No Line on the Horizon (song): Difference between revisions

"No Line on the Horizon"
"No Line on the Horizon"
Song by U2
from the album No Line on the Horizon
Released	27 February 2009
Genre	Rock
Length	4:12
Label	Island
Composer(s)	U2, Brian Eno, and Daniel Lanois
Lyricist(s)	Bono
Producer(s)	Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, with additional production by Steve Lillywhite
Audio sample
	"No Line on the Horizon" file; help;

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"No Line on the Horizon" is a song by rock band U2; it is the opening and title track on their 2009 album No Line on the Horizon. An alternate version, "No Line on the Horizon 2", was included as a bonus track on some versions of the album. The song was developed during the band's earliest sessions in Fez, Morocco, and began with a drum beat by drummer Larry Mullen, Jr. The lyrics were inspired by a photograph of Lake Constance, titled Boden Sea. Many reviews of the song compared it to the band's other guitar-heavy songs, including "Elevation", "Vertigo", "Zoo Station", and "The Fly".

Writing and recording

"No Line on the Horizon" was first developed during the recording sessions in Fez, Morocco, and was recorded in one take.^[1] "No Line on the Horizon" stemmed from drummer Larry Mullen Jr. experimenting with several different drum beats; producer and co-writer Brian Eno sampled and manipulated the patterns, and the rest of the band began to play over it.^[2] The guitar in "No Line on the Horizon" was developed through a Death by Audio distortion box; the idea to use it was suggested to guitarist the Edge by Ben Curtis of the Secret Machines.^[3] After hearing the song Curtis noted that it "blew my mind... he's using that pedal in a textural way that it wasn't intended to be used at all."^[4]

Lead singer Bono was inspired to write the lyrics after seeing a photograph of Lake Constance titled Boden Sea; the image had taken by Japanese photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto.^[5] Bono had the idea of a place "where the sea meets the sky and you can't tell the difference between the two".^[2] When it came to recording the song, producer and co-writer Daniel Lanois stated that "the vocal happened very early on, that whole - a-whoawhoawhoawhoa! - that little hook. The vocal delivery, the vibe was there right from day one."^[2] Bono noted that the overlying theme behind the song was infinity, and that the track was inherently optimistic.^[6] The Boden Sea image would later become the album's cover art.^[5]

By the end of the recording sessions in December 2008, two versions of the track existed; the first was a slower, more atmospheric composition, while the second was faster and less layered.^[7] The former was chosen for the album while the latter was renamed "No Line on the Horizon 2" and released as a bonus track on the Japanese, Australian, and iTunes versions of the album, as well as a B-side to the "Get on Your Boots" single. Along with "Fez – Being Born" and "Get on Your Boots", "No Line on the Horizon" was one of three candidates to open the album. The band eventually decided that "No Line on the Horizon" was the best selection.^[8]^[9]

Composition

Q described "No Line on the Horizon" as an "Unforgettable Fire-esque slow burner that builds to a euphoric coda", and "No Line on the Horizon 2" as "a punk-y Pixies/Buzzcocks homage that proceeds at a breathless pace."^[7] Rolling Stone called the song a "combination of garage-organ drone, fat guitar distortion and Mullen's parade-ground drumming".^[10] Spin felt that Bono's "whoa-oh's" gave the song a gritty feel.^[11]

Live performances

"No Line on the Horizon" was first played live during the No Line on the Horizon promotional tour at a filming for the BBC's The Culture Show.^[12] It was performed at almost every concert during the first two legs of the U2 360° Tour, with a new acoustic arrangement being played once during the tour's third leg.^[13] The song has not been played since 2010, but it was rehearsed before the Innocence + Experience Tour in an acoustic arrangement which was not performed on tour.^[14]

Appearances in other media

"No Line on the Horizon" appears as the fifth track in the Anton Corbijn film Linear, based on a story by Corbijn and Bono in which a Parisian traffic cop travels across France and the Mediterranean Sea to visit his girlfriend in Tripoli.^[15] During the sequence, the cop, played by Saïd Taghmaoui, continues on his journey through the Spanish countryside until pulling into a small town for lunch where the next track, "Fez - Being Born", begins.^[16]

Reception

Reception to "No Line on the Horizon" was mostly positive. Allmusic praised the track, saying that "U2 strike that unmistakable blend of soaring, widescreen sonics and unflinching openhearted emotion that's been their trademark, turning the intimate into something hauntingly universal," also noting that it "resonate[s] deeper and longer than anything on Atomic Bomb".^[17] NME likened the song to "Vertigo" while saying "thanks to the Edge pressing the button marked 'freight train' rather than 'annoying echo' on his guitar, ["No Line on the Horizon"] throbs with a refound passion and remains peppered with new sounds and textures."^[18] Uncut enjoyed the song, saying it "crashes in like a wave over the bows, washes of keyboards retreating to reveal a growling guitar riff retreaded from "The Fly", and one of U2's most memorably anthemic choruses."^[19] Mojo, while commenting that the track echoed the band's 1991 song "Zoo Station", felt that Bono dragged the song down, commenting that he "strain[s] for dramatic tension, lapses horribly into Chris Martinese, both in his mannered vocal inflection and screeds of lyrical twaddle."^[20] Pitchfork Media was not impressed with the song, saying that its "hard-nosed verse is torpedoed by its deflating fart of a hook."^[21] Time rated it the third best song of 2009.^[22]

Personnel

Bono – vocals, guitar
The Edge – guitar, keyboard, backing vocals
Adam Clayton – bass guitar
Larry Mullen Jr. – drums, percussion

Charts

Chart (2009)	Peak position
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)^[23]	38

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)^[24]	Platinum	60,000^*
^* Sales figures based on certification alone.

References

^ Tyaransen, Olaf (2009-03-04). "Interview: "There's a Bono-Factory"" (reprint). Hot Press. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
^ ^a ^b ^c Frenette, Brad (10 March 2009). "U2's No Line On The Horizon: A track-by-track exclusive with producer/co-writer Daniel Lanois". National Post. Archived from the original on 20 October 2009. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
^ Doyle, Tom (2008-09-01). "In the Studio: U2" (reprint). Q. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
^ Hiatt, Brian (2009-04-05). "Taking care of business". Independent. Archived from the original on 2009-07-14. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
^ ^a ^b Corkill, Edan (2009-03-20). "Photographer Sugimoto strikes a Stone Age deal with U2". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on 2024-05-24. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
^ O'Hagan, Sean (2009-02-15). "The Wanderers". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2010-04-24. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
^ ^a ^b "U2 Preview New Album to Q". Q. Archived from the original on 2009-11-03. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
^ "Exclusive interview with U2". (in French). 2009-02-23. NRJ. Canal+. {{cite episode}}: Missing or empty |series= (help)
^ Horan, Niamh (2009-12-28). "Is Bono nervous about the new U2 album? You bet" (reprint). Irish Independent. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
^ Fricke, David (2009-02-20). "No Line on the Horizon". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2009-05-26. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
^ Aaron, Charles (2009-03-03). "U2, 'No Line on the Horizon' (Interscope)". Spin. Archived from the original on 2010-01-06. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
^ Lauren Laverne (presenter), Graham Mitchell and Edward Morgan (producers) (2009-02-24). The Culture Show: U2 Special (Television production). BBC Two. Archived from the original on 2009-02-24. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
^ Mühlbradt, Matthias; Axver, André. "U2's 360° Tour". U2gigs.com. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
^ "Vancouver update, 5 May 2015". 7 May 2015.
^ "Linear". nolineonthehorizon.com. Archived from the original on 2010-02-18. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
^ Corbijn, Anton (Director) (2009). Linear (Film). France: U2.
^ Erlewine, Stephen. "No Line on the Horizon - U2". Allmusic. Archived from the original on 2009-10-23. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
^ Patashnik, Ben (2009-02-26). "No Line on the Horizon". NME. Archived from the original on 2010-05-29. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
^ Mueller, Andrew (2009-02-25). "U2 No Line on the Horizon". Uncut. Archived from the original on 2010-12-06. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
^ Cameron, Keith (2009-02-25). "Blue Sky Thinking" (reprint). Mojo. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
^ Dombal, Ryan (2009-03-02). "No Line on the Horizon". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on 2009-10-06. Retrieved 2009-10-24.
^ "3."No Line On The Horizon by U2"". Time. 2009-12-08. Archived from the original on December 13, 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-14.
^ "U2 – No Line on the Horizon" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 2014-02-13.
^ "Brazilian single certifications – U2" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil.

External links

Lyrics on U2.com

[Factory-1] Tyaransen, Olaf (2009-03-04). "Interview: "There's a Bono-Factory"" (reprint). Hot Press. Retrieved 2009-10-24.

[NP_Interview-2] Frenette, Brad (10 March 2009). "U2's No Line On The Horizon: A track-by-track exclusive with producer/co-writer Daniel Lanois". National Post. Archived from the original on 20 October 2009. Retrieved 19 September 2019.

[3] Doyle, Tom (2008-09-01). "In the Studio: U2" (reprint). Q. Retrieved 2009-10-24.

[rsbiz-4] Hiatt, Brian (2009-04-05). "Taking care of business". Independent. Archived from the original on 2009-07-14. Retrieved 2009-10-24.

[Jtimes-5] Corkill, Edan (2009-03-20). "Photographer Sugimoto strikes a Stone Age deal with U2". The Japan Times. Archived from the original on 2024-05-24. Retrieved 2009-10-24.

[guardian-6] O'Hagan, Sean (2009-02-15). "The Wanderers". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2010-04-24. Retrieved 2009-10-24.

[Q_preview-7] "U2 Preview New Album to Q". Q. Archived from the original on 2009-11-03. Retrieved 2009-10-24.

[NRJ-8] "Exclusive interview with U2". (in French). 2009-02-23. NRJ. Canal+. {{cite episode}}: Missing or empty |series= (help)

[Horan-9] Horan, Niamh (2009-12-28). "Is Bono nervous about the new U2 album? You bet" (reprint). Irish Independent. Retrieved 2009-10-24.

[RS_review-10] Fricke, David (2009-02-20). "No Line on the Horizon". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2009-05-26. Retrieved 2009-10-24.

[11] Aaron, Charles (2009-03-03). "U2, 'No Line on the Horizon' (Interscope)". Spin. Archived from the original on 2010-01-06. Retrieved 2009-10-24.

[12] Lauren Laverne (presenter), Graham Mitchell and Edward Morgan (producers) (2009-02-24). The Culture Show: U2 Special (Television production). BBC Two. Archived from the original on 2009-02-24. Retrieved 2009-10-24.

[13] Mühlbradt, Matthias; Axver, André. "U2's 360° Tour". U2gigs.com. Retrieved 2009-10-24.

[14] "Vancouver update, 5 May 2015". 7 May 2015.

[15] "Linear". nolineonthehorizon.com. Archived from the original on 2010-02-18. Retrieved 2009-10-24.

[Film-16] Corbijn, Anton (Director) (2009). Linear (Film). France: U2.

[17] Erlewine, Stephen. "No Line on the Horizon - U2". Allmusic. Archived from the original on 2009-10-23. Retrieved 2009-10-24.

[NME_review-18] Patashnik, Ben (2009-02-26). "No Line on the Horizon". NME. Archived from the original on 2010-05-29. Retrieved 2009-10-24.

[19] Mueller, Andrew (2009-02-25). "U2 No Line on the Horizon". Uncut. Archived from the original on 2010-12-06. Retrieved 2009-10-24.

[Mojo_review-20] Cameron, Keith (2009-02-25). "Blue Sky Thinking" (reprint). Mojo. Retrieved 2009-10-24.

[21] Dombal, Ryan (2009-03-02). "No Line on the Horizon". Pitchfork Media. Archived from the original on 2009-10-06. Retrieved 2009-10-24.

[22] "3."No Line On The Horizon by U2"". Time. 2009-12-08. Archived from the original on December 13, 2009. Retrieved 2009-12-14.

[sc_Wallonia_U2-23] "U2 – No Line on the Horizon" (in French). Ultratop 50. Retrieved 2014-02-13.

[BrazilU2singleCertRef-24] "Brazilian single certifications – U2" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Infobox song
-| Name           = No Line on the Horizon
+| name     = No Line on the Horizon
-| Cover          =
+| cover    =
-| Border         = yes
+| alt      =
-| Type           = [[Song]]
+| border   = yes
-| Artist         = [[U2]]
+| type     = [[Song]]
-| alt Artist     =
+| artist   = [[U2]]
-| Album          = [[No Line on the Horizon]]
+| album    = [[No Line on the Horizon]]
+| released = 27 February 2009
-| Published      =
+| recorded =
-| Released       = 27 February 2009
-| track_no       = 1
+| studio   =
-| Recorded       =
+| venue    =
-| Genre          = [[Rock music|Rock]]
+| genre    = [[Rock music|Rock]]
-| Length         = 4:12
+| length   = 4:12
+| label    = [[Island Records|Island]]
-| Writer         = U2, [[Brian Eno]], [[Daniel Lanois]] ([[Composer|music]]); [[Bono]] ([[Lyricist|lyrics]])
-| Label          = [[Island Records|Island]]
+| composer = U2, [[Brian Eno]], and [[Daniel Lanois]]
+| lyricist = [[Bono]]
-| Producer       =  Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, with additional production by [[Steve Lillywhite]]
+| producer = Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, with additional production by [[Steve Lillywhite]]
-| Background     =
-| Tracks         =
+| misc     = {{Audio sample
-| prev           =
+ | type        = song
-| prev_no        =
+ | file        = u2nloth.ogg
+ | description = "No Line on the Horizon"
-| next           = "[[Magnificent (U2 song)|Magnificent]]"
+}}
-| next_no        = 2
-| Misc           = {{Extra music sample |filename=u2nloth.ogg |title="No Line on the Horizon" |Type=song}}
 }}
-"'''No Line on the Horizon'''" is a song by [[Rock music|rock]] band [[U2]]; it is the opening and title track on their 2009 album ''[[No Line on the Horizon]]''. An alternate version, "'''No Line on the Horizon 2'''", was included as a bonus track on some versions of the album. The song was developed during the band's earliest sessions in [[Fes|Fez]], [[Morocco]], and began with a drum beat by drummer [[Larry Mullen, Jr.]] The lyrics were inspired by a photograph of [[Lake Constance]], titled ''Boden Sea''. Many reviews of the song compared it to the band's other guitar-heavy songs, including "[[Elevation (song)|Elevation]]", "[[Vertigo (U2 song)|Vertigo]]", "[[Zoo Station (song)|Zoo Station]]", and "[[The Fly (song)|The Fly]]".
+"'''No Line on the Horizon'''" is a song by [[Rock music|rock]] band [[U2]]; it is the opening and title track on their 2009 album ''[[No Line on the Horizon]]''. An alternate version, "'''No Line on the Horizon 2'''", was included as a bonus track on some versions of the album. The song was developed during the band's earliest sessions in [[Fes|Fez]], [[Morocco]], and began with a drum beat by drummer [[Larry Mullen, Jr.]] The lyrics were inspired by a photograph of [[Lake Constance]], titled ''Boden Sea''. Many reviews of the song compared it to the band's other guitar-heavy songs, including "[[Elevation (song)|Elevation]]", "[[Vertigo (U2 song)|Vertigo]]", "[[Zoo Station (song)|Zoo Station]]", and "[[The Fly (U2 song)|The Fly]]".
 ==Writing and recording==
-"No Line on the Horizon" was first developed the recording sessions in [[Fes|Fez]], [[Morocco]], and was recorded in one take.<ref name="Factory">{{cite web |url=http://www.atu2.com/news/article.src?ID=5406 |title=Interview: "There's a Bono-Factory" |first=Olaf |last=Tyaransen |work=Hot Press |format=reprint |date=2009-03-04 |accessdate=2009-10-24}}</ref> "No Line on the Horizon" stemmed from drummer Larry Mullen Jr. experimenting with several different drum beats; producer and co-writer [[Brian Eno]] sampled and manipulated the patterns, and the rest of the band began to play over it.<ref name="NP Interview" /> The guitar in "No Line on the Horizon" was developed through a Death by Audio distortion box; the idea to use it was suggested to guitarist [[the Edge]] by [[Benjamin Curtis (musician)|Ben Curtis]] of the [[Secret Machines]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.atu2.com/news/in-the-studio-u2.html |title=In the Studio: U2 |format=reprint |work=[[Q (magazine)|Q]] |first=Tom |last=Doyle |date=2008-09-01 |accessdate=2009-10-24}}</ref> After hearing the song Curtis noted that it "blew my mind... he's using that pedal in a textural way that it wasn't intended to be used at all."<ref name="rsbiz">{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/news-gossip/taking-care-of-business--the-u2-interview-1698937.html |title=Taking care of business |work=Independent |first=Brian |last=Hiatt |date=2009-04-05 |accessdate=2009-10-24 |archivedate=2009-10-23 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/5kjAvxiXo?url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/news-gossip/taking-care-of-business--the-u2-interview-1698937.html |deadurl=yes |df= }}</ref>
+"No Line on the Horizon" was first developed during the recording sessions in [[Fes|Fez]], [[Morocco]], and was recorded in one take.<ref name="Factory">{{cite web |url=http://www.atu2.com/news/article.src?ID=5406 |title=Interview: "There's a Bono-Factory" |first=Olaf |last=Tyaransen |work=Hot Press |format=reprint |date=2009-03-04 |access-date=2009-10-24}}</ref> "No Line on the Horizon" stemmed from drummer Larry Mullen Jr. experimenting with several different drum beats; producer and co-writer [[Brian Eno]] sampled and manipulated the patterns, and the rest of the band began to play over it.<ref name="NP Interview" /> The guitar in "No Line on the Horizon" was developed through a Death by Audio distortion box; the idea to use it was suggested to guitarist [[the Edge]] by [[Benjamin Curtis (musician)|Ben Curtis]] of the [[Secret Machines]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.atu2.com/news/in-the-studio-u2.html |title=In the Studio: U2 |format=reprint |work=[[Q (magazine)|Q]] |first=Tom |last=Doyle |date=2008-09-01 |access-date=2009-10-24}}</ref> After hearing the song Curtis noted that it "blew my mind... he's using that pedal in a textural way that it wasn't intended to be used at all."<ref name="rsbiz">{{cite news|url=http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/news-gossip/taking-care-of-business--the-u2-interview-1698937.html |title=Taking care of business |work=Independent |first=Brian |last=Hiatt |date=2009-04-05 |access-date=2009-10-24 |archive-date=2009-07-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090714050953/http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/news-gossip/taking-care-of-business--the-u2-interview-1698937.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>
-Lead singer Bono was inspired to write the lyrics after seeing a photograph of [[Lake Constance]] titled ''Boden Sea''; the image had taken by [[Japan]]ese photographer [[Hiroshi Sugimoto]].<ref name="Jtimes">{{cite web|url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/member/member.html?mode=getarticle&file=fa20090320a1.html |title=Photographer Sugimoto strikes a Stone Age deal with U2 |work=The Japan Times |first=Edan |last=Corkill |date=2009-03-20 |accessdate=2009-10-24 |archivedate=2009-10-23 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/5kjDg3ppi?url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/member/member.html?mode=getarticle |deadurl=yes |df= }}</ref> Bono had the idea of a place "where the sea meets the sky and you can't tell the difference between the two".<ref name="NP Interview">{{cite web|url=http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/theampersand/archive/2009/03/10/behind-the-scenes-on-u2-s-no-line-on-the-horizon-a-track-by-track-exclusive-with-producer-co-writer-daniel-lanois.aspx |title=U2's No Line On The Horizon: A track-by-track exclusive with producer/co-writer Daniel Lanois |work=National Post |first=Brad |last=Frenette |date=2009-03-10 |accessdate=2009-10-24 |archivedate=2009-10-20 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/5kfqFaK30?url=http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/theampersand/archive/2009/03/10/behind-the-scenes-on-u2-s-no-line-on-the-horizon-a-track-by-track-exclusive-with-producer-co-writer-daniel-lanois.aspx |deadurl=yes |df= }}</ref> When it came to recording the song, producer and co-writer [[Daniel Lanois]] stated that "the vocal happened very early on, that whole - a-whoawhoawhoawhoa! - that little hook. The vocal delivery, the vibe was there right from day one."<ref name="NP Interview" /> Bono noted that the overlying theme behind the song was infinity, and that the track was inherently optimistic.<ref name="guardian">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/feb/15/u2-no-line-on-the-horizon |title=The Wanderers |work=[[The Guardian]] |first=Sean |last=O'Hagan |date=2009-02-15 |accessdate=2009-10-24 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/5kjAzS6wq?url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/feb/15/u2-no-line-on-the-horizon |archivedate=2009-10-23 |deadurl=yes |df= }}</ref> The ''Boden Sea'' image would later become the album's cover art.<ref name="Jtimes" />
+Lead singer Bono was inspired to write the lyrics after seeing a photograph of [[Lake Constance]] titled ''Boden Sea''; the image had taken by [[Japan]]ese photographer [[Hiroshi Sugimoto]].<ref name="Jtimes">{{cite web|url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/member/member.html?mode=getarticle&file=fa20090320a1.html |title=Photographer Sugimoto strikes a Stone Age deal with U2 |work=The Japan Times |first=Edan |last=Corkill |date=2009-03-20 |access-date=2009-10-24 |archive-date=2024-05-24 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240524131204/https://www.webcitation.org/5kjDg3ppi?url=http://search.japantimes.co.jp/member/member.html%3Fmode=getarticle&file=fa20090320a1.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> Bono had the idea of a place "where the sea meets the sky and you can't tell the difference between the two".<ref name="NP Interview">{{cite news|url=https://nationalpost.com/news/futuristic-spirituals-daniel-lanois-talks-about-recording-the-new-u2-album/wcm/ab8c217e-cb3c-4435-a48c-71b21cb12d38|title=U2's No Line On The Horizon: A track-by-track exclusive with producer/co-writer Daniel Lanois |website=[[National Post]] |first=Brad |last=Frenette |date=10 March 2009 |access-date=19 September 2019 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20091020204444/http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/theampersand/archive/2009/03/10/behind-the-scenes-on-u2-s-no-line-on-the-horizon-a-track-by-track-exclusive-with-producer-co-writer-daniel-lanois.aspx |url-status=live|archive-date=20 October 2009}}</ref> When it came to recording the song, producer and co-writer [[Daniel Lanois]] stated that "the vocal happened very early on, that whole - a-whoawhoawhoawhoa! - that little hook. The vocal delivery, the vibe was there right from day one."<ref name="NP Interview" /> Bono noted that the overlying theme behind the song was infinity, and that the track was inherently optimistic.<ref name="guardian">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/feb/15/u2-no-line-on-the-horizon |title=The Wanderers |work=[[The Guardian]] |first=Sean |last=O'Hagan |date=2009-02-15 |access-date=2009-10-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100424052201/http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/feb/15/u2-no-line-on-the-horizon |archive-date=2010-04-24 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The ''Boden Sea'' image would later become the album's cover art.<ref name="Jtimes" />
-By the end of the recording sessions in December 2008, two versions of the track existed; the first was a slower, more atmospheric composition, while the second was faster and less layered.<ref name="Q preview">{{cite web|url=http://promo.q4music.com/q4music/u2/inside.shtml |title=U2 Preview New Album to Q |work=Q |accessdate=2009-10-24 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/5kjBddqWw?url=http://promo.q4music.com/q4music/u2/inside.shtml |archivedate=2009-10-23 |deadurl=yes |df= }}</ref> The former was chosen for the album while the latter was renamed "No Line on the Horizon 2" and released as a bonus track on the Japanese, Australian, and iTunes versions of the album, as well as a B-side to the "[[Get on Your Boots]]" single. Along with "[[Fez&nbsp;– Being Born]]" and "Get on Your Boots", "No Line on the Horizon" was one of three candidates to open the album. The band eventually decided that "No Line on the Horizon" was the best selection.<ref name="NRJ">{{cite episode |title=Exclusive interview with U2 |network=NRJ |station=Canal+ |language=French |airdate=2009-02-23 |accessdate=2009-10-24}}</ref><ref name="Horan">{{cite web |url=http://www.atu2.com/news/is-bono-nervous-about-the-new-u2-album-you-bet.html |title=Is Bono nervous about the new U2 album? You bet |work=Irish Independent |format=reprint |first=Niamh |last=Horan |date=2009-12-28 |accessdate=2009-10-24}}</ref>
+By the end of the recording sessions in December 2008, two versions of the track existed; the first was a slower, more atmospheric composition, while the second was faster and less layered.<ref name="Q preview">{{cite web|url=http://promo.q4music.com/q4music/u2/inside.shtml |title=U2 Preview New Album to Q |work=Q |access-date=2009-10-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091103233112/http://promo.q4music.com/q4music/u2/inside.shtml |archive-date=2009-11-03 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The former was chosen for the album while the latter was renamed "No Line on the Horizon 2" and released as a bonus track on the Japanese, Australian, and iTunes versions of the album, as well as a B-side to the "[[Get on Your Boots]]" single. Along with "[[Fez&nbsp;– Being Born]]" and "Get on Your Boots", "No Line on the Horizon" was one of three candidates to open the album. The band eventually decided that "No Line on the Horizon" was the best selection.<ref name="NRJ">{{cite episode |title=Exclusive interview with U2 |network=NRJ |station=Canal+ |language=French |airdate=2009-02-23 <!--|access-date=2009-10-24-->}}</ref><ref name="Horan">{{cite web |url=http://www.atu2.com/news/is-bono-nervous-about-the-new-u2-album-you-bet.html |title=Is Bono nervous about the new U2 album? You bet |work=Irish Independent |format=reprint |first=Niamh |last=Horan |date=2009-12-28 |access-date=2009-10-24}}</ref>
 ==Composition==
-''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]'' described "No Line on the Horizon" as an "Unforgettable Fire-esque slow burner that builds to a euphoric coda", and "No Line on the Horizon 2" as "a punk-y Pixies/Buzzcocks homage that proceeds at a breathless pace."<ref name="Q preview" /> ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' called the song a "combination of garage-organ drone, fat guitar distortion and Mullen's parade-ground drumming".<ref name="RS review">{{cite web|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/26079033/review/26212378/no_line_on_the_horizon |title=No Line on the Horizon |work=[[Rolling Stone]] |first=David |last=Fricke |date=2009-02-20 |accessdate=2009-10-24 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/5kj9nMAK8?url=http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/26079033/review/26212378/no_line_on_the_horizon |archivedate=2009-10-23 |deadurl=yes |df= }}</ref> ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' felt that Bono's "whoa-oh's" gave the song a gritty feel.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spin.com/reviews/u2-no-line-horizon-interscope |title=U2, 'No Line on the Horizon' (Interscope) |last=Aaron |first=Charles |date=2009-03-03 |work=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]] |accessdate=2009-10-24 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/5kj9wYqZi?url=http://www.spin.com/reviews/u2-no-line-horizon-interscope |archivedate=2009-10-23 |deadurl=yes |df= }}</ref>
+''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]'' described "No Line on the Horizon" as an "Unforgettable Fire-esque slow burner that builds to a euphoric coda", and "No Line on the Horizon 2" as "a punk-y Pixies/Buzzcocks homage that proceeds at a breathless pace."<ref name="Q preview" /> ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' called the song a "combination of garage-organ drone, fat guitar distortion and Mullen's parade-ground drumming".<ref name="RS review">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/26079033/review/26212378/no_line_on_the_horizon |title=No Line on the Horizon |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |first=David |last=Fricke |date=2009-02-20 |access-date=2009-10-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090526181723/http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/26079033/review/26212378/no_line_on_the_horizon |archive-date=2009-05-26 |url-status=dead}}</ref> ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' felt that Bono's "whoa-oh's" gave the song a gritty feel.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.spin.com/reviews/u2-no-line-horizon-interscope |title=U2, 'No Line on the Horizon' (Interscope) |last=Aaron |first=Charles |date=2009-03-03 |work=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]] |access-date=2009-10-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100106165335/http://www.spin.com/reviews/u2-no-line-horizon-interscope |archive-date=2010-01-06 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
 ==Live performances==
-"No Line on the Horizon" was first played live during the ''No Line on the Horizon'' promotional tour at a filming for the [[BBC]]'s ''[[The Culture Show]]''.<ref>{{cite video|people=Lauren Laverne (presenter), Graham Mitchell and Edward Morgan (producers) |date=2009-02-24 |title=The Culture Show: U2 Special |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00hxs8h |medium=Television production |publisher=[[BBC Two]] |accessdate=2009-10-24 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/5klrfEf3H?url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00hxs8h |archivedate=2009-10-24 |deadurl=yes |df= }}</ref> It was performed at almost every concert during the first two legs of the [[U2 360° Tour]], with a new acoustic arrangement being played once during the tour's third leg.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.u2gigs.com/360__Tour.html |title=U2's 360° Tour |work=U2gigs.com |first1=Matthias |last1=Mühlbradt |first2=André |last2=Axver |accessdate=2009-10-24}}</ref>
+"No Line on the Horizon" was first played live during the ''No Line on the Horizon'' promotional tour at a filming for the [[BBC]]'s ''[[The Culture Show]]''.<ref>{{cite video|people=Lauren Laverne (presenter), Graham Mitchell and Edward Morgan (producers) |date=2009-02-24 |title=The Culture Show: U2 Special |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00hxs8h |medium=Television production |publisher=[[BBC Two]] |access-date=2009-10-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090224133058/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00hxs8h |archive-date=2009-02-24 |url-status=dead}}</ref> It was performed at almost every concert during the first two legs of the [[U2 360° Tour]], with a new acoustic arrangement being played once during the tour's third leg.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.u2gigs.com/360__Tour.html |title=U2's 360° Tour |work=U2gigs.com |first1=Matthias |last1=Mühlbradt |first2=André |last2=Axver |access-date=2009-10-24}}</ref> The song has not been played since 2010, but it was rehearsed before the [[Innocence + Experience Tour]] in an acoustic arrangement which was not performed on tour.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.u2gigs.com/article980.html |title=Vancouver update, 5 May 2015 |date=7 May 2015}}</ref>
 ==Appearances in other media==
-"No Line on the Horizon" appears as the fifth track in the [[Anton Corbijn]] film ''[[Linear (film)|Linear]]'', based on a story by Corbijn and Bono in which a [[Paris]]ian traffic cop travels across France and the [[Mediterranean Sea]] to visit his girlfriend in [[Tripoli]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nolineonthehorizon.com/credits.html |title=Linear |publisher=nolineonthehorizon.com |accessdate=2009-10-24 |archivedate=2009-10-23 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/5kjBjOaj7?url=http://www.nolineonthehorizon.com/credits.html |deadurl=yes |df= }}</ref> During the sequence, the cop, played by [[Saïd Taghmaoui]], continues on his journey through the Spanish countryside until pulling into a small town for lunch where the next track, "Fez&nbsp;- Being Born", begins.<ref name="Film">{{cite video |people=Corbijn, Anton (Director) |title=Linear |medium=Film |publisher=U2 |location=France |date=2009}}</ref>
+"No Line on the Horizon" appears as the fifth track in the [[Anton Corbijn]] film ''[[Linear (film)|Linear]]'', based on a story by Corbijn and Bono in which a [[Paris]]ian traffic cop travels across France and the [[Mediterranean Sea]] to visit his girlfriend in [[Tripoli, Libya|Tripoli]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nolineonthehorizon.com/credits.html |title=Linear |publisher=nolineonthehorizon.com |access-date=2009-10-24 |archive-date=2010-02-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100218113000/http://www.nolineonthehorizon.com/credits.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> During the sequence, the cop, played by [[Saïd Taghmaoui]], continues on his journey through the Spanish countryside until pulling into a small town for lunch where the next track, "Fez&nbsp;- Being Born", begins.<ref name="Film">{{cite video |people=Corbijn, Anton (Director) |title=Linear |medium=Film |publisher=U2 |location=France |date=2009}}</ref>
 ==Reception==
-Reception to "No Line on the Horizon" was mostly positive. [[Allmusic]] praised the track, saying that "U2 strike that unmistakable blend of soaring, widescreen sonics and unflinching openhearted emotion that's been their trademark, turning the intimate into something hauntingly universal," also noting that it "resonate[s] deeper and longer than anything on ''[[How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb|Atomic Bomb]]''".<ref>{{cite web|url={{Allmusic|class=album|id=r1473366|pure_url=yes}} |title=No Line on the Horizon - U2 |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen |work=[[Allmusic]] |accessdate=2009-10-24 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/5kj9GIm4A?url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg |archivedate=2009-10-23 |deadurl=yes |df= }}</ref> ''[[NME]]'' likened the song to "[[Vertigo (U2 song)|Vertigo]]" while saying "thanks to the Edge pressing the button marked 'freight train' rather than 'annoying echo' on his guitar, ["No Line on the Horizon"] throbs with a refound passion and remains peppered with new sounds and textures."<ref name="NME review">{{cite web|url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/u2/10149 |title=No Line on the Horizon |work=[[NME]] |first=Ben |last=Patashnik |date=2009-02-26 |accessdate=2009-10-24 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/5kj9hhFFU?url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/u2/10149 |archivedate=2009-10-23 |deadurl=yes |df= }}</ref> ''[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]'' enjoyed the song, saying it "crashes in like a wave over the bows, washes of keyboards retreating to reveal a growling guitar riff retreaded from "[[The Fly (song)|The Fly]]", and one of U2's most memorably anthemic choruses."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/u2/reviews/12876 |title=U2 No Line on the Horizon |work=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]] |first=Andrew |last=Mueller |date=2009-02-25 |accessdate=2009-10-24 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/5kjFT9TJS?url=http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/u2/reviews/12876 |archivedate=2009-10-23 |deadurl=yes |df= }}</ref> ''[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]]'', while commenting that the track echoed the band's 1991 song "[[Zoo Station (song)|Zoo Station]]", felt that Bono dragged the song down, commenting that he "strain[s] for dramatic tension, lapses horribly into [[Chris Martin]]ese, both in his mannered vocal inflection and screeds of lyrical twaddle."<ref name="Mojo review">{{cite web |url=http://www.atu2.com/news/article.src?ID=5373&Key=&Year=2009&Cat=4 |title=Blue Sky Thinking |work=[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]] |format=reprint |first=Keith |last=Cameron |date=2009-02-25 |accessdate=2009-10-24}}</ref> [[Pitchfork Media]] was not impressed with the song, saying that its "hard-nosed verse is torpedoed by its deflating fart of a hook."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12730-no-line-on-the-horizon/ |title=No Line on the Horizon |work=[[Pitchfork Media]] |first=Ryan |last=Dombal |date=2009-03-02 |accessdate=2009-10-24 |archivedate=2009-10-23 |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/5kjFe7ACU?url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12730-no-line-on-the-horizon/ |deadurl=yes |df= }}</ref> ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' rated it the third best song of 2009.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1945379_1944027_1944034,00.html|title=3."No Line On The Horizon by U2" |work=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |accessdate=2009-12-14 |date=2009-12-08}}</ref>
+Reception to "No Line on the Horizon" was mostly positive. [[Allmusic]] praised the track, saying that "U2 strike that unmistakable blend of soaring, widescreen sonics and unflinching openhearted emotion that's been their trademark, turning the intimate into something hauntingly universal," also noting that it "resonate[s] deeper and longer than anything on ''[[How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb|Atomic Bomb]]''".<ref>{{cite web|url={{Allmusic|class=album|id=r1473366|pure_url=yes}} |title=No Line on the Horizon - U2 |last=Erlewine |first=Stephen |work=[[Allmusic]] |access-date=2009-10-24 |archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/5kj9GIm4A?url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kbfyxzwkldke |archive-date=2009-10-23 |url-status=dead}}</ref> ''[[NME]]'' likened the song to "[[Vertigo (U2 song)|Vertigo]]" while saying "thanks to the Edge pressing the button marked 'freight train' rather than 'annoying echo' on his guitar, ["No Line on the Horizon"] throbs with a refound passion and remains peppered with new sounds and textures."<ref name="NME review">{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/u2/10149 |title=No Line on the Horizon |work=[[NME]] |first=Ben |last=Patashnik |date=2009-02-26 |access-date=2009-10-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100529065712/http://www.nme.com/reviews/u2/10149 |archive-date=2010-05-29 |url-status=dead}}</ref> ''[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]'' enjoyed the song, saying it "crashes in like a wave over the bows, washes of keyboards retreating to reveal a growling guitar riff retreaded from "[[The Fly (U2 song)|The Fly]]", and one of U2's most memorably anthemic choruses."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/u2/reviews/12876 |title=U2 No Line on the Horizon |work=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]] |first=Andrew |last=Mueller |date=2009-02-25 |access-date=2009-10-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101206032628/http://www.uncut.co.uk/music/u2/reviews/12876 |archive-date=2010-12-06 |url-status=dead}}</ref> ''[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]]'', while commenting that the track echoed the band's 1991 song "[[Zoo Station (song)|Zoo Station]]", felt that Bono dragged the song down, commenting that he "strain[s] for dramatic tension, lapses horribly into [[Chris Martin]]ese, both in his mannered vocal inflection and screeds of lyrical twaddle."<ref name="Mojo review">{{cite web |url=http://www.atu2.com/news/article.src?ID=5373&Key=&Year=2009&Cat=4 |title=Blue Sky Thinking |work=[[Mojo (magazine)|Mojo]] |format=reprint |first=Keith |last=Cameron |date=2009-02-25 |access-date=2009-10-24}}</ref> [[Pitchfork Media]] was not impressed with the song, saying that its "hard-nosed verse is torpedoed by its deflating fart of a hook."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12730-no-line-on-the-horizon/ |title=No Line on the Horizon |work=[[Pitchfork Media]] |first=Ryan |last=Dombal |date=2009-03-02 |access-date=2009-10-24 |archive-date=2009-10-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091006112523/http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/12730-no-line-on-the-horizon/ |url-status=dead}}</ref> ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' rated it the third best song of 2009.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1945379_1944027_1944034,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091213005241/http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1945379_1944027_1944034,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 13, 2009|title=3."No Line On The Horizon by U2" |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |access-date=2009-12-14 |date=2009-12-08}}</ref>
 ==Personnel==
-*[[Bono]]&nbsp;– [[lead vocalist|vocals]], guitar
+*[[Bono]]&nbsp;– vocals, guitar
-*[[The Edge]]&nbsp;– [[guitar]], keyboard, [[backing vocalist|backing vocals]]
+*[[The Edge]]&nbsp;– guitar, keyboard, backing vocals
-*[[Adam Clayton]]&nbsp;– [[bass guitar]]
+*[[Adam Clayton]]&nbsp;– bass guitar
-*[[Larry Mullen Jr.]]&nbsp;– [[Drum kit|drums]], [[percussion]]
+*[[Larry Mullen Jr.]]&nbsp;– drums, percussion
 ==Charts==
@@ Line 58: / Line 57: @@
 ! Peak<br />position
 |-
-{{singlechart|Wallonia|38|artist=U2|song=No Line on the Horizon|rowheader=true|accessdate=2014-02-13}}
+{{singlechart|Wallonia|38|artist=U2|song=No Line on the Horizon|rowheader=true|access-date=2014-02-13}}
 |-
 |}
@@ Line 64: / Line 63: @@
 ==Certifications==
 {{Certification Table Top}}
+{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|type=single|award=Platinum|artist=U2|relyear=2009}}
-|-
+{{Certification Table Bottom| noshipments=true}}
-! scope="row"|Brazil ([[Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos|ABPD]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://abpd.org.br/certificados_interna.asp?sArtista=U2|title=Certificações de U2|publisher=[[Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos|ABPD]]|accessdate=18 November 2014}}</ref>
-|Platinum
-|100,000<sup>^</sup>
-|-
-{{Certification Table Bottom|nounspecified=true}}
 ==References==
-{{reflist|30em}}
+{{Reflist}}
 ==External links==
@@ Line 78: / Line 73: @@
 {{No Line on the Horizon}}
-{{U2}}
+{{U2 songs}}
+{{Authority control}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:No Line on the Horizon (Song)}}

v t e U2 songs
Discography Covers
1970s	"Out of Control"
1980s	"Another Day" "11 O'Clock Tick Tock" "A Day Without Me" "I Will Follow" "An Cat Dubh / Into the Heart" "The Electric Co." "Fire" "Gloria" "October" "A Celebration" "New Year's Day" "Two Hearts Beat as One" "Sunday Bloody Sunday" "Seconds" "Red Light" "Pride (In the Name of Love)" "The Unforgettable Fire" "A Sort of Homecoming" "4th of July" "Bad" "Elvis Presley and America" "MLK" "With or Without You" "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" "Where the Streets Have No Name" "In God's Country" "One Tree Hill" "Bullet the Blue Sky" "Running to Stand Still" "Red Hill Mining Town" "Trip Through Your Wires" "Exit" "Mothers of the Disappeared" "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" "Desire" "Angel of Harlem" "When Love Comes to Town" "All I Want Is You" "Hawkmoon 269" "Heartland" "God Part II"
1990s	"Night and Day" "The Fly" "Mysterious Ways" "One" "Even Better Than the Real Thing" "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses" "Zoo Station" "Until the End of the World" "So Cruel" "Tryin' to Throw Your Arms Around the World" "Ultraviolet (Light My Way)" "Acrobat" "Love Is Blindness" "Numb" "Lemon" "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)" "Zooropa" "Daddy's Gonna Pay for Your Crashed Car" "Dirty Day" "The Wanderer" "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" "Miss Sarajevo" "Slug" "Your Blue Room" "Discothèque" "Staring at the Sun" "Last Night on Earth" "Please" "If God Will Send His Angels" "Mofo" "Gone" "Sweetest Thing"
2000s	"The Ground Beneath Her Feet" "Beautiful Day" "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of" "Elevation" "Walk On" "Kite" "In a Little While" "Wild Honey" "Peace on Earth" "When I Look at the World" "New York" "Electrical Storm" "The Hands That Built America" "Take Me to the Clouds Above" "Vertigo" "All Because of You" "Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own" "City of Blinding Lights" "Miracle Drug" "A Man and a Woman" "One Step Closer" "Original of the Species" "Yahweh" "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" "The Saints Are Coming" "Window in the Skies" "The Ballad of Ronnie Drew" "Get On Your Boots" "Magnificent" "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight" "No Line on the Horizon" "Moment of Surrender" "Unknown Caller" "Stand Up Comedy" "Fez – Being Born" "White as Snow" "Breathe" "Cedars of Lebanon" "Winter"
2010s	"Ordinary Love" "Invisible" "The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)" "Every Breaking Wave" "Song for Someone" "You're the Best Thing About Me" "Get Out of Your Own Way" "Love Is Bigger Than Anything in Its Way" "XXX"
2020s	"Your Song Saved My Life" "Atomic City"
Category