<P> Just prior to the release of The Joshua Tree, Bono was stricken with a sudden panic about the quality of the completed album . He said that he contemplated calling the production plants to order a halt of the record's pressing, but he ultimately held off . Island Records spent over $100,000 on store displays advertising the album; president Lou Maglia called it "the most complete merchandising effort ever assembled". The Joshua Tree was released on 9 March 1987, with an initial shipment of 300,000 copies in the US . It was the first new release to be made available on the compact disc, vinyl record, and cassette tape formats on the same date . Record stores in Britain and Ireland opened at midnight to accommodate the large number of fans who had queued outside to buy the album . </P> <P> The Joshua Tree debuted on the UK Albums Chart on 21 March 1987 at number one with 235,000 copies sold in its opening week, making it the fastest - selling album in UK history to that point . It received a platinum certification in the UK within 48 hours of being released . The album spent two weeks atop the UK Albums Chart and appeared on it for a total of 201 weeks, ranking it among the longest - charting albums in UK history . On the US Billboard Top Pop Albums chart, the album debuted on 4 April 1987 at number seven, the highest debut for a studio album in the US in almost seven years . Within three weeks, it reached number one, becoming the group's first album to top the charts in the US . It remained at that position for nine consecutive weeks, the band's longest number - one reign on the chart and the second - longest reign in the US that year . The album spent a total of 120 weeks on the Billboard Top Pop Albums, 35 of them in the top ten . On 13 May 1987, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the album double - platinum . All of the group's previous albums re-entered the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart in 1987 . In Canada, the album debuted at number 51 on the RPM Top 100 Albums chart on 21 March 1987, and climbed to number one just two weeks later . Within 14 days of release, it sold 300,000 units in Canada and was certified triple - platinum . The Joshua Tree also topped the charts in Austria, Switzerland, New Zealand, and Sweden . In total, the album reached number one in over 20 countries . Rolling Stone said that the album increased the band's stature "from heroes to superstars". It was the first album by any artist to sell one million copies on CD in the US . U2 were featured on the cover of the 27 April 1987 issue of Time, which declared them "Rock's Hottest Ticket"; they were just the fourth rock band to appear on the magazine's cover, following the Beatles, the Band, and the Who . </P> <P> "With or Without You" was released as the lead single on 21 March 1987, with the B - sides "Luminous Times (Hold on to Love)" and "Walk to the Water". The single quickly topped the Billboard Hot 100, becoming the band's first number - one hit in America . The song topped the singles chart in Canada, while reaching number four in the UK and number two in the Netherlands . The group originally planned to use "Red Hill Mining Town" as the second single . However, the group were unhappy with the music video filmed by Neil Jordan, and Bono had difficulty singing the song . Ultimately, the group canceled the single . Instead, "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" was chosen as the second single, and it was released in May 1987 with the tracks "Spanish Eyes" and "Deep in the Heart" as B - sides . Like its predecessor, it topped the Hot 100, giving U2 consecutive number - one singles in the US . The single peaked at number six in the UK, Canada, and the Netherlands . By May, sales of the album surpassed 7 million copies worldwide . </P> <P> "Where the Streets Have No Name" was released in August 1987 as the third single, with "Sweetest Thing", "Silver and Gold", and "Race Against Time" as B - sides . The single reached number seven in the Netherlands, number four on the UK Singles Chart, and number 13 in the US . The album's first three singles all topped the Irish Singles Charts, while charting within the top 20 of the singles charts in the UK, the US, Canada, New Zealand, and the Netherlands . "In God's Country" was released as a fourth single exclusively in North America in November 1987, peaking at number 44 on the Hot 100 and number 48 as an import single in the UK . "One Tree Hill" was released as a fourth single in Australia and New Zealand in March 1988, and having been written for the New Zealand - native Carroll, it reached number one in his home country . By the end of 1988, The Joshua Tree had sold more than 14 million copies worldwide . </P>

What was u2's lead single from 'the joshua tree'