Windmilllane said:
Don't get me wrong. I love Pop. I love every single song on that album. Shit, "Gone", "Last Night on Earth" and "Please" fucking rock in concert. "Please" is actually one of my favorite songs of all-time. It reminds me of "Stairway to Heaven" where it starts off slow and serious, then starts to kick ass, then ends slow. Unfortunately, Pop never produced the "hits" as defined by radio, which is a shame. I mean, U2 did videos for "Please" and "Last Night on Earth," which are great. If HTDAAB doesn't produce the "hits", I bet it will still be a great album. To me, U2 isn't being about pop radio. They write songs that are heartfelt, inspiring, and kick-ass. Did "Walk On" get a lot of airplay? No. Did "Elevation" get a lot of airplay? No. But they were still great songs that garnered the deserving awards.
U2's pop status isn't measured by airplay anymore. The harsh reality is U2 can't compete with the pop artists of today. But they will always be influential. And their shows are still the best ever.
You say that U2 can't compete with the pop artist of today. Lets look at the facts!
Below are the best selling albums in the world since January of 2000.
1. Beatles: 1 : 24,000,000
2. Norah Jones: Come Away With Me : 18,000,000
3. Eminem: The Marshall Mathers LP : 17,000,000
4. Eminem: The Eminem Show : 16,000,000
5. Evanescence: Fallen : 16,000,000
6. Britney Spears: Oops!....I Did It Again : 15,000,000
7. Linkin Park: Hybrid Theory : 14,000,000
8. Avril Lavigne: Let Go : 14,000,000
9. N'Sync: No Strings Attached : 13,000,000
10. Madonna: Music : 12,500,000
11. U2: ALL THAT YOU CAN'T LEAVE BEHIND : 12,000,000
12. Dido: No Angel : 11,000,000
13. Limp Bizkit: Chocolate Starfish : 11,000,000
14. Shakira: Laundry Service : 11,000,000
15. Pink: M!SSUNDAZTOOD : 11,000,000
16. Enya: A Day Without Rain : 10,500,000
17. Shaggy: Hotshot : 10,500,000
18. Moby: Play : 10,000,000
19. Shania Twain : UP : 10,000,000
U2 has one of the biggest selling albums of the decade. They are the second strongest touring act in the world after the Stones and have the 11th biggest selling album in the world in this decade. Based on the best average of album sales and concert ticket sales, they are the biggest artist in the world.