U2 won the 2006 Grammy for Best Rock Album with How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. The Irish band received the award at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards, held on February 8, 2006, in Los Angeles.
How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb was released in November 2004 and became one of U2’s most successful albums. It combined the band’s arena-sized rock sound with songs such as “Vertigo,” “Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own,” and “City of Blinding Lights.” The album’s production involved longtime collaborators including Steve Lillywhite, Daniel Lanois, Brian Eno, Flood, and Jacknife Lee.
U2 dominated the 2006 ceremony, winning five awards. In addition to Best Rock Album, the band won Album of the Year, Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal, Best Rock Song, and Song of the Year. The ceremony’s Album of the Year victory was especially notable because it made U2 the only rock act at that point to win that category more than once. A common mix-up is confusing the album award with Best Rock Song, which U2 also won that night for “City of Blinding Lights.”