In which year was U2 formed?

U2 was formed in 1976. The band began when drummer Larry Mullen Jr. posted a notice at Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Dublin seeking musicians for a new group.

The first rehearsal took place on 25 September 1976, reportedly in Mullen's kitchen. The early lineup included Mullen, Bono, The Edge, The Edge's older brother Dik Evans, Adam Clayton, and several other students. Some participants soon left, leaving the core lineup that would become famous.

The group initially called itself Feedback, then The Hype. After Dik Evans departed in 1978, the remaining members adopted the name U2. They spent their first years performing in small venues around Dublin and Ireland before building a wider following.

U2's formation date is sometimes confused with the band's first record or first international success. The group released its debut album, Boy, in 1980, but that came four years after the school rehearsal that established the band. Their early post-punk roots later expanded into a large, anthemic rock sound.