All That You Can't Leave Behind

How does the world’s biggest rock band broaden their base after a few years of experimentation? By refining and redefining their formula for cranking out arena-ready anthems that feel universal and personal at the same time. The template, of course, was the comeback single “Beautiful Day”: Along with fellow smashes “Elevation” and “Walk On,” it heralded the band’s still-thriving phase as halftime-show mainstays, openly declaring that being—and staying—the biggest band in the world was an artistic challenge as worthy as any they’d attempted.