Atomic Bomb at 20

Original Story by Aaron J. Sams (2024-11-03)

In under three weeks How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb will be out in a variety of formats. A week later, How to Re-Assemble an Atomic Bomb will be released in a standalone format. It has been some time since we announced the rumours about this set back in July. And while we’ve covered the release through news stories, our discography entries, and on social media, we felt with only a couple of weeks left it might be nice to pull all the high points together in one article to help anyone who is wondering if they missed something.


IMAGE: Box Set Cover

The How to Dismantle An Atomic Bomb album itself will be released with 12-tracks. The bonus track, “Fast Cars”, previously released only in some regions, will now be a part of the album in every format. A 10-track album of demos called How to Re-Assemble An Atomic Bomb features a number of tracks from the archives, which didn’t make the original album. An album of remixes is also part of the set, collecting some of the more popular remixes from 20 years ago, and also releasing some that were never released in that period. Finally, the Live in Chicago release for home video twenty years ago is released here in audio format for the first time ever. All of the contents have been remastered for this new release.

Here’s a quick run down of what we are expecting for unique formats for this release.

Released on November 22:

  • Standalone digital album (Dismantle, 12-tracks)
  • Deluxe digital album (22-tracks, Dismantle and Re-Assemble)
  • 2 × 12” Black Vinyl (Dismantle, 12-tracks)
  • 2 × 12” Red and Black Vinyl, Ink-spot (Dismantle, 12-tracks, Universal / U2.com)
  • Cassette (Dismantle, 12-tracks, Universal / U2.com)
  • 5-Inch CD (Dismantle, 12-tracks)
  • 5-Inch SHM CD (Dismantle, 12-tracks, Japan only)
  • 5 × 5” CD (Dismantle, Re-Assemble, Remixes, Chicago, Photo book)
  • 5 × 5” SHM CD (Dismantle, Re-Assemble, Remixes, Chicago, Photo book, Japan Only)
  • 8 × 12” Black Vinyl (Dismantle, Re-Assemble, Remixes, Chicago, Photo book)

Both the cassette version of the album, and the red / black ink-spot vinyl versions are D2C releases, aka Direct to Consumer. This means they are only available by directly buying from the label or artist. Universal Records online stores are carrying both items, and they have been available via U2.Com as well.

The two domestic Japan releases are in SHM-CD format instead of regular CD format. These will play in your usual CD player, but the discs are made of a stronger material. These will come with a translation booklet, and will only be available in Japan. For those in Japan, additional incentives are available when purchasing the album formats. This includes stickers with the album cover and the cover to Re-Assemble and a print called a ‘mega-jacket’ at Amazon while supplies last.

Released on November 29:

  • Standalone digital album (Re-Assemble, 10-tracks)
  • 12” Red and Black Vinyl, Marble (Re-Assemble, 10-tracks)


IMAGE: Stand Alone Cover Re-Assemble

The November 29 release on vinyl will be part of Record Store Day, and will be limited to in-store purchases on the first day of release, it is the same record available in the box set a week earlier, but in coloured vinyl, with a slightly different cover. (US and UK stores will be able to sell online on the morning of November 30.) The USA Record Store Day site lists that 20,000 copies of the album will be available in stores.


IMAGE: Box Set Inner Cover Re-Assemble

The digital releases will be available in CD-quality, as well as high resolution (24-bit, 44.1kHz) versions. We are also expecting an Atmos release, and U2 shared yesterday that an Atmos mix of “Re-Assemble” has also been done. And yes, at this time, no plans have been announced for the Remixes disc or the live from Chicago material to be released on streaming / digital storefronts at this time.

A number of advance listening parties are planned, and fans can request to attend via U2.com now. These will be to listen to the How to Re-Assemble an Atomic Bomb album in Dolby Atmos. The dates for these listening parties are as follows:

  • 2024-11-15: London (6pm)
  • 2024-11-16: Los Angeles (3pm), Dublin (12pm), New York (3pm)
  • 2024-11-19: Berlin (5pm), Toronto (7pm), Mexico City (6:30pm)
  • 2024-11-21: Tokyo (7pm), Sao Paulo (8pm)

An additonal Dolby Atmos listening event in Sydney, Australia is planned, and a chance to attend requires proof of a pre-order of the album which has to be shared with Universal Music Australia. The Sydney event will take place on November 18, 2024, at Forbes St Studio in Sydney. More information about U2’s remastering of albums for the Dolby Atmos format can be found in our news article covering the launch of Achtung Baby earlier this year.


IMAGE: Box Set Inner Cover Remixes

A commercial split single for “Country Mile” and “Picture of You (X+W)” was released when the 30th anniversary recordings were announced on September 26. “Happiness” has since been released as a second single from the album. On Spotify, the three tracks have been combined into one release. These are available now on streaming services, and digital storefronts, but the Dolby Atmos versions are not yet available. (Note: On Apple Music and Amazon, you will find these singles as pre-order tracks on the album, and not a separate standalone single.)

Additionally, promotional singles for “Country Mile”, “Picture of You (X+W)” and “Happiness” have all been circulated to radio including the album tracks, as well as edits for radio play. These are not commercially available. Two one-minute edits of “Happiness” and “Luckiest Man in the World” have also been released to YouTube and Facebook for use in reels and other social media content.

“Country Mile” hit the airplay charts in the UK at #36 the week it came out. “Picture of You (X+W)” is getting more airplay, and has appeared in three US charts, the Adult Alternative Airplay chart (peak #14), the Rock and Alternative Airplay chart (peak #31) and the Alternative Airplay chart (peak #33). “Happiness” has not shown up in any of the mentioned charts, but has had limited distribution as a promotional single, with most radio plays to date being in France, Italy, and Poland.


IMAGE: Box Set Inner Cover Live from Chicago

Even with these songs released, we still have not had a peek at the audio for “Evidence of Life” or “Treason”, two other new songs that will appear on the anniversary edition. We have also not heard the full version of “Luckiest Man in the World”, an updated version of “Mercy”. These are all demos that were not finished for the original album release, nor for the demos disc released previously on “The Complete U2” and are rough in places. “Theme from the Batman” and “All Because of You 2” are previously unheard mixes of songs we already know. Newly released remixes for this release include “All Because of You” (Redanka Indian Summer Remix), “One Step Closer” (Asian Temple Remix), “Miracle Drug” (Redanka Miracle Dub), and “Miracle Drug” (Redanka Zootopian Vocal Mix)

To date U2 have promoted the album with a number of videos available via YouTube:

(Items marked with a * are also available on iTunes, Tidal and other digital services for streaming / purchase. Items marked ** are available on Tidal only.) Additionally, the lyric video for “Picture of You (X+W)” has been edited to sync with the radio edit, and has been circulated as a promotional video.

Media about the 20th anniversary release has included the following items:

Expect more press for the album closer to the release date including a radio special on U2 X-Radio.

Additionally in the press releases for the album, The Edge shared:

“The sessions for ‘How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb’ were such a creative period for the band, we were exploring so many song ideas in the studio. We were inspired to revisit our early music influences, and it was a time of deep personal introspection for Bono who was attempting to process – dismantle – the death of his father.

“For this anniversary edition I went into my personal archive to see if there were any unreleased gems and I hit the jackpot. We chose ten that really spoke to us. Although at the time we left these songs to one side, with the benefit of hindsight we recognize that our initial instincts about them being contenders for the album were right, we were onto something.

“What you’re getting on this shadow album is that raw energy of discovery, the visceral impact of the music, a sonic narrative, a moment in time, the exploration and interaction of four musicians playing together in a room… this is the pure U2 drop.”

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