Every U2 song sounds the same

[Lucy Honeychurch]

... this is what someone just told me! I personally can't think of a more diverse band than U2... what are some songs that show just how much diversity they have so I can prove this foolish person wrong?

 

[Saracene]

Umm... Make the above-mentioned person listen to "Numb" followed by "I Will Follow" followed by "Miss Sarajevo" followed by "The Fly".

 

[Popmartijn]

Hello,

I always liked the sig brettig has. Hopefully brettig doesn't mind that I'm quoting it here:

Structure of a U2 song:

Verse, Chorus, verse, chorus, guitar, verse, chorus, guitar, make the crowd sing along to chorus, slow it down, break into Lou Reed number, song ends

C ya!

Marty

 

[Elvis Presley]

... this is what someone just told me! I personally can't think of a more diverse band than U2... what are some songs that show just how much diversity they have so I can prove this foolish person wrong?

Interesting choice for your first post on a U2 board......

 

[Stories for Boys]

gloria
lemon
stuck in a moment
mofo
heartland

take any 2 songs off any 2 albums and you've got massive diversity...it's not hard to do...

 

[DiscoJokeX]

Show him:
1. I Will Follow
2. Discotheque
3. One
4. The Fly
5. Numb
6. Daddy's Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car
7. Hold me, Thrill me, Kiss me, Kill me

 

[IWasBored]

i'm just wondering what songs they heard and were basing this comment on. my sister says that all their stuff sounds the same, but that's just cos she knows it makes me mad...

 

[Ultravioletbabe]

I have ppl do that to me too Iwasboard. Lucy don't waste your time trying to tell them, if they're that dumb they're too far gone and they are not going to sit down and listen to any songs anyway.

 

[typhoon]

I think they're right. I mean, some days I can barely tell "Grace" and "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" apart...

 

[adamswildhoney]

Interesting choice for your first post on a U2 board......

I was thinking the same thing.


Anywhoo dont try to convince them bc if they cant already see or hear it then they dont want to.

 

[oliveu2cm]

Don't convert any more people!

there are not enough tickets for shows as it is!

 

[*BOOMCHAA!*]

what olive said

 

[The_acrobat]

Maybe they just know the ATYCLB tracks. I can see why someone would think they sound similar. I agree that there isn't much real difference to the untrained ear between BD, Stuck and Walk on.

 

[BAW]

Maybe this person is confusing that fact that U2 has a recognizable sound with the belief that all of their songs sound the same. I find this is a mistake alot of non-fans and even casual fans have made until they actually take the time to listen to more than 2 or 3 songs.

 

[wertsie]

I have never heard a more ridiculous statement in my life! I mean, just when my friends think they know U2, I'll pop in Boy or October and they'll

 

[daisybean]

If you are unfamiliar with a group or genre of music, all the songs will sound similiar, until you get to know the songs better.

To me all rap sounds the same, simply because I rarely listen to it...but to a rap fan, the songs are going to be different.

I guess the only thing I can say, is that if you're friend is willing to take the time and listen to the songs and absorb them, they will see that they don't all sound alike. If they don't, then oh well

 

[david]

Party Girl
October
New Years Day
Unforgettable Fire
Running To Stand Still
Desire
God Part II
The Fly
Mysterious Ways

and the list goes on.

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

yeah, when you listen to any album the songs can kind of mesh together in some way.

 

[wertsie]

yeah, when you listen to any album the songs can kind of mesh together in some way.

But if you play, say, Stories For Boys and then Mofo and tell me they sound the same, you gotta be on crack or something!

 

[Scarletwine]

The band has said they purposely link the song on an albumn to a certain feel. If your friends have listened to only one albumn at a time it would be easy to seem so, even though the tempos are quite different.

 

[Liesje]

Bah! My dad says the same thing, I just say, hey, even if they really did all sound the same, who cares? b/c I LIKE IT!!!!! why would I want it to be different?

 

[DebbieSG]

it's a sign of age, and generally being out of it

yes, this starter is very suspicious

 

[MBH]

... this is what someone just told me! I personally can't think of a more diverse band than U2... what are some songs that show just how much diversity they have so I can prove this foolish person wrong?

I am an avid U2 fan but must admit that much of their music certainly does sound similar to one another.

Now this can be qualified as a distinct sound which is why they have thrived for such a long time.

Achtung Baby is the greatest example of U2's diversity. That album displayed a great change and talent as they did something that nearly every other band before them (except the Beatles) has tried to do but failed: change their sound (and image) while on top and remain on top of their game both critically and commercially. In fact, that may be the most impressive fact about U2.

U2 has a formulatic (fictional word) sound to them: song starts off slow, gains momentum, rising guitars and then hits a high note creating emotional bliss(i.e. WTSHNN, BD, ES, BAD). It is possibly the main reason why they are so beloved. It also gives some creedance to what your friend/acquaintance said (about sounding the same).

If you want to show U2's diversity to this person (although, I wouldn't waste my time), have them listen to something from the mid-80's then throw on something from the 90's like POP. It sounds like 2 different bands altogether.

As for your statement about not being able to think of more diverse-sounding bands. Here are a few examples: The Beatle, Rush & Pearl Jam.

 

[MBH]

... this is what someone just told me! I personally can't think of a more diverse band than U2... what are some songs that show just how much diversity they have so I can prove this foolish person wrong?

I am an avid U2 fan but must admit that much of their music certainly does sound similar to one another.

Now this can be qualified as a distinct sound which is why they have thrived for such a long time.

Achtung Baby is the greatest example of U2's diversity. That album displayed a great change and talent as they did something that nearly every other band before them (except the Beatles) has tried to do but failed: change their sound (and image) while on top and remain on top of their game both critically and commercially. In fact, that may be the most impressive fact about U2.

U2 has a formulatic (fictional word) sound to them: song starts off slow, gains momentum, rising guitars and then hits a high note creating emotional bliss(i.e. WTSHNN, BD, ES, BAD). It is possibly the main reason why they are so beloved. It also gives some creedance to what your friend/acquaintance said (about sounding the same).

If you want to show U2's diversity to this person (although, I wouldn't waste my time), have them listen to something from the mid-80's then throw on something from the 90's like POP. It sounds like 2 different bands altogether.

As for your statement about not being able to think of more diverse-sounding bands. Here are a few examples: The Beatles, Rush & Pearl Jam.

 

[gherman]

The thing that I can see is that U2's greatest songs that you still hear on the radio do have the same structural components.

Songs still heard are: One, New Years Day, Pride, Streets, WOWOY, Beautiful Day ect.

They all have a build up to a booming chorus and if you have only experienced U2 on the radio then they would all sound the same.

How often have you heard Lemon or MOFO on the radio today?

 

[Giant Lemon]

I've had people make that comment to me too, but it's just because all they know is Pride, Streets, ISHFWILF, WOWY, One, Beautiful Day, Stuck, etc. Those songs are kinda similar. If you play songs from all their albums they'll realize that the songs are pretty diverse.

 

[IWasBored]

it's just poeple with no ears, who hear WOWY, ISHFWILF and WTSHNN and think "ah that ringing melody sound isn't sounding like any guitar i've ever heard, so u2 must be one of those stupid 80s synthisizer bands"...and then realise years later that it's a GUITAR and that's the same guitarist that's on achtung baby and every other album..,at one point, i thought that. but there's enough diversity on the joshua tree album alone to get rid of that idea...


i don't see how beautiful day and stuck sound alike at all

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

it's funny i was just thinking today how much lemon sounds like the sweetest thing

 

[sharry_lt]

my sister also always says u2 are boring...actually, there are many people who tell me u2 are boring...then i don't argue, 'cause there are many kinds of music and many tastes...and i can't argue with others...U2 is just the music i like, and if they don't like it, it's their problem.that's that!

 

[BrownEyedBoy]

play anything from zoorpa.
then play anything else...thatll do the trick