Rock History: U2 Hit #1 with Rattle and Hum in 1988 [VIDEO]

U2 released Rattle and Hum as both an album & movie. The success was immediate. They were fresh off their Joshua Tree Tour and ready to make another epic album. They did.

A monumental album for U2 who had already released groundbreaking music with Joshua Tree. The band tapped into American music - focusing on rock, gospel and a little country.

Rattle and Hum was a fan favorite. The energy from the live cuts and great new material moved it out the door. It spent six weeks at #1 and sold more than 14 million copies.

Desire - the first single - went to #3 on the Hot 100 chart. U2 won the Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Band or Duo with Vocal that year.

The movie was also a big success. Most of the footage came from the Joshua Tree Tour. Here's the Rattle and Hum trailer from 1988.