All day, fans congregated outside the studio to catch a glimpse of millionaire rock stars Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen, who appeared on the Jo Wiley Show yesterday morning.

BBC's flagship radio station had decamped to Dublin for a U2-themed day, which culminated with the live broadcast on Zane Lowe's popular alternative music show last night.

The band's single, 'Vertigo', which will top the Irish and UK charts this week has been heavily playlisted by Radio 1. 'How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb' is released on Friday and it is expected to be a number one album on both sides of the Atlantic.

Since tracks from the album were leaked online last week, there have been concerns at U2's record label, Island, that future sales would be hit. Manager Paul McGuinness has suggested that the CD age is coming to an end and U2 have already positioned themselves as champions of legal internet downloading by making their entire back catalogue available online for purchase.

Grafton Street's HMV record store is to open its doors at midnight tomorrow for a world exclusive launch of the new album.

The Dublin store will also open at 7am on Friday, to give die hard U2 fans the chance to will be amongst the first to purchase a copy of the eagerly-awaited album, with limited numbers of exclusive posters also available.

The infamous Macnas big heads depicting Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen will be in store on Friday for fans to take photographs.

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