A question about american U2 singles

[ONElife]

As far as I know there were American singles released for AB and Pop. One really easy way to know if your singles are American or imported is to look at the jewel case. If it is really thin (just thick enough for the the cd) then it is almost definitely Imported. If it is the thickness of a regular cd case, then it is probably American (isnt it just like us to waste plastic like that?). All of the cd singles I have that predate AB are the slim cases and imports; I am not sure if they ever released those in America. Zooropa, as far as I know, never had American singles, the ones I have are all imported. The only single for Passengers was never released in the U.S. I hope that helps.

 

[kobayashi]

Originally posted by ONElife:
Zooropa, as far as I know, never had American singles, the ones I have are all imported.

wasn't the stay single with stay, sinatra duet, bad yard edit of lemon, love is blindness and btbs live an american version?
or maybe it was canadian, i dunno. i know there is a version of stay that is rare. is it this one?

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silver
shiny

 

[sharky]

based on the slim case test, the Stay single was not imported but rather a US single.

As for the singles issue, I don't think its just a U2 thing. I read something recently that record companies are cutting out CD singles because they want to force the consumers to buy the entire album, not just one single. Of course, this will cause the extinction of the beloved B-sides but who cares when you can make more money?

 

[ONElife]

I only have one half of the two single set. I have the swing format, still trying to find the live format. Anyway, the one I have is imported, I have never seen an American version of it. That's not to say that it isnt out there, but I have never seen it and I am always on the lookout for U2 singles.

 

[MacFly2]

Yup. The Stay single with live versions of BTBS and Love is Blindness was the U.S. single. I bought it back in 1993, I have yet to see that single in stores since then. So its not an easy single to find.

 

[follower]

Thank you all. Just got home and checked my POP singles. Please and IGWSHA are americans indeed. The jewel cases are tick as regular CDs and the others are slim...and they are brit/aussies, so I have a proof of ONElife?s theory, LOL

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"To me a rock and roll concert is 3-D, it?s a physical thing - it?s rhythm for the body. It?s a mental thing in that it should be intellectually challenging. But it?s also a spiritual thing, because it?s a community, it?s people agreeing on something, even if it?s only for an hour and a half." (Bono, as quoted in the book U2 The Road to Pop)

 

[womanfish]

Yes the Stay single was a U.S. single, but not others were released off Zooropa to stores.
They did release U.S. singles for all of the singles off POP. In fact Discotheque actually went Gold and is one of U2's highest selling singles.

As for strategy and promotion, They did not release singles in the U.S. for ATYCLB. It has become fairly common here. Single sales are usually quite low, so they go for the radio play to get people interested in the album. If they can't go out and buy just one song they like they are more likely to buy the entire album, especially if they hear a few songs they like on the radio.

 

[follower]

Thanks womanfish. Somebody asked about the lack of american singles for ATYCLB in a local list. I thought that I would get the answer here.

 

[follower]

Hello again fellows. I would like to know something about the release of U2 singles in US. It's a very simple question indeed. so please enlighten me...the Interscope decision of not releasing singles in US happened only with ATYCLB? I mean, is that a new strategy or it happened before? I have some Pop singles but I'm not sure if they are brit or american ones...have to check them, but I can't right now, so I decided to ask you. Thanks in advance.

 

[WHYWHY]

For Zooropa, Lemon was released to radio and got to No. 1 on the dance charts....U2's first of two songs to top the dance charts in America.
Anyway, singles are really just promotion, so I reckon for a couple of the singles, U2 could've released them so people could buy them. Beautiful Day would've easily made the Top 10....and Stuck in a Moment, depending if it wins anyway awards (particularly SONG OF THE YEAR), and receives an increase in airplay, that could do some serious damage to the Hot 100 charts.
Anyway, probably just wishful thinking that Stuck in a Moment is resurected from No. 81.......but still.....

Bless ya!
WHYWHY