"also one of the most despised..."

[AtomicBono]

And AtomicBono, I was serious on both counts. I didn't have a clue what 'Indie' was, and thanks to maycocksean for pointing it out instead of asking if I was serious or not. My friends also do not know about U2-post 2000, they would know only Pride and ISHFWILF on the radio but wouldn't have a clue who tha band is. But do you know what? I don't care about them because they aren't into U2 so it doesn't matter if they don't know U2 exists pre-2000. Maybe that's a good thing to, because then they won't abuse them of copying the '80s.

it wasn't me that asked if you were serious, but yeah, I'd say most people I know are the same way. They know U2 is "old" yet they don't know anything before Beautiful Day. Most of the people at my school act as if Vertigo was the only song U2 ever did My best friend actually met someone who was convinced U2 was a new band because Vertigo was on one of those Now CDs, and apparently you have to be a new band to be on a Now CD, since it's called Now and Now and new are the same thing...?

Like I said before though, very few people at my school listen to rock music at all. Not only is my school mostly black (about 80%), but the fact is, hip hop is the new rock. It is the new music of rebellion for the youth and it's what dominates the charts and the radio and MTV. Yes, there's still rock and of course pop, but hip hop is so huge right now. So it's not surprising really that most of the younger generation knows little of U2.

 

[the tourist]

My best friend actually met someone who was convinced U2 was a new band because Vertigo was on one of those Now CDs, and apparently you have to be a new band to be on a Now CD, since it's called Now and Now and new are the same thing...?

Now that's funny, since The Sweetest Thing was on one of the Now cd's.

 

[maycocksean]

the fact is, hip hop is the new rock. It is the new music of rebellion for the youth and it's what dominates the charts and the radio and MTV. Yes, there's still rock and of course pop, but hip hop is so huge right now. So it's not surprising really that most of the younger generation knows little of U2.

True dat.

Hip hop has the edge, the anger, the danger that rock today no longer has. And it makes the "old people" mad, which is a key requirement. Nothing lamer than loving music that your parents think is "really cool" too.

 

[DreamOutLoud13]

You know, I think MTV takes a lot of the blame for "today's teens" not knowing as much about music as their older brothers and sisters did. I watched MTV throughout the nineties, when I was a teenager, and I very much noticed a huge change in their programing around 1998 or so. Sure, the channel was not great before that, but they did play a lot more music, a greater variety of music, and every couple of months or so did countdowns like "best 25 videos of the 80's", "Top 500 videos of all time" or even played a chunk of videos by one artist, like they did when U2 released POP. Many of the shows MTV played tried to connect to music--as late as 97 new videos by Bjork, Radiohead, and more alternative bands could be seen on MTV Live or "12 Angry Vewiers".

Once TRL/Teen Pop came upon us and reality shows took over most all MTV programming and most of the good stuff was sent over to MTV 2 (which a lot of cable stations didn't serve and which a lot of teenagers didn't watch.) For these reasons I'm not surprised that a kid born in 1990 knows a hell of a lot less about music than a kid born in 1980. Plus, it doesn't help that so many radio stations have been sold to giant companies, thus giving DJ's (if they are even still local) small, top 40 setlists from which there can be no deviation.

I just did a little experiement, I went through the full MTV program listing for tomorrow, midnight-to-midnight, and these are the statistics:

13.5 hours of reality programming
7 hours of music videos
2 hours of other music related programming (such as Making the Video)
1.5 hours of comedy programming

Almost twice as much reality as music videos. Also, 5 of the 7 hours of videos are from 3 AM to 8 AM (CST), when most people are in bed. The only music videos shown during decent hours are 1 hour of TRL from 2:30 to 3:30 PM, and 1 hour of Sucker Free Countdown from 6 PM to 7 PM.

If this is an average weekday for MTV, then that's quite a sad state of affairs.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Just something that shocked me the other day - I hired the Guiness Rockopedia from my school library the other day. Naturally, I flipped to the U2 page, and was taken aback to read this following statement.

"One of the most perplexing, iconoclastic and biggest bands on the earth, U2 are also one of the most despised. Detractors cite pomposity, pretension, earnestness and egotism; the flag-waving bluster of their 80s peak; the studied ironic posturing of their 90s guise; their terminally uncool Christianity; the bigness of it all.

What the hell? Since when were they one of the most despised bands? I went on to read the rest of the article, and was left very confused as to which way the writer felt - were U2 good or bad? Has anyone else read it? Under 'What' in their profile, they are listed as 'Planet-sized PopMartys, while the Stones are the greatest rock 'n' roll band in the world, and the Beatles are the most influential pop group in history. My friend the other day called them 'pussy'. The only song he knows is Vertigo.

And so what if they are Christians? I have a short story to tell. My cousin is in a band named Alibi. When they were going for a record label they were told that they would have to replace members, battle with drug addicitions and leave their religous beliefs behind. They told the producer to stuff it, that they were not going away from their beliefs and going to become potheads in the name of a record deal and I was just so inspired by that.

My main question here is is the reason U2 are despised because they don't fit the 'rock 'n' roll image' of drugs, sex, violence, drugs, alcohol and drugs?

they're very dead on... most people who are music fans either love u2 or hate them, and it's mostly because of bono. i usually just ignore such people.

 

[cobl04]

it wasn't me that asked if you were serious, but yeah, I'd say most people I know are the same way. They know U2 is "old" yet they don't know anything before Beautiful Day. Most of the people at my school act as if Vertigo was the only song U2 ever did My best friend actually met someone who was convinced U2 was a new band because Vertigo was on one of those Now CDs, and apparently you have to be a new band to be on a Now CD, since it's called Now and Now and new are the same thing...?

Like I said before though, very few people at my school listen to rock music at all. Not only is my school mostly black (about 80%), but the fact is, hip hop is the new rock. It is the new music of rebellion for the youth and it's what dominates the charts and the radio and MTV. Yes, there's still rock and of course pop, but hip hop is so huge right now. So it's not surprising really that most of the younger generation knows little of U2.

I'm very sorry about that, and I'll take more care to look at the names in future. As I said before, one of my friends called U2 'pussy' and yet the other day I was writing out the lyrics to The Fly in Italian cos I was really bored. And he said, 'who's that by' and I said 'U2, but you don't like them do you?' And he said, 'I only know Vertigo'. And he just annoyed me because he said U2 are pussy when he only knows Vertigo, not even Beautiful Day.

And what you said about hip-hop is true. I'm assuming that you come from the US, AtomicBono, and I know for a fact that the US music is practically dominated by hip-hop. As a result, us Aussies get the backlash from it. But I am a big fan of hip-hop, but older stuff like 2pac and NWA.

What is this reality TV on MTV? I thought it was a music station? I don't know cos I don't have Foxtel or anything like that so I grew up on Rage and Video Hits.

 

[phillyfan26]

I'm very sorry about that, and I'll take more care to look at the names in future. As I said before, one of my friends called U2 'pussy' and yet the other day I was writing out the lyrics to The Fly in Italian cos I was really bored. And he said, 'who's that by' and I said 'U2, but you don't like them do you?' And he said, 'I only know Vertigo'. And he just annoyed me because he said U2 are pussy when he only knows Vertigo, not even Beautiful Day.

And what you said about hip-hop is true. I'm assuming that you come from the US, AtomicBono, and I know for a fact that the US music is practically dominated by hip-hop. As a result, us Aussies get the backlash from it. But I am a big fan of hip-hop, but older stuff like 2pac and NWA.

What is this reality TV on MTV? I thought it was a music station? I don't know cos I don't have Foxtel or anything like that so I grew up on Rage and Video Hits.

And I for one hate it. I'm a teen and I can't stand it because it isn't music. It's some guy talking over a beat. How's that music?

I give our generation a little credit: There are plenty who are familiar with rock. However, this does not mean U2. I can tell you Led Zeppelin, Hendrix, etc. are well known. I can tell you they are popular. While hip-hop is too common (i.e.: it exists), there is plenty of rock.

Unfortunately, most people view U2 as being more adult contemporary at this point. A buddy of mine who is known for his wide knowledge of music called them adult contemporary when I brought them up.

 

[AtomicBono]

I'm very sorry about that, and I'll take more care to look at the names in future. As I said before, one of my friends called U2 'pussy' and yet the other day I was writing out the lyrics to The Fly in Italian cos I was really bored. And he said, 'who's that by' and I said 'U2, but you don't like them do you?' And he said, 'I only know Vertigo'. And he just annoyed me because he said U2 are pussy when he only knows Vertigo, not even Beautiful Day.

And what you said about hip-hop is true. I'm assuming that you come from the US, AtomicBono, and I know for a fact that the US music is practically dominated by hip-hop. As a result, us Aussies get the backlash from it. But I am a big fan of hip-hop, but older stuff like 2pac and NWA.

What is this reality TV on MTV? I thought it was a music station? I don't know cos I don't have Foxtel or anything like that so I grew up on Rage and Video Hits.

It's cool. Yeah, people at my school love to diss U2, mostly because they know how much I love them they all make fun of Vertigo... "yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah"... it was funny at first but now it's getting old. I mean, it's one part of the song, and it's not the only song U2 ever did. The thing is, I remember a lot of people really liked the song when it first came out. I guess they just got tired of it. There are some cool people though, like I know someone that loves the song Sometimes, and someone else who loves Still Haven't Found, and someone else who has the Slane DVD. And these aren't even my close friends, just acquaintences. My close friends I've all semi-converted

Yes, I'm from the US. We are 0wnz0r3d by the hippity hopz. My main issue with it is most rap on the radio sucks (Bubba Sparks, I'm talking to you). But this is true of pretty much any genre. Still, I think radio used to be much more diverse. Maybe this is my idealized view, but I feel like in the 90's there was a lot more good music on the radio, and more variety. Then somewhere in the mid to late 90's boybands and Britney Spears and all them came in and dominated radio and it's been shitty and repetitive ever since. That was also around when TRL started on MTV I think, or when it got really popular at least. And then all the reality shows started taking over as well. Yes, MTV used to be Music Television, but it's not really anymore. A lot of the reality shows don't even have anything to do with music.

It's not all bad though. Radio and MTV have gone to shit, but that's where your internet and satellite television come in. ZooTV really did paint the future quite well. Media overload.

 

[cobl04]

and someone else who has the Slane DVD. And these aren't even my close friends, just acquaintences. My close friends I've all semi-converted

ONE of my friends owns Slane AND loves U2. A very, very rare find indeed. Problem is he isn't a fanatic...yet. There's also a girl in my class, my friends' gf actually, who got seats in the idiot box to the Melbourne show. I was so jealous.

And I for one hate it. I'm a teen and I can't stand it because it isn't music. It's some guy talking over a beat. How's that music?

That said, there is a LOT of really, really crappy music out there. Seriously, about two years ago I would look at the top 20 and see about 13 or 14 songs I'd really like. Now there is only one decent song: Dani California. Music is in a sad state.

 

[Ellay]

And I for one hate it. I'm a teen and I can't stand it because it isn't music. It's some guy talking over a beat. How's that music?

Well U2 managed to open their entire ZOO TV tour with Television-the drug of a nation, by the disposable heroes of hiphopracy, so it must have something going for it.