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Song · U2

“Desire” by U2

Released 1988

“Desire” by U2 appears on 50 radio countdowns from 17 stations between 1988 and 2026. It was first released in 1988. Its best result is #2 on the WLIR Top 100 Songs of 1988. In the combined RockLists rankings it is the #2 alternative song of 1988, #247 alternative song of all time and #8 of the '80s.

50countdowns
17stations
#2best position
0#1 finishes
5top 10 finishes
1988–2026years charted

RockLists rankings

Alternative & Modern Rock

Indie & Adult Alternative

Classic Rock

All Rock Formats

Year-end countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
1988 4 KROQ Los Angeles, CA KROQ Top 106.7 Songs of 1988 107
1988 2 91X San Diego, CA / Tijuana 91X Top 91 Songs of 1988 91
1988 9 Live 105 San Francisco, CA Live 105 Top 105.3 Songs of 1988 106
1988 2 WLIR / WDRE Long Island, NY WLIR Top 100 Songs of 1988 100
1988 7 Studio Brussel Flanders, Belgium Studio Brussel De Eindafrekening 1988 30
1989 56 91X San Diego, CA / Tijuana 91X Top 91 Songs of 1989 90

All-time and decade countdowns

Year#StationCountdownof
– 95 WLIR / WDRE WLIR Top 200 Songs of the 1980s 200
1989 59 91X 91X Top 191 Songs of the 1980s (1989) 191
1989 160 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1989) 500
1990 190 Live 105 Live 105 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (Memorial Day 1990) 299
1991 159 WOXY 97X WOXY Modern Rock 500 (1991) 500
1992 439 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1992) 500
1994 244 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1994) 497
1994 358 Live 105 Live 105 Revolutionary 500 (July 1994) 500
1996 389 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1996) 500
1996 155 Q101 Q101 Top 500 Songs of All-Time (1996) 500
1998 389 KROQ KROQ Flashback 500 (Memorial Day 1998) 488
1999 365 91X 91X Fat 500 Songs of All-Time (July 1999) 500
1999 862 Q101 Q101 Top 1,011 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 1017
1999 239 WLIR / WDRE WLIR Top 300 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 300
1999 650 107.7 The End The End Top 1077 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 1077
1999 162 CD101 CD101 Top 2000 Songs of All-Time (December 1999) 2000
1999 855 CFNY 102.1 The Edge CFNY Top 1002 Songs of All-Time (November 1999) 1002
2000 162 CD101 CD101 Top 2001 Songs of All-Time (December 2000) 2001
2001 162 CD101 CD101 Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) 2002
2001 293 Virgin Radio Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2001) 500
2001 180 WBRU WBRU Modern Rock Top 500 (2001) 500
2002 162 CD101 CD101 Top 2003 Songs of All-Time (December 2002) 2003
2002 498 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2002 Songs of All-Time (July 2002) 2002
2003 162 CD101 CD101 Top 2004 Songs of All-Time (December 2003) 2004
2003 169 Fred (XM 44) Fred XM Top 2044 Songs of All-Time (July 2003) 2044
2004 162 CD101 CD101 Top 2005 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) 2005
2004 237 Y100 Y100 Top 300 Songs of All-Time (July 2004) 300
2004 284 Virgin Radio Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2004) 500
2005 162 CD101 CD101 Top 2006 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) 1994
2005 466 Virgin Radio Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2005) 500
2006 471 Live 105 Live 105 500 Co-Op Countdown (Memorial Day 2006) 500
2006 296 Virgin Radio Virgin Radio Top 500 Songs of All-Time (December 2006) 500
2007 97 CD101 CD101 Top 2008 Songs of All-Time (December 2007) 2008
2008 74 CD101 CD101 Top 2009 Songs of All-Time (December 2008) 2009
2009 392 Live 105 Live 105 Memorial 500 Song List (2009) 500
2009 76 CD101 CD101 Top 2010 Songs of All-Time (December 2009) 2010
2010 74 CD101 CD101 Top 2011 Songs of All-Time (December 2010) 2011
2011 80 CD101 CD101 Top 2012 Songs of All-Time (December 2011) 2011
2013 83 CD101 CD101 Top 2013 Songs of All-Time (December 2013) 2012
2014 85 CD101 CD101 Top 2014 Songs of All-Time (2014) 2013
2018 199 The Current The Current's 893 Essential Songs 892
2021 949 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2021) 1043
2022 686 Q104.3 Q104.3 Top 1,043 Classic Rock Songs of All Time (2022) 1043
2026 386 KXT KXT 917 Song Countdown 917

Charting alongside it in 1988

Best songs of 1988 →
  1. 1SuedeheadMorrissey
  2. 3Beds are BurningMidnight Oil
  3. 4Route 66Depeche Mode
  4. 5Peek-A-BooSiouxsie and the Banshees
  5. 6Chains of LoveErasure
  6. 7Everyday Is Like SundayMorrissey