There seem to be a number of things that trendy college students do not like. Among them are, Republicans (college is the time for progressive thinking after all), country music (probably because it mainly appeals to conservatives) and U2.

It is rather vogue to be a liberal thinker in college, and therefore it is also hip to despise conservative music; however, there really is no reason for so many people to hate U2.

Yes, the wretched iPod commercial was played way too much and yes it is often annoying when Bono thinks he can save the world by himself.

However, U2’s music is undeniably great and even the most ardent U2 haters can appreciate “One,” “With or Without You” and “Where the Streets Have No Name.”

Formed in Ireland in the mid-1970s, U2 is most likely the most popular band in the world and will probably go down as one of the greatest bands of all time, whether people would like to admit it or not.

The 1980s were very kind to U2 and it goes without saying that they were one of the most popular and one of the best bands of the 1980s. With “War” and “The Unforgettable Fire,” U2 established themselves as a band with a knack for exceptional music.

In 1987 U2 released what is their most popular album, “The Joshua Tree.” It was voted as the 26th greatest album in history by Rolling Stone and literally every song on the album was good enough to be a single.

The tour that ensued saw U2 as the most popular band in the world and, in 1989, U2 would release the great, but not stellar, “Rattle and Hum.”

During a 1989 concert Bono announced that that it was time "to go away and just dream it all up again," prompting speculation from both the public and the media that U2 would split up after the “Rattle and Hum” tour ended.

The album that resulted from “dreaming it all back up again,” was the almost-perfect “Achtung Baby.”

Released in late 1991, “Achtung Baby” is without a doubt one of U2’s two best albums, possibly even their best, depending on one’s feelings concerning the magnificent “Joshua Tree.” It marked a departure from their 1980s sound, and incorporated elements of dance music as well as darker, personal themes.

The rocking “Zoo Station” and the dance-friendly “Even Better Than the Real Thing” kick off the album in great fashion and lead into what is possibly U2’s best song, “One.”

“One” was actually one of the first songs recorded for the album and in many ways saved the album. The band was at a creative dead-end and The Edge came up with the riff and the rest is history. In 2000, the song was covered by the late Johnny Cash, who also appeared on U2’s “Zooropa” album. Q Magazine voted “One” as the greatest song of all time in a 2003 poll. Also, “One” was recently voted as having the best set of lyrics in history, as voted by a VH1 poll.

“Until the End of the World” follows “One,” and is cited by Shirley Manson of Garbage as her favorite U2 song. It features heavy use of guitar effects and loops and is a very un-U2-type track.

The first single off the album, “The Fly,” which Bono describes as “the sound of four men trying to chop down the Joshua Tree,” starts side two with a bang.

“Mysterious Ways” follows and is one of U2’s most popular singles. One of U2’s most underappreciated tracks, “Acrobat,” comes at the end of the album and is one of the only U2 songs that has never been performed live despite being a fan favorite. The album ends with the powerful ballad “Love is Blindness,” wrapping up what is truly one of the greatest albums of this generation.

“All That You Can’t Leave Behind,” released in 2000, was called U2’s third masterpiece and is a true testament to U2’s greatness in that they released one of their greatest albums almost 25 years into their career. “How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb,” released in 2004, was greeted warmly and once again showed that U2 can still make great music.

However, it is “Achtung Baby” that has it all - the rockers, the ballads, the dance numbers, the political tunes and the experimental songs. It is all there on one album. People just need to get over their U2-phobia and accept the fact that they truly are an amazing band.

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