Did you honestly ever think it would get this good?

[Zoocoustic]

I'll admit it: When ATYCLB first came out, I loved the album, but I thought that U2 was pretty much done being a huge, popular rock group. Among other things, they were too old, and the whole Pop era just left a really nasty taste in too many people's mouths.

I remember a year ago at this time, I hadn't heard much of Beautiful Day on the radio at all. Stations were basically ignoring U2, and although the tour was coming up, I didn't think it was going to be that big of a deal to most people.

So what has happened since then: Well, BD goes 3 for 3 at the 2001 grammies, the album sells over 3.2 million in the US, the tour sells out nearly every show, the band picks up that MTV award, they play at virtually every major event they can (among which are SNL, NBA finals, Letterman, Leno, MTV awards), throw Elevation onto a major summer movie soundtrack, Walk On becomes basically the soundtrack to 9/11, they get slated to perform at the Super Bowl and invited to the Olympics, and now they pick up an AMAZING 8 Grammy nominations!

I will be the first to admit it: I NEVER thought it was going to go this far for U2 this time around. I figured the ZooTV era was their last time in the spotlight. I would have bet against any of you who said they would be where they are right now.

It's never felt so good to be so wrong...

 

[Bonochick]

I remember a lot of us questioning whether or not ATYCLB would even be remembered by the time the Grammies came around...this is so incredible! I am so damn proud of the band!

------------------
"I don't know you,
But you don't know the half of it..."

 

[mikal]

That U2 band is pretty cool.

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Look what you did, you little JERK!

Kevin! You're such a disease!

 

[Sicy]

U2 never ceases to amaze me.

I'm extremely proud to be a fan.

* five million thumbs up

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My Lair

 

[V Nura]

I think bottom line..people are desparate for an act with some talent

 

[spinninghead77]

U2 Rocks!! I have thought so for many years!! I am glad that other people (the olympics, nfl, nba, grammy people, leno, letterman) are realizing it too!! They are the greatest band in the world, and today, I am very, very PROUD to be a U2 fan!!

 

[tiny dancer]

Never in a million years would I of thought of U2 getting 8 noms. I thought maybe 2-4 at the least. I am very proud to be a U2 fan for over 17 years. I wish that I could thank the Band personally.

 

[U2junkie]

I'm not surprized at U2's achievements....AT ALL! Whenever I hear of a new album coming out with a new tour, I just "know" it's going to be great. The only reason POP wasn't such a great tour/album is they were too pressured to release it. They learned a fine lesson and won't make that mistake again. But even POP drew a good crowd despite that mistake. I'm just sitting back, waiting for the next one.........For I believe it will be just as great as this one! They haven't let me down yet; and it's been 15 years! So I have faith in them.

 

[Sperber]

When I heard the album the first time I knew this was an album I can grow old with. I felt so inside after hearing it, I didn?t gave a s&%$ if others like it. U2 had totally conquered my soul. I?m happy if that?s the fact with others but I if they sell "only" six million copies, so what?
They rule forever!

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beLIEve

 

[sharky]

like tiny dancer, I knew they would get nominated for a Grammys but 8!!! that's crazy! and three of their songs were nominated-- not just one dominant song like Beautiful Day last year. Four different Grammy nominee singles on one Grammy nominated album. Its nice to know that my fandom wasn't blinding me and I'm not the only one who thinks the album is amazing!

 

[Julyfly]

Ditto to U2Junkie's comments.... I had this gut feeling that this was going to be a special time for U2 & ATYCLB. Even when BD & Walk On weren't being played very much, I thought, "just give it time...people will catch on and extraordinary things will begin to happen" and then it did. I still think the best is yet to come.

 

[U2SJ]

This doesn't really surprise me, I too am SO proud to be a fan of the best band in the world for the past 15 years....
they deserve every bit of praise, and I am so happy right now I could do cartwheels around my living room, U2 ROCKS and I love them!!!
I am kinda shocked at 8, 8 can you believe this??? AWESOME!!!

GO U2 GO!!!

 

[SweetOnU2]

This is just awesome! I'm so happy and so damn proud to be a U2 Fan! YAY for U2 and YAY for us the fans!!

I Luv this band!

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"Rhythm is the sex of music" - Edge


(??.?(?*?.? ?.?*?)?.??)
?.???. *Monica*.???.?
(?.??(?.??* *??.?)??.)

 

[heinz]

Add to that list:

U2 will perform at the Grammys!!!!!

 

[theSoulfulMofo]

I don't think the band will ever end with a bad note, or have their fans unsated....

 

[elevatedmole]

I agree with absolutely everything said in this thread. I am so happy U2 is so successful, I am so happy that ATYCLB is almost surpassing The Joshua Tree, I am so happy just to have been to 8 U2 concerts! I LOVE this band.

And the most amazing this I find about this thread is the stuff about Beautiful Day. I'm 13, and I had no interest in pop music because all I ever heard was stupid Britney, stupid Backstreet Boys, and stupid NSync. So I didn't pay any attention to music videos. But then I finally got my curiousity piqued by MTV and VH1 in November 2000, I started watching and I remember seeing really crappy music on there, so I stopped watching for a while. Then I checked just every once in a while and then one day I flipped to MTV2 and there was a beautiful blue sky with clouds, being fast-forwarded, and a throbbing sound. I thought,"I have to watch this!" instantly. So I watched the Beautiful Day video for the first time -- and man, I just loved it! I loved it so much that I got my U2-loving mom All That You Can't Leave Behind for Christmas, and then we never listened to it. Then a while later, Walk On came out and I didn't like it at first, but then after a few more listens on VH1 I loved it! I loved the video, the song, everything. I also had started cheering for them when I saw their videos were doing well on the VH1 video charts. And I don't know -- I may not have gotten into them so quickly if I hadn't been so crazy about Beautiful Day.

Man, that was long. Eep -- sorry for such a long run-on post

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"Don't call me Shirley." - Larry

"I was drunk, high on him, a shrinking, shadowboxing dwarf following in his foosteps...badly...STARSTRUCK.." - Bono, on meeting Frank Sinatra for the first time

 

[Zoocifer]

Being a U2 fan of 6 years - it is funny to see fair-weather music fans jumping on the U2 bandwagon.

~z~

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" You love this town - even if that doesn't ring true. You've been all over, and it's been all over you " - Bono

" Don't you know there ain't no Devil, that's just God when he's drunk " - Tom Waits

 

[wannabe]

I remember telling my friend at the beginning of last school year how I wish just for a day I'd want to experience the U2 popularity of the Joshua Tree era.

I'd say, "Just to experience 87' and 88', wow!"

ATYCLB has been a blessing! Around summer of 01' it hit me that these were again the days of U2 topping the charts. I remember the chilling feeling of hearing the extra loud roar of the crowd when the first notes of Grammy-friendly Beautiful Day were being plucked. I remember looking around at the wide-eyed crowd thinking, "This is my band. This is OUR band!" I never thought it get this good. Thank God for the positively unpredictable stuff in life.

 

[ericb]

I never thought they would get as popular again as they have. I thought they would always be around, but that their best days were behind them. I remember being so confused by the Popmart era. It was just sooo, YUK! I wasn't really a fan yet. I only became a fan in 2000, but at the time,in 1997 when Discotheque came out I remember thinking "What the hell is going on with this band?". I like a lot of songs on Pop, but I think ATYCLB was so much better, and I liked the back to basics tour.

 

[oktobergirl]

I just loved ATYCLB when it came out. I just kept playing BD, Elevation and Kite and Walk On over and over in amazement.

I didn't know it would make such a huge impact, that it would become such a big hit. did any of us ? They deserve all 8 of those awards and I'm sure they will get a few of them at least.

 

[Bacchus]

am i the only one that never lost his faith??? did anyone else site "kite" as a major hit before they even heard it?? u2 not only met my expectations, and they were pretty high up there, let me tell you, they surpassed it with absolute arogance only becoming of a true irish man!!!! beautiful soul muzak at the 11th hour i tells ya.. yet still, slightly touched, as i laid down on my bed last night, punching numbers through my stereo, what did i hear, ishfwilf played once, SBS playes three times, one one and a half, and i think i caught a hint of i will follow you's final strings on fM no less!!! simply breathless... here's to 2002 u2

 

[Bacchus]

Originally posted by Bacchus:
... here's to 2002 u2

oh, btw, PoP tastes great, less filling!!!

 

[U2girl]

Hmmm...i loved the album immediately and i did think it would be a commercial success.

But i didn't expect all these awards and this much praise for the tour.

2001 has truly been an amazing year for U2, and i'm proud of them.

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be uncool, yes be awkward