U2’s first United Kingdom number-one single in 1988 was “Desire.”
The song was released as the lead single from U2’s 1988 album Rattle and Hum. Built around a distinctive Bo Diddley-style beat, “Desire” marked a shift toward a more direct, roots-influenced rock sound after the atmospheric production of The Joshua Tree.
“Desire” reached number one on the UK Singles Chart, making it U2’s first single to achieve that position in the United Kingdom. It also performed strongly internationally, including in Australia and New Zealand.
The song is sometimes confused with “One,” “The Fly,” or “I Will Follow,” all major U2 singles associated with different periods. “One” came from Achtung Baby, “The Fly” from the same album, and “I Will Follow” from the 1980 debut album Boy.