Hear The 60 Songs That Saved Bono’s Life
To celebrate his 60th birthday, the U2 frontman put together the songs “That got me from there to here, zero to 60”, along with fan letters to each artist.
Today marks Bono’s 60th birthday. To celebrate, the U2 frontman compiled a four-hour playlist that spans his life – from the songs that influenced him during his teenage years, to memorable collaborations with his musical heroes, to the music that continues to inspire him from a new generation of artists today. To accompany every song on the playlist, Bono is also writing a fan note – several of which he shared today.
Selections from the “60 Songs That Saved My Life” playlist include David Bowie’s ‘Life On Mars’ (of his 1971 LP, Hunky Dory), R.E.M.’s ‘Nightswiming’ (off 1992’s Automatic For The People), The Beatles’ 1963 single, ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’, The Fugees’ rendition of ‘Killing Me Softly’ (off 1996’s The Score) and Billie Eilish’s 2019 single, ‘everything i wanted’.
In a note on U2’s website, Bono offered a few poetic words of introduction. “These are some of the songs that saved my life…The ones I couldn’t have lived without…The ones that got me from there to here, zero to 60… Through all the scrapes, all manner of nuisance, from the serious to the silly…And the joy, mostly joy.”
He added, “I wanted to thank the artists and everyone who helped make them… They were doing the same for me… I am writing a fan letter to accompany each song to try and explain my fascination…”
He shared six of those letters today and will continue to post them over the coming weeks. Today’s notes were for Eilish and her brother/collaborator FINNEAS, to the surviving members of Kraftwerk, who lost co-founder Florian Schneider earlier this week, and to Luciano Pavarotti’s daughter, Alice. He also penned letters to Duncan Jones, son of David Bowie, to Shara Nelson and Massive Attack, and to Nile Rogers, Daft Punk and Pharrell, citing their 2013 collaboration, ‘Get Lucky’. To Pharrell, he declares, “You are a reason to believe in what’s possible…You are a reason to believe in THE IMPOSSIBLE.”
In related news, the band has been hosting an ongoing series of live shows for U2.com subscribers, amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Beginning at noon PST today, fans can tune in for U2 Go Home, the first live concert film to feature the band playing to a home crowd in Ireland. Later this year, fans can look forward to the launch of U2X Radio on SiriusXM, which will offer music from U2’s storied career, unheard interviews, live concert recordings, and much more.
Scroll down for the 60 Songs That Saved My Life tracklist, and stream the playlist here.
60 Songs That Saved My Life
1. Luciano Pavarotti, Bono & Zucchero – Miserere
2. Sex Pistols – Anarchy In the UK
3. Kanye West – Black Skinhead
4. Billie Eilish – everything i wanted
5. David Bowie – Life on Mars?
6. The Beatles – I Want to Hold your Hand
7. Ramones – Swallow My Pride
8. The Clash – Safe European Home
9. Public Enemy – Fight The Power
10. Patti Smith – People Have the Power
11. John Lennon – Mother
12. The Rolling Stones – Ruby Tuesday
13. Elton John – Daniel
14. Andrea Bocelli- Con Te Partiro
15. Elvis Presley – Heartbreak Hotel
16. Johnny Cash – Hurt
17. This Mortal Coil – Song to the Siren
18. Kraftwerk – Neon Lights
19. The Fugees – Killing Me Softly With His Song
20. Prince – When Doves Cry
21. Daft Punk feat Pharrell Williams & Nile Rodgers – Get Lucky
22. Madonna – Ray of Light
23. JAY-Z feat Alicia Keys – Empire State of Mind
24. Talking Heads – Love Goes to Building on Fire
25. Lou Reed – Satellite of Love
26. The Verve – Bitter Sweet Symphony
27. Joy Division – Love Will Tear Us Apart
28. New Order – True Faith
29. R.E.M. – Nightswimming
30. Adele – Chasing Pavements
31. Arcade Fire – Wake Up
32. Pixies – Monkey Gone to Heaven
33. Oasis – Live Forever
34. Iggy Pop – Lust for Life
35. Gavin Friday – Angel
36. Massive Attack – Safe From Harm
37. Kendrick Lamar feat U2 – XXX
38. Bob Marley & The Walers – Redemption Song
39. Echo and the Bunnymen – Rescue
40. Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit
41. Pearl Jam – Jeremy
42. Bob Dylan – Most of the Time
43. Beyoncé feat Kendrick Lamar – Freedom
44. Depeche Mode – Walking In My Shoes
45. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Into My Arms
46. Simon & Garfunkel – The Sounds of Silence
47. Coldplay – Clocks
48. INXS – Never Tear Us Apart
49. New Radicals – You Get What You Give
50. Angélique Kidjo – Agolo
51. Lady Gaga – Born This Way
52. Frank Sinatra & Bono – Under My Skin
53. David Bowie – Heroes
54. Simple Minds – New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)
55. Sinéad O’Connor – You Made Me The Thief Of Your Heart
56. Van Morrison – A Sense of Wonder
57. Bruce Springsteen – There Goes My Miracle
58. Daniel Lanois – The Maker
59. Peter Frampton – Show Me The Way
60. Bee Gees – Immortality – Demo Version
UK English
