• A regular CD in a jewel case, or super jewel case depending on territory.
• A deluxe edition was released in a digipack style case, which included the album, an expanded booklet, and a fold out poster, and a download of Anton Corbijn's "Linear".
• A magazine edition included a 64 page "magazine" and access to download Anton Corbijn's movie "Linear".  The CD release in this edition was in a cardboard slip case. 
• A box set which included the 64 page "magazine" in hardcover, Anton Corbijn's movie "Linear" on DVD, and the digipack release of the CD.
• Double 12" vinyl. 
• Download

U2 began work on the album in 2006, in sessions with producer Rick Rubin.  Two songs from these sessions were used on the compilation album U218, released while the band was still on the Vertigo Tour.  In 2007, a decision was made to shelve the remainder of that material in favour of collaboration with Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno.  Much of the album work took place in Fez, Morocco during June of 2007.  Further work to complete the album was undertaken in Hanover Quay Studios in Dublin, Platinum Sound Studios in New York City, and Olympic Studios in London.

During these final sessions, the double album that was, became a single album.  Songs were changed out, as evidenced by the late inclusion of "White as Snow" and the late cut of "Winter".  The song order was changed extensively.  An early glimpse of the possible order and tracklisting can be seen in the "Linear" film by Corbijn.  It was too late to recut the film to match the track listing, and the film remains representative of the track list of the album as of mid 2008.  The film itself was only phyically included in the box set in DVD format.  Other releases included "Linear" only as a download.

The album has thus far spawned three singles, "Get On Your Boots", "Magnificent" and "I'll Go Crazy if I Don't Go Crazy Tonight". The album also served as a focal point for the very successful 2009 "U2 360 Degrees Tour" which toured Europe and North America to sold out stadium crowds.  During that tour, the band performed "No Line on the Horizon", "Magnificent", "Moment of Surrender", "Unknown Caller", "I'll Go Crazy...", "Get On Your Boots" and "Breathe".  The remaining songs have not been performed live.  The tour continues into 2010.

An early leak of the album happened on February 18, 2009, when a branch of Universal Music in Australia accidentally released the album for sale on the wrong date.  It was quickly pulled from the store, but the damage was done, and copies began to circulate on the internet.