Studio album · 22 November 2004

How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb

A guitar-forward album shaped by extensive rewriting and a change of production leadership. Family, mortality and faith sit beside the opening rush of Vertigo.

Explore the tracks

Checked 2026-09-11. Background source

Inside the recording

Producers: Steve Lillywhite
Engineering & mixing: Steve Lillywhite, Flood, Jacknife Lee, Nellee Hooper, Carl Glanville
Recording locations: Hanover Quay (Dublin); South of France
In the studio: Steve Lillywhite took over after sessions with Chris Thomas; the band then spent months rebuilding songs and performances.

Selected credits, not an exhaustive personnel list. Release credits — U2Songs Personnel & background — Wikipedia

Tracks

Original core programme

VertigoStudio Version
Miracle DrugStudio Version
Sometimes You Can't Make it On Your OwnStudio Version
Love and Peace or ElseStudio Version
City Of Blinding LightsStudio Version
All Because of YouStudio Version
A Man and a WomanStudio Version
Crumbs From Your TableStudio Version
One Step CloserStudio Version
Original of the SpeciesStudio Version
YahwehStudio Version

Track list & edition differences — U2Songs

Album Propaganda

Chart positions

UK Albums — peak: 1 Source
US Billboard 200 — peak: 1 Source

Certifications

UK — BPI: 4× Platinum Source
US — RIAA: 3× Platinum Source

Grammys & other honours

2006 Grammy — Album of the Year Source
2006 Grammy — Best Rock Album Source

Selected documented achievements, not a worldwide exhaustive register. Certifications are award levels, not current sales estimates. Song and video awards appear on the relevant song pages and are not automatically credited to the album.

Did you know?

Documented

The album and its singles won eight Grammys across the 2005 and 2006 ceremonies; that is not eight awards for the album alone.

Read the evidence