The recording sessions for the new album stretched right through to the beginning of 1997. Their constant delay already showed that they would not compromise quality over deadlines. Not surprisingly this made the record companies nervous. Meanwhile, there was high anticipation from the fans, who were also able to access a webcam that was placed  in the studio where U2 were recording the album. In most cases, the fans caught a glimpse of U2 at work.

  To increase the anticipation level, U2 also decided to hold a press conference on the 12th of February in New York's Walmart department store. It was here that U2 unveiled their plans for a world tour starting in April of the same year. At the conference, U2 also performed "Holy Joe" live and answered a few questions from the press. Coincidentally, their press conference fell on Ash Wednesday as pointed out by a journalist. When told about holding the conference in Kmart on this day Bono replied "Ash Wednesday and Kmart - that about wraps us up!"

  The cork finally popped when U2 released their album in March 1997 (the studio where U2 were working from showed a board with the words "Elvis Presley has left studio" on the studio webcam). Both the title and the cover design surprised critics and fans alike. The Warhol - inspired cover designs suggested a bright colourful feeling, yet all the songs on the album bubbled with dark thoughts and emotions.

  Songs such as "Last Night On Earth", and "Discotheque" examined the image of the night club scene but with different perspectives. In "Last Night On Earth", the night club was presented as a place to make the most of life as if it was their last day. On the other hand, "Discotheque" presented it as a place to make a scene - to be somebody - a theme in step with their earlier song "11 O'Clock Tick Tock". In summary, a dark side of humanity is presented - the false image and pessimism.

  Faith was also tackled at different levels with "If God will send his angels" where U2 tackled the issue of the relevance of God and Christianity in a world that has lost all hope in building a better future.

  On a more contrasting note on faith, "Wake up dead man" deals with God on perhaps a more personal level, this time with a man who is calling for God's assistance to help him revive his life. As Bono would point out, it was a song about defeat where "the subject must have some kind of sense he can wake his master up".

  Superficiality is another issue which U2 introduced with "Miami" and "The Playboy Mansion". When U2 went to Miami to record their new song "Miami", U2 quickly picked up on the style and trends in the city. In an interview about "Miami", Larry commented that "the fact that you look good can cover a multitude".

  While "Miami" tackled with the social taboos of modern style, "The Playboy Mansion" on the other hand examines the relationship between style with the "ideal image" and  human desires "..if perfume is an obsession and talk shows.. confession..". Described by the Q Magazine as "touching tale of lottery-playing average Joe fantasizing about gaining entry to Hugh Hefner's private Disneyland.", the song lists down all the things that associate icons of style with celebrities and human desires.

  Nevertheless, there was still speculation on U2's tour plans for their new album. But much of the press was convinced that U2 were going to strip back down to the bare basics since their performance of "Holy Joe" did not use anything special. Just as when U2 proved the critics wrong about "POP", U2 would also prove them wrong about their new tour.

  While U2 announced the press release of Pop and new tour dates, carpenters, engineers, programmers and technicians had already started hammering out U2's latest stage set. The stage set, designed from a computer generated model would be completely different from cyberpunk feel of the Zoo TV and Zooropa tours.

  The moment of truth finally arrived when U2 began their first American Leg of the "Pop Mart" tour on April 25th at the Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas. U2 surprised everyone again by hosting a stage set with a huge 170x56 ft video screen, a 100 ft high golden arch, a Mirrorball lemon about 45 feet high and a olive about 12 feet wide on a 100ft swizzle stick. Although the set sizzled, the band's performance did not - and some were left to wonder if the pressure on U2 in setting up the stage affected the overall show and was thus a good idea to begin with.

  Due to the complications faced in performing on such a enormous stage, the band's tour was met with very mixed reactions, with some shows not selling out. But as the tour progressed, U2's performances on stage gradually improved. The tour earned the praise of New Jersey Online stating that "few bands can balance wit and wisdom without erring too much on one side or the other. With PopMart, U2 stays on the tightrope, and it's doing just fine." And rapidly, the concerts began to sell out.

  The performance included a few Karaoke sessions where the Edge would play the Monkeys hit "Daydream Believer" an appropriate addition for the set list played at a concert that attempts to throw audiences "off the scent". At the closing stages of the concert, U2 would pop out of the Lemon mirrorball and sing "Discotheque", as if suggesting they are super rock stars elevated to the superficial rank of stardom courtesy of the audience, or just bringing down those that sing to be stars.

  Asked about the new stage and the surprise reactions Bono replied - "The whole point of being in a band is to see how far you can take it". Bono then asks for caution - "Big can be beautiful. But in the end, there's blood in the music"(U2 a year in Pop).

  On August 31st, the world woke to the shock news of Princess Diana's death in a car crash in Paris. In response to the news, U2 felt it was more appropriate to pay their respects to Princess Diana with Bono starting "Gone" with "She's gone ... she's gone...".  Later, U2 perform MLK to the audience where a Warholian-styled image of Diana lit up the main screen. The image remains throughout the song and as the song closes, Bono says, "I was stunned to hear the news today. I really think we all were,". U2 then proceeded to "One", an appropriate song for the occasion.

  In September, U2 fulfilled their promise that they made during the Zoo TV tour for Sarajevo by performing their Popmart concert in Sarajevo. Aware of the fact that the people were still rebuilding their lives, U2 show their respect by selling tickets at a discount price and any profits made were donated to the city. The Edge performed an emotional acoustic version of "Sunday Bloody Sunday" for the first time in the tour, and it was to remain in the set list for the rest of the tour - replacing the Karaoke sessions. In the end U2 made a profit of less than US$20000 a figure that generated its fair share of backlash from the media. In response, U2 defended the figure, stating that they had set no expectations in raising money.

  While the world was still coming to terms with the death of Princess Diana, U2's closest friend Michael Hutchence committed suicide. Once again U2 paid tribute to their friend just as they had done with the Princess, at Atlanta on the 26th of November 1997. For U2, this came as a big surprise - like close friends they also shared common views on morality and suicide. Even though their constant touring prevented U2 from attending his funeral, Bono and Alison sent a gift to the family of Michael Hutchence (I believe it was a scroll with some writing on it).

  U2's tributes toward Michael Hutchence added more meaning when they started performing in Australia the next year - INXS's home country. In the Sydney concert, U2 dedicated "One" to the dead singer and at the conclusion, the song "Never Tear Us Apart" was played to the audience at the end of the concert.