Who is the BEST "Big" band right now?

[namkcuR]

U2: HTDAAB was mediocre at best

It is fascinating what a 180 you've done with that record...for the first year, year and a half it was out, you were steadfast in that it was you second favorite U2 record....and now you say it's just mediocre at best. Just goes to show, tastes change.

 

[Axver]

It is fascinating what a 180 you've done with that record...for the first year, year and a half it was out, you were steadfast in that it was you second favorite U2 record....and now you say it's just mediocre at best. Just goes to show, tastes change.

I've just broadened my musical horizons and it's made post-Lovetown U2 rather pale in comparison to me. I don't think I would have been nearly as excited about HTDAAB if I had as broad musical horizons then as I do now.

I think that at the moment, the only HTDAAB songs that even interest me are One Step Closer, Crumbs, and Fast Cars. LAPOE and COBL have kind of been ruined for me by how good the live versions were in comparison.

 

[Screwtape2]

Re: nobody reads this

so:

U2/Rolling Stones
Madonna
Roger Waters
Robbie Williams

then the rest...

so...

A Bigger Bang ?
Confessions from the Dance Floor?

does ANY ring a bell?


Streets of Love?
Hung Up?



where have you been living the past 10 years?

I'm sorry but now you're just bordering on absurdity. All the acts you have listed minus U2 are not current in the least. A lot of acts rake in the cash on tours but that doesn't mean you're "big" or current.

 

[Aygo]

It is fascinating what a 180 you've done with that record...for the first year, year and a half it was out, you were steadfast in that it was you second favorite U2 record....and now you say it's just mediocre at best. Just goes to show, tastes change.

There are people that change their opinion very easily because X or Y start to say that A, B and C is crap. So people - that usually, that doesn't have a self-critic spirit - start to run with that fluence of opinions.

 

[dietcokeofevil]

u2.

 

[Axver]

There are people that change their opinion very easily because X or Y start to say that A, B and C is crap. So people - that usually, that doesn't have a self-critic spirit - start to run with that fluence of opinions.

Are you accusing me of that?

Because if so, I have some very harsh words for you as that's a completely baseless and untrue accusation. I mean, if it were true, why am I not bowing at the altar of Achtung Baby and ZooTV?

 

[corianderstem]

Some people just change their minds (and/or their tastes) over time.

 

[BonoIsMyMuse]

you changed your signature

My musical taste is always changing and evolving. I go through periods where I get into a lot of new music; some of it I like and keep listening to, some of it I gradually grow out of. Believe it or not, for about three years, I pretty much stopped listening to U2 and became a Deadhead. Naturally I came back to my senses

 

[bayou12780]

pepo - bring back the banana!

ok
there's only TWO options that should've be there...
U2 and The Rolling Stones
any other band is nowhere near close to those 2
there's no other BIG band
if you say "artists", you just have to add Madonna.

I was thinking the same thing. So I decided to consult the Grammy Awards. Not that they are definitive but I think they indicate popularity and quality of musical output. So here we go.

Total Number of Grammy Awards (2000 – 2006)
U2 – 15
Bruce Springsteen – 8
Coldplay – 4
Foo Fighters – 4
Green Day – 2
RHCP – 2
White Stripes – 2
Radiohead – 1
Pearl Jam – 0 (last award in 1995)
R.E.M. – 0 (last award in 1991)

Best Rock Album
2006 – RHCP – Stadium Arcadium
2005 – U2 – HTDAAB
2004 – Green Day – American Idiot
2003 – Foo Fighters – One By One
2002 – Bruce Springsteen – The Rising
2001 – U2 – ATYCLB
2000 – Foo Fighters – There Is Nothing Left To Lose

Best Alternative Album
2006 – Gnarls Barkley – St Elsewhere
2005 – White Stripes – Get Behind Me Satan
2004 – Wilco – A Ghost Is Born
2003 – White Stripes – Elephant
2002 – Coldplay – A Rush of Blood to the Head
2001 – Coldplay – Parachutes
2000 – Radiohead – Kid A

So based on total number of Grammy Awards, it’s U2 hands down. Interesting to note that Bruce Springsteen is 2nd (pretty surprising) but since we are talking about bands and not artists, I guess we can disregard (although 3/8 are for The Rising w/E Street). Coldplay and Foo Fighters tie for 3rd. For the record, Madonna has only 1 Grammy in this time period for 2006 Confessions on A Dance Floor.

The next question is who is the up and coming big band for the next 5 years? Coldplay? Foo Fighters? Does U2 hold on? I think the Brian Eno Coldplay album will determine it. This interference interview says Coldplay takes over as the 3rd big band (Beatles and U2 being the first 2) to complete the rock 'n roll cycle. The guy's ideas and web site are crazy as heck but interesting.

http://www.interference.com/stories/id174751.html

 

[annie_vox]

I think the only "big bands" on that pool are U2, Radiohead and The Chilli Peppers... The other ones it basically depends on wich side of the Atlantic you live (or other continents of course...)

I still voted for U2 because in terms of being "Big" there's no one like them right now... It's the band anyone knows (unfortunatelly most people only know the songs that pass on the radio...)

The other bands you listed... Let's see...

I don't know Pearl Jam that well but I like what I know maybe one day I'll "explore" them...

I like REM, but I only have a Best Of, I have to "explore" too...

About Muse, I have almost everything they ever made (except most singles cause there's no money for everything )and I became a fan around Origin era... They're getting bigger and bigger but they're not "there" yet.

Wilko and The Flaming Lips... I don't own anything by them... Shame on me, I know...

I like the White Stripes a lot too, I think they have a great sound, but they're too alternative... I don't even think they want to be a "big" band.

Arcade Fire is one of my favourite bands right now... I'm really looking forward to see them live, but they're not big, but I'll always see them as a indie rock band... And indies are not "big"

I don't like Coldplay at all...

I don't know much about Interpol... I have their album but I didn't listen to it yet. I listened to some songs, but I still have to hear the whole album... Big? No way...

 

[corianderstem]

you changed your signature

I'm on a Buffy kick. don't worry, I'm sure I'll go back to the mind-blowing one eventually.

 

[Canadiens1131]

For the average, off-the-street music listener, U2 is just about relegated to the "old man rock" category with the Stones at this point.

If I had to pick from the poll:
- RHCP
- Coldplay
- Muse (only in Europe, really)

I'd also add Green Day & The Killers.
Arcade Fire and the Flaming Lips are not "big" bands. For now, anyway.

And as far as counting Grammy Awards, all they indicate is which band the corporate music industry wants to laud this year, and in years past. They're very seldom a mark of anything more than superficiality, or a posthumous award for whoever famous died this year.

 

[pepokiss]

Re: Re: nobody reads this

I'm sorry but now you're just bordering on absurdity. All the acts you have listed minus U2 are not current in the least. A lot of acts rake in the cash on tours but that doesn't mean you're "big" or current.

what the hell is "current" to you?


U2 - came to Chile last year, finished the tour in Hawaii in December, and suposedly working on the next album

The Rolling Stones - came to Southamerica last year, played in Rio for 1.5 Million people, recently they expanded the tour

Madonna - 2006, released CotDF, had the Confessions tour, the biggest grosing tour for a woman EVER, had the controversy for the crucifixion

Roger Waters - since last year, toruing the world, playin The Dark side Of The Moon in it's entierly, played here in Chile on March 14th

Robbie Willimas - in 2005 released Advertising Space, launched the Close Encounters Tour, selling out Wembley stadium in 90 minutes for his 5 shows there, released Rudebox in 06 and came here to chile on October 10th with the Close Encounters tour


and that's not all about cash... but being BIG

THAT'S current...

 

[bayou12780]

For the average, off-the-street music listener, U2 is just about relegated to the "old man rock" category with the Stones at this point.

damn, I hate being old...

And as far as counting Grammy Awards, all they indicate is which band the corporate music industry wants to laud this year, and in years past. They're very seldom a mark of anything more than superficiality, or a posthumous award for whoever famous died this year.

I will remember this when Arcade Fire starts winning loads of Grammy Awards!

 

[Irishteen]

For the average, off-the-street music listener, U2 is just about relegated to the "old man rock" category with the Stones at this point.

If I had to pick from the poll:
- RHCP

Maybe between albums but when U2 release an album, they are a hell of a lot more current than the Stones

and let's not forget the RHCP are nearly as old as U2

 

[pepokiss]

Pearl Jam and REM are old, too

 

[Aygo]

Are you accusing me of that?

Because if so, I have some very harsh words for you as that's a completely baseless and untrue accusation. I mean, if it were true, why am I not bowing at the altar of Achtung Baby and ZooTV?

Hey, calm down, lad!
I'm not accusing you of anything. I'm just stating that is very common that it happens. People lose self-critic spirit and go after a group of voices, that's so commom (this Forum is a good example of that too).

 

[Canadiens1131]

damn, I hate being old...


I will remember this when Arcade Fire starts winning loads of Grammy Awards!

When they make the leap from Merge Records to one of the big record companies, I'm sure they'll rack up a few Grammys

 

[Lancemc]

Pearl Jam and REM are old, too

You have no idea what this conversation is about.

 

[Zoots]

For the folks of B&C

I think this may fit in here...

 

[Bono's shades]

I voted for Arcade Fire, even though I still think they are a cult band rather than a "big" band.

 

[Canadiens1131]

Re: For the folks of B&C

I think this may fit in here...

But can you use that to find the hypoteneuse of a triangle which has one vertex's adjoining segments intersecting the plane of a mobius curve?

 

[Zoots]

Re: Re: For the folks of B&C

But can you use that to find the hypoteneuse of a triangle which has one vertex's adjoining segments intersecting the plane of a mobius curve?

I don't know but I can do a standard deviation on the data or even a regression analysis I guess.

 

[Canadiens1131]

The correct answer was "the plane will NOT take off".

 

[Zoots]

*does a partial differential on Canadiens1160*

 

[angelordevil]

^ There's a designated area of the forum for that kind of talk, Zoots

 

[Zoots]

Out of Control?



Math game.

 

[STING2]

Tours are one thing but the fact that neither artist has released any albums that the average fan would know in the last 5-10 years makes it hard to say they are "big". I could be wrong but I think a lot of people who go to those shows probably don't have any of thier current work or go exclusively to hear thier past work.

Madonna's most recent album sold over 8 million copies worldwide and her tour was very successful, nearly as successful worldwide as Springsteens last tour, her combined strong current album sales plus concert tour sales make her the second biggest artist in the world behind U2.

The Stones latest album did under 3 million copies, but overall they are still the #1 or #2 touring artist worldwide which at a minimum puts them in the top 10 despite the lower album sales.

 

[STING2]

Re: nobody reads this

still, the biggest acts in the world right now are:


The Rolling Stones
U2
Madonna



we have yet to see about The Police Reunion Tour, the Genesis Reunion Mini-Tour, the impact that Muse's Wembley openers have, the ongoing Pink Floyd Reunion rumors

still... Roger Waters rocks...

and i think the 5th biggest musician in the world right now, is Robbie Williams

sure, not so much in the US, but go ahead and try to sell 5 (FIVE!!!) Wembley stadiums in 90 minutes.


so:

U2/Rolling Stones
Madonna
Roger Waters
Robbie Williams

then the rest...






so...

A Bigger Bang ?
Confessions from the Dance Floor?

does ANY ring a bell?


Streets of Love?
Hung Up?



where have you been living the past 10 years?

The Rolling Stones are definitely in the top 10 worldwide, but their lower album sales with "A Bigger Bang" selling less than 3 million keeps them below where U2 and Maddonna are at the top.

As for The Police and Genesis, I'm not sure you could compare them because they are going on tour without releasing any new material. You could attempt to compare their new tours to other tours obviously. There, The Police Reunion is projected to gross over $400 million dollars placing them 2nd only to the Stones current A Bigger Bang tour. Genesis on the other hand has struggled to fill arena's in the USA despite their being a limited number of shows, and nearly half their shows in Europe are in just one country, Germany.

 

[Zoots]

STING2 and his numbers