Zooropa 20 Years Later

Stereogum commemorates Zooropa's 20th anniversary.

[H]ere’s how Zooropa is important. It may never rise above a general estimation as a minor work in U2′s catalogue, but it’s important because it’s an example of a massively successful pop band taking some big chances, molding their sounds with all sorts of elements of the underground. This might be a bit extreme, but I’m not sure Kid A happens without predecessors like the one-two punch of Achtung Baby and Zooropa. I’m not sure Yeezus happens. For those of us who grew up when How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb was new, it’s hard to imagine that this version of U2 ever existed, and certainly hard to imagine them ever becoming so bold again. But we can hope. Until then, there are a lot of highways and a lot of nights, and plenty of static and clatter to still dive into with Zooropa.

I remember listening to Zooropa during an unhappy summer, when I was 17 and between schools and mourning television obsessions and just aching to be an adult. "Numb," "Lemon," and "Stay" are still two of my absolute favorite songs. Long live Zooropa.