The Joshua Tree is the fifth
studio album by
rock band
U2. It was produced by
Daniel Lanois and
Brian Eno, and was released on 9 March 1987 on
Island Records. In contrast to the
ambient experimentation of their 1984 release
The Unforgettable Fire, on
The Joshua Tree the band aimed for a harder-hitting sound within the limitation of conventional song structures. The album is influenced by
American and
Irish roots music, and depicts the band's love–hate relationship with the United States, with socially and politically conscious lyrics embellished with spiritual imagery.