I have sometimes seen The Edge criticized for lacking the intricate technique of other legendary guitarists. Personally, I think this criticism only works if you arbitrarily exclude “composing with effects” from the realm of technical artistry, which is stupid.
But it’s also beside the point. Because I think The Edge discovered the same truth Hanz Zimmer did a bit later. Namely, that if you find a way to punch someone straight in the chest with a certain sound or a sequence of notes, you aren’t compelled to surround those notes with a lot of technical frippery just to prove that you can. Sometimes artistry is insisting that yes, it can be this simple, and yes, it can be this powerful. And then standing out of the way.