That's the narrative. The 'authorised' narrative, even. And it probably accounts for a decent % of the 'conventional wisdom', but you'll find just as many people who think U2 fell off a creative cliff around 1999, and that despite managing to shoot up the odd flare, they're not coming back.
agreed -- all i was pointing out is the narrative. i suppose i'm brainwashed enough to actually enjoy most of the albums fairly equally and appreciate them for various reasons (Boy is in my top 3). music is subjective, but i don't think that we can argue that much about which albums are
successful or not, or successful for different reasons (not just sales).
however, i don't agree about the "equal numbers" things. most conventional fans, at least in their 30s on up loved Achtung, found Zooropa puzzling, and thought they lost their marbles with Pop and thought the whole irony thing was pretty stupid (and the irony on Pop really was underbaked ... i think of Pop as an enormous missed opportunity). ATYCLB was the warm, welcomed (as the narrative says) return to form and Bomb marked their inevitable status as highest quality "dad rock." NLOTH, an attempt to shake off said "dad rock" label, was met with general indifference because it wasn't too good, or too bad, to be noticed. that, i think, is where you'll find roughly 50% or more of the stadium, and the rest splinter groups -- the Achtung kids who are now in their 30s, the 2001-and-on'ers, the War-era parents taking their teenagers. i would say for the majority, the creative cliff happened in 1994 and the extended break between Zooropa and Pop fundamentally altered them.
i can see why people hate ATYCLB. i disagree with them, but my reasons for adoring it are fairly subjective (i bonded with it, deeply, during an interminably gray northern European winter where i pretty much came to terms with being gay ... can't get more subjective than that). it wouldn't feel like a U2 show without BD, and i know Stuck gets bashed around here but i think it's their second most enduring, timeless, instantly hummable melody (after ISHF). i hate "elevation" on record but it's great live. "kite" live became a thing of unspeakable beauty during the Aussie 2006 tour and represents the direction i wish they'd go. "walk on" is a step too far, but it's well performed and well constructed and enduring. i also think IALW and WH on record are as warm and inviting as they get. sure, the album falls apart a bit after that, but WILATW has great merit, and i'd put POE as another big missed opportunity, there's a good song in there somewhere.
the first 7 songs on ATYCLB are a big reason for the album's conventional wisdom "beloved" status and a big reason why they can sell out stadiums in 2011, and i think the band knows it.
