After U2's 1987 album "The Joshua Tree" and the supporting Joshua Tree Tour brought them critical acclaim and commercial success, their 1988 album and film "Rattle and Hum" precipitated a critical backlash. Although the record sold 14 million copies and performed well on music charts, critics were dismissive of it and the film, labelling the band's exploration of early American music as "pretentious" and "misguided and bombastic". U2's high exposure and their reputation for being overly serious led to accusations of grandiosity and self-righteousness.