War-U2 | The Story Behing the Album Cover Art

Send us Fan Mail U2 called their third album War because, as Bono said, “war seemed to be the motif for 1982.” But the cover contains no tanks, no bombs, no soldiers. Instead, it shows the face of a child. Peter Rowen had already appeared on U2's Boy, but this time his stare is different, it is harder, haunted, almost accusatory. The photo shoot involved gas masks, Nazi imagery, and an improvised coal scuttle backdrop as U2 tried to capture what war does to innocence. Outside the studio, Lebanon burned, Northern Ireland exploded, and the Cold War threatened the planet. U2 wanted the title itself to be “a slap in the face.” Grab a copy and listen along with us. Questions, comments, recommendations? We’d love to hear from you at [email protected] or check our Spotify Song List with a song from each album we’ve covered: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2NrDU39yE9CJcHU6YJT8jj?si=Y1JAE4LWTDmKEDE9QGlB2A&pi=ly2xwE-ERRu-2