Please answer the following question.

[God Part III]

I became a fan in 2001, from hearing Elevation, believe it or not, and Beautiful Day and all that. I was 12, and All That You Can't Leave Behind is the first album I ever bought. I spent 2002-2004 discovering each album, each song, and a couple of months before Vertigo hit, I was very, very serious about the band. I knew I'd be seeing more than one gig on the Vertigo tour before it was announced, so 16 years old I saw 4 gigs across 4 countries, two of which I saw alone. I'm on the Milan DVD, up front on Edge's catwalk. I must admit, although I love Vertigo and a couple of other songs from it, How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb is clearly the worst U2 album, and when Window In The Skies came out, I was confident that the band had peaked long before I started listening to music, even some of you would argue that they peaked before I was born.
Anyway, No Line On The Horizon made me go from die-hard superfan to something words cannot describe. I had no idea that album would be so good. I love them unconditionally, they're a part of my life, U2 can never, never be topped by any other band in my opinion. Regarding the last 10 years, well, that's what made me a fan, so yeah, they're my favourite artist of the last 10 years.

 

[secretly alone]

U2 are my absolute favorite band ever. They have been ever since I "discovered" them, and I don't see that ever changing. I don't particularly care too much about other bands/artists. All the other stuff I listen to is mostly random, whatever songs happen to stick with me that I hear. I don't really get attatched. I never had a favorite band before U2, so I don't think I'm particularly wired that way. They're just...the exception. And they're more to me than a favorite band. No other music comes close to making me feel as much as U2's music does. So any other artist is like a way distant second.

And I don't have any issues with the material U2 have put out in the past ten years

 

[popsadie]

U2 is my favorite music artist of all time, but I am not sure that they are the best. Honestly, U2 are one of the few remaining secular artists on my IPOD. I recognize that there are many excellent bands and singers out there, but I find myself placing more emphasis on the themes and values of art that I enjoy. Unfortunately, I don't seem to identify with much of the art being made today, so I hold U2 close to my heart. Other groups that have gained my attention in the past 10 years or so: Thrice, Jars of Clay, Arcade Fire, Sufjan Stevens.

 

[nirniva]

Sufjan Stevens.

First Listen: Sufjan Stevens, 'The Age Of Adz' : NPR
Technically off-topic, I guess, but it's reeeeeeeeeeeeeally good.

 

[corianderstem]

Really looking forward to that one.

 

[Screwtape2]

Is U2 your favourite artist of all time?

Who is your favourite artist of the past 10 - 15 years?

I was thinking about this the other day... having noticed that the love for U2 in here is almost unconditional and we have a number of posters who listen almost exclusively to U2, it got me thinking. U2 are definitely my favourite band ever, i can't see that ever changing, but thinking about their output over the past 10 - 15 years (which is generally seen as their worst) they wouldn't top my list.

Radiohead and Outkast are my favourite artists from the past 10 - 15 years.

I just wanted to see whether a perceived drop off in quality of music and the very high quality of some other music released in this time has had an affect on how much you love U2.

Good questions.

My favorite artist of all time is Kate Bush followed by The Police and then U2. It has been in that order for several years. Like others, U2 had a chance to be my favorite. The first band I ever loved was The Police. A few years later in 1998 and 1999 my U2 obsession began. As I moved through the band's back catalog they nearly surpassed The Police. Unfortunately, it was horrible timing because ATYCLB came out which I felt was U2's weakest album to that point. Following that with Bomb has kept them from the top spot. Then I discovered Kate Bush who surpassed them both. Had U2 followed Pop up with something great they might be my favorite artist of all time.

None of those three are my favorite artist of the last 10-15 years though. Obviously The Police were not around (minus the lone tour), Kate Bush only released one album in that span and U2's work post Pop has not been great. I might give the nod to Coldplay or Tori Amos.

Has the drop off in quality affected my love of U2? I want to say no but I fear it has. The thing about the two artists above them is that there was no opportunity for drop off. The Police went on top and Kate Bush took a long break before what could have been a period of drop off. U2 however has kept going. I think a lot of people, including myself, remember and appreciate an artist, athlete, show and so on more when they go out on top opposed to when we see the decline. Another problem is that there are so many new artists that have potential, creativity and talent. Depending on where musical careers go I could see a lot of artists becoming serious musical obsessions over the long term.

 

[Mirror Ball Man]

Yes, U2 is my favorite band of all time, and that wont change anytime soon. And in my personal opinion, they are the best band ever.
But if there would be some sort of a vote, i doubt that U2 would be number one.

 

[indigo tree]

U2 are the best band ever for me. First got into them when I was 15, back in 2002. I doubt it will ever change.

 

[Tainted_Angel]

I don't have a single favorite band. I have 2: U2 and Metallica. Which one holds the top spot changes periodically. Led Zeppelin is a very close 3rd.

Favorite band of the last 10-15 years is Korn. I didn't care much for their last 2 albums, but their older stuff is extremely special to me. Particularly the Issues album.

 

[powerhour24]

Gotta say Tainted_Angel, your top artists have quite different sensibilities.

 

[Cin]

I wil admit that I haven't read through everyone's posts yet.
but

Probably sounds odd but U2 are my heart and soul. I fell in love with them in the first year of high school and they've been a constant throughout my life. So yes Danny, they are my all time number one favourite.

Secondly would be Manic Street Preachers. I'm not up with their whole catalogue at all but they're the only other band that's reached me, pulled at my insides.

 

[silkensky]

Without a doubt U2 is my favorite band of all time. I listen to a few different bands/artists, and while I enjoy them all to different extents, there's absolutely nobody that I'm as crazy about. Nobody draws out the emotions and feelings the way they do with me (and that's not an easy thing to do speaking for myself). The reason certainly goes well beyond the music, too. It includes all aspects of their personalities, their relatability as human beings, their chemistry, and most of all, their fans!

 

[mad1]

U2 and Madonna have been my fav artists since the late 80s really, yet, I would not term both as my top fav two, even.



I listen to a variety. I dont have it that U2 are a 'must-hear'.

 

[cobl04]

You couldn’t take any other band and make, say, a fifteen track compilation, and have the ability to create one as wildly diverse as one you could make via U2’s catalogue over that period.

i would strongly argue David Bowie could top that, but good point nonetheless.

Isolated (ie imagine U2 debuting in 2000 with ATYCLB), they likely wouldn’t have even appeared on my radar. That would have been a shame, because there are of course gems in there, but what would have been presented to me as a casual listener I could confidently say would not been creative enough, original enough, simply brilliant enough to have attracted my attention or interest, let alone adoration. Beautiful Day is a song I probably would have liked, Stuck in a Moment - I am definitely not one of the haters - but on it's own, no. Elevation, hell no. There's no way I would have engaged with Vertigo/Sometimes/ABOY/COBL etc. No way I would have engaged with Boots/Crazy Tonight/Magnificent. If those were my windows to U2, I wouldn't think much of them. No sale.

i hadn't thought about this before, and it's a good point. if U2 hadn't existed prior to 2000 and debuted with Attyclub, there's no doubt i would have enjoyed a number of the songs but there's no way they'd be close to my favourite.

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

Well, as stated, are U2 the "best" band of all time? I'd say they're up there in the top tier, but of course, opinions vary on that. Favorite, though? Absolutely. They express everything I feel and believe about the world so perfectly, I can relate to them on so many levels. They've inspired me politically, they've helped expand my musical tastes/horizons-if it wasn't for them I probably wouldn't have discovered half the stuff I listen to now, every single thing I hear from them is an exciting moment, because they've done so many different things in their career, it's fun to see what they'll come up with next. They're intelligent, passionate about all sorts of topics, and they've just made so much of an impact on the world that it's hard to really imagine life without them around.

The artist that probably comes closest to U2 in terms of having a personal effect on me would probably be the Finn brothers, Neil and Tim, and all related to them. They make music that means an awful lot to me as well, and I love them about as much as I do U2. Muse would follow behind that, as would Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers (I actually discovered Tom before I discovered U2, but U2 just has that particular something that would rank them at the top). Muse has been my favorite "newer" discovery of the last 10 to 15 years, they're bringing back something that hasn't been seen in rock for a while, and I had a huge back catalog to go through with U2 and missed out on a whole bunch of moments with them. Muse, not as much, they're still fairly young enough and have a lot more ahead of them for me to look forward to and be a part of.

Angela

 

[Tyagu_Anaykus]

I don't have a single favorite band. I have 2: U2 and Metallica. Which one holds the top spot changes periodically. Led Zeppelin is a very close 3rd.

Mine too!

 

[cobl04]

just for the people who have said that U2's output over the past 10-15 years is their favourite of that period, or whatever, care to elaborate? i'm not attacking anyone but i just find that a bit befuddling (word?). have you listened to a number of albums by artists in the same time? my favourites include Coldplay, Radiohead and Outkast, who, since 1997, have all released much better music than U2. this is what i'm more interested in.

 

[Flaming Friar Sr]

i have two favourite artists of all times:

u2 and the stones

 

[Tainted_Angel]

Gotta say Tainted_Angel, your top artists have quite different sensibilities.

Yes, they certainly do. I love all kinds of music, but for all intents and purposes, I am a metalhead. Metallica is the reason for that. I've loved them since Master Of Puppets in '86. I've loved U2 since the War album. They were the first band that really spoke to me.

To put it simply, Metallica is the reason I love metal. But U2 are the reason I love MUSIC.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

just for the people who have said that U2's output over the past 10-15 years is their favourite of that period, or whatever, care to elaborate? i'm not attacking anyone but i just find that a bit befuddling (word?). have you listened to a number of albums by artists in the same time? my favourites include Coldplay, Radiohead and Outkast, who, since 1997, have all released much better music than U2. this is what i'm more interested in.

I'm confused at why you think Coldplay's output have been better than U2's in the past 10 years.

Just sayin'.

(Oh, and Radiohead are overrated. 'cos I said so. )

 

[joerags]

Are U2 my favorite band of all-time?

Let's just say that not a day goes by that I don't think about them or listen to their music.

Every day. For the past 25 years.
I am not kidding.

 

[mirrorballman12]

Are U2 my favorite band of all-time?

Let's just say that not a day goes by that I don't think about them or listen to their music.

Every day. For the past 25 years.
I am not kidding.
I agree with joerags quote.

As for all the debate regarding u2's music over the last ten years, I still beleive the quality of the last three albums surpass almost any band's work of the decade. Aside from A Rush A Blood to the Head, all the Coldplay albums are stagnate and do not compare. HTDAAB is the album that made me love u2. I am only 20 so that was the first u2 album I heard in entirety. It's different than all their other albums, but is still a great album for a band 25 years into their career. Granted I wasn't alive during the 80s and I was young during the 80s, u2's music still speaks a lot to the people that didn't get to witness them at their"peak," which is why I still think they are the greatest band ever and at the moment.

On a side note, I love Bruce, Peter Gabriel, and the Killers, but for the last 6 months I have only listened to u2 exclusively. I just can't get tired of their music either old or new.

 

[BVS]

just for the people who have said that U2's output over the past 10-15 years is their favourite of that period, or whatever, care to elaborate? i'm not attacking anyone but i just find that a bit befuddling (word?). have you listened to a number of albums by artists in the same time? my favourites include Coldplay, Radiohead and Outkast, who, since 1997, have all released much better music than U2. this is what i'm more interested in.

I'm befuddled by the fact that you think Coldplay and Outkast of all bands have better output than U2.

Care to elaborate?

 

[Vlaco]

just for the people who have said that U2's output over the past 10-15 years is their favourite of that period, or whatever, care to elaborate? i'm not attacking anyone but i just find that a bit befuddling (word?). have you listened to a number of albums by artists in the same time? my favourites include Coldplay, Radiohead and Outkast, who, since 1997, have all released much better music than U2. this is what i'm more interested in.

I can't stand Radiohead (Thom Yorke's voice) and don't like Coldplay, but I can see why people like them. But Outkast, that's just random garbage to me.

 

[kabigon]

U2 happened to be the band I tried first when I started going out of my way to listen to music 6-7 years ago. My dad was a pretty big fan (but dropped off when Pop came around I think because the message of the album didn't have a chance to get through the rainbow of colours). I remember purchasing ATYCLB for his birthday in Nov 2000 because I remembered him liking U2 but wondered why he hadn't got around to purchasing it yet (maybe Pop had a longer-lasting legacy than I thought...). He was keen to get HTDAAB in 2004 when it first came out so I guess my gentle persuasion to get back into U2 worked

So I started listening to the CDs he had, probably mostly Best of 1990-00, ATYCLB and Achtung Baby. Best of 1990-00 informed me quite well that there was a load of other material so I quickly bought all the albums to fill in the gaps and must have listened to U2 pretty solidly for a good couple of years with not much in between. Here was this band with so much material and so many changes in direction. I had to find out more about this band so I read as much as I could. I even remember spending hours on U2Wanderer reading all the Albums and Singles listings to see what was released and with what tracks (any information no matter how trivial or mundane, I didn't care). I read up on all the tours and tried to gain an appreciation of what U2 was trying to do each time. I bought Zoo TV and Popmart VHS(!) copies and must have watched a concert every 1-2 weeks for a while. I craved any morsel I could get my hands on.

My U2 obsession is probably a little bit lower today but that's probably due to the fact I started listening to other bands (imagine that) However, U2 are still my number one band by a seemingly infinite margin to anything else. To me there's U2 and then there's the rest and that's how it always will be.

 

[Marien]

Yes, U2 is my all-time favourite band and yes I like their work during the last 10-15 years, I don't say it is my favourite period, I love so many songs by this band I can't say that of any period.

just for the people who have said that U2's output over the past 10-15 years is their favourite of that period, or whatever, care to elaborate? i'm not attacking anyone but i just find that a bit befuddling (word?). have you listened to a number of albums by artists in the same time? my favourites include Coldplay, Radiohead and Outkast, who, since 1997, have all released much better music than U2. this is what i'm more interested in.

I think you don't take into account taste, personal taste, for example I can't stand Coldplay, whenever I listen to them I think of those bands singing in another language and pretending to be The Beatles and doing it so bad (I don't know if you understand what I'm talking about), Radiohead are terribly boring for me and I don't even know who are Outkast. And I must say I listen to lots of music apart from U2, all styles from classical to jazz to flamenco, but nobody speaks to me as U2 do, not even great artists using my mother language, that's why I always come back to them.

It is quite difficult to say something is better or worse in art, just because nobody can be objective, who is a better sculptor Phidias or Praxiteles? who cares? both are great artists, I like Praxiteles better, but I wouldn't say he is the best.

 

[indra]

Is U2 your favourite artist of all time?

Who is your favourite artist of the past 10 - 15 years?

If you had asked this question during several years in the 80s my answer would have been an unequivocal yes, they are my favourite band of all time and favourite of the past 10-15 years as well.

But since you asked now, my answer to the first question is no, U2 is not my favourite band of all time. I don't think they are even in my top five anymore, although I have a soft spot for quite a bit of their first decade's work.

My favourite band of all time is The Church, and they are also my favourite band of the past 10-15 years. Even within their 30 year history I like their output in the past 10 years the best, although the four albums they released between 1986 and 1992 are also gorgeous (even GAF -- no matter how much SK whines about it ).

Among bands in my top tier of the past decade, Wilco and The National put out several albums I find wonderful, and there are a whole host of bands I like which put out one or two albums I love.

I just wanted to see whether a perceived drop off in quality of music and the very high quality of some other music released in this time has had an affect on how much you love U2.

What did it for me is I simply found music that did "it" better for me. Several of the responses here mention that no one else does for the writer what U2 does for him/her...well, The Church does that for me like no other. What I notice is The Church and several of the other bands I most like have a more personal quality to them than does U2, which seems (to me) to be more anthemic. U2 encourages it's followers to throw their arms around the world, which is great for those who draw energy and inspiration from that, but I like bands/musicians who turn their -- and their listeners -- focus more inward. I'm not sure I'm explaining this particularly well....

So for me, it isn't necessarily that U2 got worse (although I do think they have their share of stinkers over the years), it is that their music doesn't do for me what some other bands' music does.

 

[Salome]

just for the people who have said that U2's output over the past 10-15 years is their favourite of that period, or whatever, care to elaborate? i'm not attacking anyone but i just find that a bit befuddling (word?). have you listened to a number of albums by artists in the same time?

I think All that you can't and No line are masterpieces
so sue me

 

[cobl04]

those were just my examples, they could be any artists. if U2 is the best from the past 10-15 years in your eyes then fair enough.

and you explained it very well indra!

I'm befuddled by the fact that you think Coldplay and Outkast of all bands have better output than U2.

Care to elaborate?

Coldplay was probably a bit of an overstatement... though Parachutes, Rush of Blood and Viva La Vida come pretty damn close to topping Attyclub, Hutdab and No Line. maybe they even do top them.

Outkast have released Aquemini, Stankonia, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below and Idlewild (i haven't heard) in the past 15 years and i think that's a better output than U2's. in.my.opinion.

 

[BVS]

I was just flipping your logic, that's all... You came off a little music snob/ my opinion is fact on that post.

Both bands are talented I just find Coldplay to have drifted off into tribute band territory and Outkast is very inconsistent with me.

U2 still producing great stuff just not as consistent as previous decades.

U2 will always hold a special place because they were my first, they were like my first kiss, first love, and who I lost my viginity to all rolled into one.

But these days it's hard to say who my fave is, maybe Ryan Adams... I just don't know. I'm not very monogamous when it comes to music these days. Last month Stereophonics was my love.