ザ・ベスト・オブU2 18シングルズ - U2/ オリコンランキング情報サービス「you大樹」" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 3 August 2011.
^ a b"TOP 100 ALBUM DE ENERO A DICIEMBRE DE 2006" (PDF) (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 February 2010. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
^"Charts.nz – U2 – 18 Singles". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"Norwegiancharts.com – U2 – 18 Singles". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"Oficjalna Lista Sprzedaźy: 4 December 2006" (ASP). OLiS (in Polish). Retrieved 3 August 2011.
^"Portuguesecharts.com – U2 – 18 Singles". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"Spanishcharts.com – U2 – 18 Singles". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"Swedishcharts.com – U2 – 18 Singles". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"Swisscharts.com – U2 – 18 Singles". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"U2 Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"U2 Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"U2 Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"ARIA Charts - End Of Year Charts - Top 100 Albums 2006". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 27 January 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"Jahreshitparade Alben 2006". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"Jaaroverzichten 2006" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"Rapports Annuels 2006" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"Jaaroverzichten – Album 2006". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"Összesített album- és válogatáslemez-lista - eladási darabszám alapján - 2006" (in Hungarian). Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
^"Best of 2006 – Albums". Irish Recorded Music Association. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
^"Classifica Annuale 2006 (dal 02.01.2006 al 31.12.2006) – Album & Compilation" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
^"Top Selling Albums of 2006". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"Top 50 Albumes 2006" (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 7 February 2022. Go until 2006 year and click "Albums" to download the file
^"Årslista Album – År 2006" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2006". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 2006". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"ARIA Top 100 Albums for 2007". Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"Jahreshitparade Alben 2007". austriancharts.at (in German). Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"Jaaroverzichten 2007" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"Rapports Annuels 2007" (in French). Ultratop. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"Jaaroverzichten – Album 2007". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts". GfK Entertainment (in German). offiziellecharts.de. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"Összesített album- és válogatáslemez-lista - eladási darabszám alapján - 2007" (in Hungarian). Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
^"Classifica Annuale 2007 (dal 01.01.2007 al 30.12.2007) – Album & Compilation" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
^"Top Selling Albums of 2007". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"Top 50 Albumes 2007" (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España. Retrieved 7 February 2022. Go until 2007 year and click "Albums" to download the file
^"Årslista Album – År 2007" (in Swedish). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2007". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
^"Le Cifre Di Vendita - Album - Dati 2006" (PDF) (in Italian). Musica e dischi. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 January 2014.
^"Italian album certifications – U2 – U218 Singles" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 7 November 2019. Select "2019" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Select "U218 Singles" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Album e Compilation" under "Sezione".
^"Portuguese album certifications – U2 – 18 Singles" (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Archived from the original on 20 November 2010.
^"TOP 150 АЛЬБОМОВ 2010" [Top 150 Albums 2010] (PDF). Lenta.ru (in Russian). p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 November 2011.
^"Spanish album certifications" (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España. Select Álbumes under "Categoría", select 2006 under "Año". Select 48 under "Semana". Click on "BUSCAR LISTA".
^"The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('18 Singles')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
^"British album certifications – U2 – U218 Singles". British Phonographic Industry.Select albums in the Format field.Select Platinum in the Certification field.Type U218 Singles in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.