Yes they are more popular in the states(which was my argument if you'll check) and no I'm not crazy.
They did play a part in the huge Monsters of Rock shows in the late 80's-early 90's, but they have had four massively successful main act tours in the 90's which saw them playing places U2 has never, ever been to.
And Metallica sells more records stateside than U2. They play every nook and cranny in the states while U2 plays multi-dates in the metro areas and hit and run shows elsewhere.
Would you like a stateside attendance and concert list comparison?
And playing 6-7 new songs doesn't even equal half their set. The rest will be....SHOCK....old songs! Hits! Shock......Gasp.....
BTW, some will argue U2 has spent the last two albums "trading on past glories".
Look at this tour schedule and look at all the wide array of places they played and the great coverage worldwide. When was the last time U2 toured like this? Never. They've had better coverage for certain parts of the world in past tours, but never all in one. And Metallica tours like this all...the...time.
Madly In Anger World Tour '03-'04
Date Venue, City, Country/State
6 Nov 2003 Yoyogi Taiikukan, Tokyo, Japan
7 Nov 2003 Yoyogi Taiikukan, Tokyo, Japan
9 Nov 2003 Ice Arena , Sapporo, Japan
11 Nov 2003 Saitama Arena, Tokyo, Japan
13 Nov 2003 Osaka Castle Hall, Osaka, Japan
14 Nov 2003 Rainbow Hall, Nagoya, Japan
2 Dec 2003 Spektrum, Oslo, Norway
3 Dec 2003 Spektrum, Oslo, Norway
5 Dec 2003 Preussag-Arena, Hannover, Germany
6 Dec 2003 Gelredome, Arnhem, Netherlands
8 Dec 2003 Hallenstadion, Zurich, Switzerland
9 Dec 2003 Palais Omnisports de Bercy, Paris, France
11 Dec 2003 Palamalaguti, Bologna, Italy
13 Dec 2003 Messehalle, Erfurt, Germany
14 Dec 2003 Maimarkthalle, Mannheim, Germany
16 Dec 2003 Cologne Arena, Cologne, Germany
17 Dec 2003 Sportpaleis, Antwerp, Belgium
19 Dec 2003 Earls Court Arena, London, United Kingdom
20 Dec 2003 Earls Court Arena, London, United Kingdom
31 Dec 2003 The Joint, Las Vegas, NV, USA
16 Jan 2004 Ericsson Stadium , Auckland, New Zealand
18 Jan 2004 Parklands , Gold Coast, Australia
19 Jan 2004 Entertainment Centre , Brisbane, Australia
21 Jan 2004 Entertainment Centre , Sydney, Australia
23 Jan 2004 Showgrounds , Sydney, Australia
24 Jan 2004 Showgrounds , Sydney, Australia
26 Jan 2004 RAS Showground , Melbourne, Australia
28 Jan 2004 Myer Music Bowl , Melbourne, Australia
30 Jan 2004 Royal Showground , Adelaide, Australia
1 Feb 2004 Claremont Showground , Perth, Australia
27 Feb 2004 Rehearsal Show, San Francisco, CA, USA
2 Mar 2004 America West Arena , Phoenix, AZ, USA
3 Mar 2004 T.C.C. , Tucson, AZ, USA
5 Mar 2004 The Forum , Los Angeles, CA, USA
6 Mar 2004 The Forum , Los Angeles, CA, USA
8 Mar 2004 Cow Palace , San Francisco, CA, USA
10 Mar 2004 Arco Arena , Sacramento, CA, USA
11 Mar 2004 Lawlor Events Center , Reno, NV, USA
13 Mar 2004 Thomas and Mack Center , Las Vegas, NV, USA
14 Mar 2004 Save Mart Center , Fresno, CA, USA
18 Mar 2004 Rose Garden , Portland, OR, USA
20 Mar 2004 Boise State Pavilion , Boise, ID, USA
21 Mar 2004 Spokane Arena , Spokane, WA, USA
23 Mar 2004 Rexall Place , Edmonton, Canada
24 Mar 2004 Saddledome , Calgary, Canada
26 Mar 2004 GM Place , Vancouver, BC, USA
28 Mar 2004 Key Arena , Seattle, WA, USA
30 Mar 2004 Casper Events Center , Casper, WY, USA
31 Mar 2004 Pepsi Center , Denver, CO, USA
20 Apr 2004 Nassau Coliseum , Uniondale, NY, USA
21 Apr 2004 Nassau Coliseum , Uniondale, NY, USA
23 Apr 2004 Charlotte Coliseum , Charlotte, NC, USA
24 Apr 2004 Roanoke Civic Center , Roanoke, VA, USA
26 Apr 2004 Norfolk Scope Arena , Norfolk, VA, USA
28 Apr 2004 Freedom Hall , Louisville, KY, USA
29 Apr 2004 Van Andel Arena , Grand Rapids, MI, USA
1 May 2004 US Bank Arena , Cincinnati, OH, USA
2 May 2004 Alliant Energy Center , Madison, WI, USA
6 May 2004 Saddledome , Calgary, Canada
7 May 2004 Saskatchewan Place , Saskatoon, Canada
9 May 2004 Winnipeg Arena , Winnipeg, Canada
11 May 2004 Kemper Arena , Kansas City, MO, USA
12 May 2004 Qwest Center , Omaha, NE, USA
14 May 2004 Ford Center , Oklahoma City, OK, USA
15 May 2004 Alltel Arena , Little Rock, AR, USA
26 May 2004 Parken , Copenhagen, Denmark
28 May 2004 Olympic Stadium , Helsinki, Finland
30 May 2004 Ullevi , Gothenburg, Sweden
31 May 2004 Slaski Stadium , Chorzow, Poland
2 Jun 2004 Download Festival , Glasgow, Scotland
4 Jun 2004 Parque Bella Vista , Lisbon, Portugal
6 Jun 2004 Download Festival , Donington Park, United Kingdom
8 Jun 2004 Sudweststadion , Ludwigshafen, Germany
10 Jun 2004 Arena Auf Schalke , Gelsenkirchen, Germany
11 Jun 2004 Aerodrome 04 Festival , Wiener Neustadt, Austria
13 Jun 2004 Olympic Stadium , Munich, Germany
15 Jun 2004 Partizan Stadion , Belgrade, Serbia
16 Jun 2004 Weserstadion , Bremen, Germany
18 Jun 2004 Letzegrund Stadium , Zurich, Switzerland
19 Jun 2004 La Romareda Stadium , Zaragoza, Spain
21 Jun 2004 Ajax Arena , Amsterdam, Netherlands
23 Jun 2004 Parc des Princes , Paris, France
25 Jun 2004 RDS , Dublin, Ireland
29 Jun 2004 Stadio Euganeo , Padova, Italy
1 Jul 2004 T-Mobile Park , Prague, Czech Republic
2 Jul 2004 Werchter Festival , Werchter, Belgium
4 Jul 2004 Egilshollin , Reykjavik, Iceland
16 Aug 2004 Xcel Energy Center , St. Paul, MN
17 Aug 2004 Fargodome , Fargo, ND
19 Aug 2004 Conseco Fieldhouse , Indianapolis, IN
20 Aug 2004 Bradley Center , Milwaukee, WI
22 Aug 2004 Mark of the Quad Cities , Moline, IL
24 Aug 2004 Peoria Civic Center , Peoria, IL
25 Aug 2004 Veteran's Memorial Coliseum , Ft. Wayne, IN
27 Aug 2004 Allstate Arena , Chicago, IL
28 Aug 2004 Allstate Arena , Chicago, IL
30 Aug 2004 Hilton Coliseum , Ames, IA
1 Sep 2004 Kansas Coliseum , Wichita, KS
3 Sep 2004 Frank Erwin Center , Austin, TX
4 Sep 2004 United Spirit Arena , Lubbock, TX
21 Sep 2004 Gund Arena , Cleveland, OH
22 Sep 2004 Mellon Arena , Pittsburgh, PA
24 Sep 2004 Value City Arena , Columbus, OH
25 Sep 2004 Savvis Center , St. Louis, MO
27 Sep 2004 Resch Center , Green Bay, WI
1 Oct 2004 The Palace , Detroit, MI
3 Oct 2004 Bell Center , Montreal, Canada
4 Oct 2004 Bell Center , Montreal, Canada
6 Oct 2004 Air Canada Center , Toronto, Canada
7 Oct 2004 Corel Center , Ottawa, Canada
9 Oct 2004 Pepsi Arena , Albany, NY
10 Oct 2004 HSBC Center , Buffalo, NY
14 Oct 2004 Pepsi Colisee , Quebec City, Canada
15 Oct 2004 Pepsi Colisee , Quebec City, Canada
17 Oct 2004 MCI Center , Washington, DC
19 Oct 2004 Wachovia Center , Philadelphia, PA
20 Oct 2004 Wachovia Center , Philadelphia, PA
22 Oct 2004 Continental Airlines Arena , E Rutherford, NJ
24 Oct 2004 Fleet Center , Boston, MA
25 Oct 2004 Fleet Center , Boston, MA
27 Oct 2004 Copps Coliseum , Hamilton, Canada
28 Oct 2004 John Labatt Centre , London, Canada
5 Nov 2004 St. Pete Times Forum , Tampa, FL
6 Nov 2004 Office Depot Center , Ft. Lauderdale, FL
8 Nov 2004 Jacksonville Arena , Jacksonville, FL
9 Nov 2004 Pensacola Civic Center , Pensacola, FL
11 Nov 2004 Gaylord Entertainment Center , Nashville, TN
13 Nov 2004 Gwinnett Center , Atlanta, GA
14 Nov 2004 New Orleans Arena , New Orleans, LA
16 Nov 2004 Toyota Center , Houston, TX
17 Nov 2004 American Airlines Center , Dallas, TX
20 Nov 2004 SBC Center , San Antonio, TX
22 Nov 2004 The E Center , Salt Lake City, UT
24 Nov 2004 Sports Arena , San Diego, CA
27 Nov 2004 Arrowhead Pond , Anaheim, CA
28 Nov 2004 hp Pavilion , San Jose, CA