ELEVATE ME GALLERY

"As guests on MTV in '82 - Bono, The Edge, Adam, and Larry - they were asked to describe what they had that separated them from other artists, what made them special. If you think about it, it was a pretty ballsy question, but then again the channel was young. U2 simply responded, 'Watch us and see.' So here we are almost two decades, thirteen albums, millions of fans and more than 50 music videos later, we find ourselves still watching.

Their music - the unforgettable fires and the streets with no names - stretched far beyond the sonic landscape. The beat of every U2 song is the pulse of every human heart. When Bono shouts 'This is not a rebel song' at the start of 'Sunday, Bloody Sunday', we know that it really is. It is the sound of a generation rebelling against its own indifference.

And yes, the rumors are true. These four lads from Dublin are, indeed, rock stars. They smoke. They drink. They use bad language in mixed company. They're extremely rich and they can flash more bling than most posses in this room. They have also - they have also done more than most governments to eliminate debt in Third World countries. Rock stars they are, and God bless them for that.

What really separates U2 from the rest, more importantly, is relevance. The only thing that keeps an artists credible and alive for this long is relevance. From Boy to Joshua Tree to All That You Can't Leave Behind, this is what music feels like when it's done right. It's a fist in the air, a kick in the balls, and two hearts beating as one, and we have it all on video for you..."

~Carson Daly presenting the Video Vangaurd Award to U2 at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards