Is the Best of 1990-2000 a bad idea

[The_acrobat]

I really don't think the band is all that excited about it. Bono wouldn't even talk about it in the "Q" interview, b/c he was so excited about the future, he didn't want to talk about the past. Larry and Edge didn't seem too happy about it either. Edge doesn't even like some of the songs on it, Larry doesn't even listen to Zooropa, and neither one of them had anything good to say about POP. It doesn't sound like they're too keen about their 90's output.

I don't think it is going to pan out to the public as well either. This album will be lucky if it makes the top 5. You've got Justin Timberlake, Nirvana, Eminem, Christina, Nick Carter and Dave Matthews Band releasing albums the same day. Tough competition, and honestly, I don't U2 will win. Of the 17 songs on this compilation, "One", "Mysterious ways", "Beautiful Day", "Stuck in a moment" and "Electrical storm" are the only songs that get played on the radio anymore. This won't do nearly as well as the Best of 1980-1990. And when it doesn't, ppl will say things like "U2s Best of album a flop." As we all learned in 1997, one headline like that will lead to thousands of headlines like that. And people believe the headlines, and will be skeptical of U2 when their next album comes out next year.

I think they should've just finished up thier album and brought it out next summer, without this "Best of" thing. "Electrical storm" and "Hands that built America" are good songs, and they should've been put on the next album. Now, they're just lost in the shuffle of past hits. "Electrical storm" would've been better to be the first single of a full new album. Now, b/c U2 are just releasing a greatest hits, interest in the single hasn't met their standards. If ES was promoting a new album, I'm sure it'd be doing better. ES will never stand this "test of time" everyone talks about, and we'll be lucky to ever hear it live.

Even still, I'll be there on November 5th to buy it, and it'll be in my CD player for weeks!

 

[little boy blue]

Hmmm, very interesting. I doubt that they are not inspired by their 90's work though.

I really think I would rather have had a new album out before the 'best of' though, especially the way they are making it sound as a garage band treatment or whatever.

As far as Electrical Storm being the lead single, well perhaps but not if there are some harder material waiting in the wings. Wasn't 'the fly' lead single from Achtung Baby? That sure as hell got everyone's attention, great new sound and killer Edge-noise.

Yes to your idea, but no to the reasons why.

And either way, I too will be there to buy whatever the heck they put out.

 

[BVS]

First of all they're contractally bound to do a greatest hits. I'm not sure about the timing, but it will do fine. Will it do as well as the first one? No, but the first covered more material and it covered a decade where we switched from cassette to CD, alot of non-die hards didn't go back and replace their cassettes with CD but bought a 'best of' instead.

Artist are their own worst critics. I remember interviews when the first 'best of' came out, and it was the same thing. Their were songs they were a little less enthused about than others. U2 will always have their classics, but they've never been a band that celebrated their past too much, they are always looking forward.

As far as ES is concerned; I've heard a lot of positive feed back. It's not getting tons of radio play here, but that's because their really isn't any market here for them. We have one rock station that plays 'modern music' and all they play is Our Lady Peace, The White Stripes, and Default over and over and over. But I've seen it a lot on MTV and MTV2, and I have friends who aren't even U2 fans saying they like this song.

I don't think anyone should worry about this. Who cares it's a 'best of'. Most bands can't even pull off doing a 'best of' while they are still viable, and U2's about to do their second.

 

[david]

I don't think they care if it does well or not. They're looking at is a contractual obligation. I bet the only way they could actually be enthused by putting this out, was by remixing some songs and adding the new songs to it. Besides, the respective albums that these songs are pulled from did well back in their day anyway. U2 are more into attracting new fans through their new music, and if they do attract new fans with this album, it's all good.

 

[Achtung Zooropa]

As has been mentioned before, it is a contractural obligation that they release 3 best of compilations. this being the second and logical successor to 1980-1990. While the members of U2 may have mixed feelings about their material during the 90's, it is important to note that they spent the whole decade experimenting with different sounds, styles, and techniques. They incorporated dance, irony, new producers, and new ways to spike their creative juices. Obviously not everything you come up with when you experiment will turn out to be great. Larry doesn't like Zooropa and Passengers, none of them are fond of POP that much, but I do think they are proud of their accomplishments and the fact that they can say they've done it all pretty much. What U2 is doing with this Best Of is making the most out of the situation. By rerecording 4 songs and writing 2 more they can get out some stuff they've been working on to appease hardcore fans and new fans alike. I think it is a good time to release this after their triumph of the radiowaves and the grammies. New fans will have something to buy that will touch all the things they did during the 90's without buying all the albums. We has hardcore fans may not be too thrilled, but that is what the b-sides and dvd is for. I think Electrical Storm will be the only single that comes from this Best Of, just like The Sweetest Thing was the only single to come from the 1980-1990. I think this will segue nicely into a new album next summer.

 

[Hawkmoon1021]

I think it's a good idea. It's a chance to reintroduce some of the 90's stuff to people who may not have heard a lot of it before. Plus the B-sides disc (although not enough B-sides IMO), and the new tunes of course.

 

[madonna's child]

<--I can never fit the lemon into my posts

I don't think they were very excited about the Best of 1980-1990. I can imagine it's annoying to talk about the past. Who wants to do that, really?