U2 - Gloria

What this video is

Released in October 1981 as the opening track and second single from U2's second album October, 'Gloria' arrived just two months after MTV's launch in August 1981. The video's heavy rotation on the nascent cable channel gave U2 their first significant American television exposure at a time when very few acts had promotional videos prepared. The Grand Canal Docks location — directly across the water from Windmill…

Why it matters

'Gloria' is a foundational artifact of early MTV-era rock promotion. As the first U2 video to receive significant MTV airplay — at a moment when the channel had few videos in rotation — it played an outsized role in establishing U2's American profile. The outdoor location shoot, non-theatrical…

The director

Meiert Avis is an Irish filmmaker and music video director who began his career in Dublin through his proximity to U2's early recording environment. He assisted in building the music studio where U2 recorded, and his edit bay became a gathering space for the…