(MANDATORY CREDIT Ebet Roberts/Getty Images) UNITED STATES - JANUARY 01: Photo of U2; L-R: The ... [+]
U2 has won 22 Grammys throughout their decades together, so it’s not as if the band is in need of any more awards. The Irish rockers have collected some of the top honors, and they are nearing 50 nominations...but they haven’t returned to the show as potential winners in some time. That might change in only a few months.
The band scored a big hit in late 2023 with “Atomic City,” which brought them back to the highest reaches of a number of Billboard’s rock charts. The tune was released just a few days after eligibility began for the upcoming ceremony, and voters may be interested in honoring the beloved group once again.
“Atomic City” could help U2 earn their first Grammy nomination–or nominations–in nearly a decade. The last time the band had a shot at earning more gold was back in 2015. That year, their set Songs of Innocence was in the running for Best Rock Album, though the prize went to Beck’s Morning Phase. That title also went on to collect Album of the Year in a surprise upset.
Since then, U2 has continued to produce music, but the Recording Academy has not nominated anything they’ve delivered. Neither of their two most recent albums, Songs of Experience or Songs of Surrender, scored any nods, nor did any of the tunes featured on those projects.
“Atomic City” marks U2’s best chance at a Grammy nomination in nearly a decade. The tune, which was released to promote their then-upcoming Las Vegas residency at the Sphere, was beloved by many, and it reminded the world that the band still has what it takes to craft a hit. That fact, paired with the excitement around their opening of the new high-tech venue, may be enough for them to become nominees once more.
U2’s single could compete for a spot in several fields. The tune might earn nods in Best Rock Song or Best Rock Performance, which are both not specific to soloists or groups. That makes them more difficult to crack, but for a beloved outfit like U2, nothing is impossible. The cut is also eligible for both Record and Song of the Year, but those don’t seem like they’re within reach.
Eligibility for the 2025 Grammys opened on September 16, 2023, and closes on August 30, 2024. The list of nominees will be unveiled on November 8, 2024, and the show will take place in early 2025.
