Why are U2 so hated?

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Another point I've heard in discussing U2 in person with people is that they dont believe U2 deserved as much success as they've had because they aren't very good musicians technically (peoples opinion).
 
The Beatles are the most over rated band in music history, and U2 is right up there with them - even though I love both of these bands they are still over rated.

As far as being the biggest "band" in the world going by record sales U2 would still be in the top 3 bands in the world from 2000-2010.


The only thing this post accomplished was to prove that you have no clue about "music history".


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Music history benefited The Beatles mostly because they were in the right place at the right time - just when new media the TV set was becoming affordable and they had the means to promote themselves at the time with the backing of the record label, it really had little to do with the music.
 
Music history benefited The Beatles mostly because they were in the right place at the right time - just when new media the TV set was becoming affordable and they had the means to promote themselves at the time with the backing of the record label, it really had little to do with the music.


:gah::gah::gah::gah:
 
About Bono's quotes I remember the first one, but I don't see it as bad as you, anyone should aspire to be the best at their work... Or not? :sexywink: do you go to your work thinking "I'm going to be mediocre"?

There's nothing wrong with aspiring to be the best in your field. There's nothing wrong with thinking you're the best. But when you start making big verbal proclamations that you are the best, it rubs people the wrong way. In 1987, I don't think Bono waltzed up on stage and said "The Joshua Tree is loved by everyone and is selling like hot cakes. We're the biggest and best band in the woooorld!!!" In 1992, I don't think he ever said "We've just pulled off the greatest reinvention in rock 'n roll. That must mean we're the best IN THE WORLD!!!" He may very well have thought both of those things, but he didn't make himself look like a total asshat by spelling it out. That kind of self-aggrandizing is more the domain of 21st century Bono/U2 bullshit.
 
Music history benefited The Beatles mostly because they were in the right place at the right time - just when new media the TV set was becoming affordable and they had the means to promote themselves at the time with the backing of the record label, it really had little to do with the music.

It had everything to do with the music.

I won't belabor the point too much (I could spend hours writing a post detailing just how wrong you are on so many levels), but suffice it to say that music as we know it today quite simply would not exist without the Beatles. Western culture in all its forms would not be recognizable today if the Beatles' story had not happened, point blank. They didn't just get lucky, although fortune and circumstance of course did have a large part to play in their story (as it does with every other game-changer the world has ever known). It is literally impossible to overstate how much of an impact they had on the music industry and culture and society as a whole.
 
There's nothing wrong with aspiring to be the best in your field. There's nothing wrong with thinking you're the best. But when you start making big verbal proclamations that you are the best, it rubs people the wrong way. In 1987, I don't think Bono waltzed up on stage and said "The Joshua Tree is loved by everyone and is selling like hot cakes. We're the biggest and best band in the woooorld!!!" In 1992, I don't think he ever said "We've just pulled off the greatest reinvention in rock 'n roll. That must mean we're the best IN THE WORLD!!!" He may very well have thought both of those things, but he didn't make himself look like a total asshat by spelling it out. That kind of self-aggrandizing is more the domain of 21st century Bono/U2 bullshit.

Well said. This trend I think can be pinpointed to the backlash that came from Pop - it's like all of a sudden the band (mostly B) felt like they needed to insist to the general public "Don't mind that last record we made because we all know that really we're the best band in the world! We know we're great and you should too!" as a way to distance ATYCLB from Pop, and really Bono never cut that shit out as he should have at least 10 years ago.
 
Music history benefited The Beatles mostly because they were in the right place at the right time - just when new media the TV set was becoming affordable and they had the means to promote themselves at the time with the backing of the record label, it really had little to do with the music.

That was around the time when new media was the big idea.
 
Im 28 now and none of my friends at school liked U2 that i know of. I even had some friends thought it was funny that I like them as if it was uncool. I put that down to immaturity as you had to be seen to like 'cool' or 'hardcore' artists. But still a fan to this day.

I think people who hate U2 can just be ignorant or a bit small minded.

Many people are not open to the world issues like Bono is and Bono likes to fix things that are broken in the world which is what I admire him for. So the people who are ignorant about world issues and are not open to fixing them dont seem to like bono. There for alot dont like U2.

I think if you are not a U2 fan I feel like you are almost missing out on something.
 
Don't get me wrong I think The Beatles music is a great set of material - but I still think in the grand scheme of things it is vastly over rated :)

Were they the best band of the 1960s, the answer to that is likely yes.
Were U2 the best band of the 1980s, the answer to that is likely yes.

Best band ever though should include a list of many others for consideration.
 
There's nothing wrong with aspiring to be the best in your field. There's nothing wrong with thinking you're the best. But when you start making big verbal proclamations that you are the best, it rubs people the wrong way. In 1987, I don't think Bono waltzed up on stage and said "The Joshua Tree is loved by everyone and is selling like hot cakes. We're the biggest and best band in the woooorld!!!" In 1992, I don't think he ever said "We've just pulled off the greatest reinvention in rock 'n roll. That must mean we're the best IN THE WORLD!!!" He may very well have thought both of those things, but he didn't make himself look like a total asshat by spelling it out. That kind of self-aggrandizing is more the domain of 21st century Bono/U2 bullshit.

Well said! 100% agreed. :up::up:
 
When some of their own fans bash them so much what chance do they really have?


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It used to be that when you are a kid, it was "uncool" to like the music, clothes, etc. that you parents liked. I remember listening to The Beatles or Elvis with my Dad, as a kid, and then going to school and telling my friends about it and my friends were like, "they suck" or whatever.

U2 have been around to be affected by this, if it still goes on. I have no idea because im not a parent. But i do know that i saw a lot of bald to gray heads out at the 360 Tour. It was interesting seeing parents taking their kids to shows.

My not-so-bold prediction is that someday U2 will be gone, and many of the people who supposedly hate them now will talk about them like they were the greatest thing ever.
 
It used to be that when you are a kid, it was "uncool" to like the music, clothes, etc. that you parents liked. I remember listening to The Beatles or Elvis with my Dad, as a kid, and then going to school and telling my friends about it and my friends were like, "they suck" or whatever.

U2 have been around to be affected by this, if it still goes on. I have no idea because im not a parent. But i do know that i saw a lot of bald to gray heads out at the 360 Tour. It was interesting seeing parents taking their kids to shows.

My not-so-bold prediction is that someday U2 will be gone, and many of the people who supposedly hate them now will talk about them like they were the greatest thing ever.

What dc a great post :up:
 
As a very general observation (and this is just MY observation, I am not saying that it's truth), the people who are less concerned in general about what is currently "cool" or "trendy" tend to like U2 a lot more than those obsessed with such things. I love that U2 has all kinds of different groups of fans. I'm 35, so having not gotten into them until the early 90's I consider myself a "second-generation" U2 fan. ATYCLB and HTDAAB created a whole "third-generation", and now the kids of the first-generation and second-generation U2 fans are becoming the "fourth-generation" of U2 fans via either (1) going to the 360 shows with their parents, or (2) listening to SOI on their iPhones.
 
while dodging paying their taxes

and when asked about it Bono thinks it is just a big joke







bono dodging tax question


That's because it is a joke. Who voluntarily wants to pay more taxes than they need to? No one.

They are doing nothing illegal that I am aware of and also how would paying more taxes to the Irish government help Africa?

What's funny is that if asked, none of the people "upset" about this could say how much U2 has in fact paid in taxes or given to charity.






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If they release SoE next year and it's at least as good as SoI then I think their international standing will be generally good.
 
It used to be that when you are a kid, it was "uncool" to like the music, clothes, etc. that you parents liked. I remember listening to The Beatles or Elvis with my Dad, as a kid, and then going to school and telling my friends about it and my friends were like, "they suck" or whatever.

U2 have been around to be affected by this, if it still goes on. I have no idea because im not a parent. But i do know that i saw a lot of bald to gray heads out at the 360 Tour. It was interesting seeing parents taking their kids to shows.

My not-so-bold prediction is that someday U2 will be gone, and many of the people who supposedly hate them now will talk about them like they were the greatest thing ever.

I agree 100% with this.

Just look at bands like Led Zeppelin- they're more popular than they've ever been now. 20 years ago? Absolutely not a chance they're as loved by 18-25 yr olds as they are now.

I don't care what any of these "trendy" people who have jumped on the U2 hate bandwagon say anymore. They have no clue what they're talking about. They'll bash U2 and the big brother, spamming our phones with SOI bullshit argument and then go and jump around to songs like "Shut up and dance" by Walk The Moon. I love this song to pieces, it's catchy as hell, but for those who haven't heard it, listen to it! Especially the intro!!! I could go on and on with examples of songs the "cool kids" today love. They all have one thing in common. You can answer the question "where do you think they got that idea?" with "U2!"

And for all of the "Bono is a tax dodger" idiots, he's not. Bono and U2 pay plenty of taxes, made a perfectly legal, above ground move (no special loopholes or lobbyists) and contribute plenty of their own time and money to their causes. The Red Zones and the Invisible release are just recent examples. What the hell have any of these people done for the world?? Beyond bitch on Facebook and Twitter about a free album?

End of rant, sorry!

This cool to hate U2 culture just kills me. I'm sitting over on the Boston Seaport New Year's eve watching the fireworks over Boston Harbor at midnight. They're blaring "Shut up and Dance" along with them and all these "cool" people are bouncing along like lunatics to it. All these people who can't stand U2, most likely. Give me a break!!!

In closing, I truly enjoy "Shut up and Dance" but will ask again for emphasis: Where do we think they got this idea????

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbcCG7PkI18
 
There's nothing wrong with aspiring to be the best in your field. There's nothing wrong with thinking you're the best. But when you start making big verbal proclamations that you are the best, it rubs people the wrong way. In 1987, I don't think Bono waltzed up on stage and said "The Joshua Tree is loved by everyone and is selling like hot cakes. We're the biggest and best band in the woooorld!!!" In 1992, I don't think he ever said "We've just pulled off the greatest reinvention in rock 'n roll. That must mean we're the best IN THE WORLD!!!" He may very well have thought both of those things, but he didn't make himself look like a total asshat by spelling it out. That kind of self-aggrandizing is more the domain of 21st century Bono/U2 bullshit.

Not a bad point, and a good topic for discussion. However, I only agree with it a little bit.

I do not mean to nitpick, but Bono has not really proclaimed U2 the "best band in the world" at any time. He does have a Post-2000 tendency to go on a little much about being the "biggest" but even then, he has framed it in the context of "re applying for the title." Meaning they'd have to work and earn it. I don't think he takes it for granted or is arrogant about the standing of the band or their abilities. Even less so after the back injury and probably even less so again after the current injury.

However, I can see how people are put off by the "biggest band" talk and how people can misinterpret Bono's actions/statements. Especially when they have the clueless media and blogosphere of today thinking for them.

While I see your point, I only really assign 10% of the blame for the hate to anything the band does.

Bono could've stood to not make the comment he made to the effect of "if someone has a song better than EBW, let's hear it." Granted, Bono was responding to the backlash against the SOI release method and defending the songs themselves and telling people to look at them, but could've made the same point in a different way. I would've faulted him a lot more if he made the statement the day SOI was released, but he didn't. He made it in response to a ridiculous, childish backlash that had been ongoing for many weeks at that point.

However, added all together, the hate is far more irrational bullshit than it is based on comments like these that can be legitimately off putting.
 
On Facebook today there was a story about the whole "Bono may never play guitar again" thing, and all the comments were hostile towards him eg "Pity he didn't fall on his mouth".
I thought, what a bunch of complete tossers. That sort of hatred is completely unwarranted.

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On Facebook today there was a story about the whole "Bono may never play guitar again" thing, and all the comments were hostile towards him eg "Pity he didn't fall on his mouth".
I thought, what a bunch of complete tossers. That sort of hatred is completely unwarranted.

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In fairness, if the Pope fell off of his bike, those same people would still feel the need to spew something negative. It's what they do. In the end, U2 will be going on a massive tour to promote their current kick ass album AND their upcoming album. They are also sure to be in the public spot light promoting these albums on TV, while most of those commenters favorite artists you will never hear from.



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Those ass holes think they're being clever and original. I learned years ago to tune them out.


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The media is having its fair share of that whole madness by reporting stuff in a overly dramatic or sensationalist way or by constantly taking things out of context or by simply making up stuff, portraying the band and Bono in particular in a negative light. Just look how they have handled and reported Bono's current essay on U2.com. Most of the reporting just plays into the hands of the haters or those who hate Bono and wish him nothing but the worst. Some media are making it sound as if Bono's whining and complaining, which he isn't, in fact I don't feel he's complaining at all, though he'd have enough reason to do so right now. He's simply stating things the way they are and his current comments about his accident, the injuries and the possible future of his guitar-playing are a way of informing the fans about his current condition, the progress of his recovery and also about what to expect (or better not expect) of him when the tour is starting. The media is reporting it with a clear bias to make Bono look like a total wussy.

And yes, I feel bothered by people wishing injuries and pain upon others, no matter if it's "only" the internet and no matter if it's Bono or anyone. We've had a very tragic case here a couple of days ago where a man died from a heart attack in the elevator of a subway station. He was lying there for 5 hours with people passing and even stepping over him and no one bothered to help him. This is the world we're living in, sadly, and I feel that these kind of people are the same ones that are spiteful and mean enough to wish harm upon someone who's already on the floor. You can start feeling really miserable about mankind if you think about all the senseless hate and ignorance out there.
 
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