What was U2's first number-one album on the US Billboard 200?

The Joshua Tree was U2's first number-one album on the US Billboard 200. Released in March 1987, it became the breakthrough that transformed the Irish band into a global stadium act.

The album entered the US chart at number seven and reached number one three weeks later. Its success was driven by songs including “With or Without You,” “I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For,” and “Where the Streets Have No Name.” The first two became U2's first US number-one singles, helping the album remain highly visible on radio and television.

Produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, The Joshua Tree combined expansive rock arrangements with themes of American landscapes, politics, spirituality, and cultural disillusionment. It was U2's fifth studio album, following The Unforgettable Fire, and its success exceeded the band's earlier achievements with Boy and War.

A common mix-up is confusing the album's chart achievement with U2's first number-one US single. That milestone also came during this era, but it belonged to “With or Without You,” not to an earlier album.