Is U2 in trouble of losing the tittle of worlds...

[OffAxis]

Does U2 really the "tittle" of the worlds?

 

[U2Fan101]

I find the "quaking" about Coldplay being the biggest band in the world (when many would argue they already were prior to either of the new albums by U2 or Coldplay) interesting. Unheard of in my time here at interference.

I find most of the comments completely biased towards U2, with an emphasis on pointing out what Coldplay lacks rather than hoping that there is another great album to listen to this year.

Both bands are media juggernauts, and to deny that it is a PR move for both bands to lay claim to the biggest band in the world title is shortsighted in my opinion.

They both want to sell a lot of their albums and be very popular, and leave a great legacy.

The line that I find the most interesting was the review that stated X&Y (I paraphrase) is the blockbuster album that HTDAAB was supposed to be.

Why is everyone tearing down another world class band, for the sake of U2? Why can't we have multiple great bands that we can enjoy(or hell, not enjoy if that's the case too)? I hear many people on this board bitch daily about the state of music and how horrible it is, and here is Coldplay poised to give us what promises to at least be an interesting album...and all many of you can do is tear them down for rivaling U2 as the biggest band in the world. The same thing happened when Green Day was competing with U2 for some grammy nods...that album is brilliant (the best American album in years in my estimation) and all many did was tear it down, tear it down...instead of enjoying it for what it was and not hating it for being a perceived (and poorly so) threat to U2's self/media made throne.

Is U2 being the biggest, baddest, and most famously exposed so great? Do your friends compliment you daily on your wonderful foresight and good luck for betting on the winning horse that is U2? I find that U2 being what they are now is a bit annoying Tickets are harder to get, most of my interaction with non-U2 fans is defensive now, constant scrutiny by everyone in the media...I could use a little less mass media in my U2 these days. I liked the idea of the Ipod commercial, loved the actual video, even yearn for one of my own...but I hate defending that damn song and ad. I liked the underdog feeling of U2 when they were fighting for their audience during Popmart and rejoicing with them during Elevation. I choose to celebrate the fact that there is a growing trend in my favorite genre of music towards quality once again and not a moment too soon. I embrace all good music, regardless of the self titled, media titled or untitled. I haven't heard the rest of Coldplay's album, but I don't want to lose out on enjoying it because I am scared or pissed off about Chris Martin and his Bono-sized ego.

Nomination for post of the year!

Why do people care so much if U2 isn't the best band in the world? Who really cares? Who cares if Coldplay knocks them off? Better than Coldplay and not some boyband. I agree with cmb - why can't there be multiple world class bands? I personally think Peter Gabriel is the best singer-songwriter in the world, but if more people think it's the Boss, than so be it. I also think Beck fairs will in best solo artist. There can and will always be more than 1. Some people are just so obsessed with U2, that if it's not U2, than it sucks compared to them. U2 isn't the end-all be-all of music. And frankly, in a musical sense, their chord progressions and orchestration they use in their music isn't that progressive or great compared to other artists, I just like what U2 does the most

 

[Lemonfix]

Nomination for post of the year!

Yeah I agree

On a somewhat unrelated note, I saw the Speed of Sound video the other day. I'm glad to know that the old popmart screen has found something to do in its retirement

Sorry, couldn't resist

 

[cmb737]

I think almost every band will say their current album is the best, no matter how much it actually blows (see Oasis and the Standing on the Shoulder of Giants album).

Bomb is their best since Achtung, though.

I agree and disagree with you in the same 6 seconds to read your post.

HTDAAB is certainly their best (my wife hits me while I write this, saying Pop! Pop!) since Achtung Baby.

I quite like, however, Standing on the Shoulder of Giants. I am most certainly the only American that does, and perhaps the only one on the continent. Let me tell you why...and I think this relates to why I can tolerate Coldplay more than many that have expressed otherwise on here:

U2 is the ONLY band that I follow as closely as I do. I am most certainly in the category described earlier as not knowing the guitar player's name in Coldplay. I don't really know crap about Billie Joe Armstrong. I couldn't tell you what high school Tim Rice-Oxley of Keane went to. The constant fued between the Gallagher brothers and what seems to be every member of the G8 and their population is lost on me. I don't read Rolling Stone (anymore) and I don't watch VH1. I do use Itunes to find new music, and their is lots that is great out there. I enjoy the music of it...not the universe of it. For some reason I am able to find the pH balance of Larry Mullen's pool interesting, but couldn't care less about many details of other bands. I don't really know why the Smashing Pumpkins broke up, or perhaps I can't remember. I don't know what Lane Staley overdosed on. I can't tell you the exact hour John Lennon was shot.

THE MUSIC IS THE MESSAGE, judge that. One of the things that being U2 fans has made us is overanalytical of everything else because U2 is so much bigger than life. Hardly anything they do is unnoticed, unprinted, unphotographed, unrecorded.

It's all good, and it's ok to like more than one band. You can't help what vibrations move you. Unless, of course, it is Kelly Clarkson.

 

[bombergirl1978]

I love all 3 of Coldplays albums, and while a couple of their songs really get to your heart, they still don't reach the spirituality and heart that U2 has. U2 isn't the greatest band in the world because they sell alot of albums. they're the greatest band in the world because of how their music reaches people, and how they connect with their audience. Coldplay may sell alot of albums, but they have a ways to go before they reach U2's level. And, like I said, I love Coldplay. Its kinda the same for Oasis.

 

[Zooropa man]

I love all 3 of Coldplays albums, and while a couple of their songs really get to your heart, they still don't reach the spirituality and heart that U2 has. U2 isn't the greatest band in the world because they sell alot of albums. they're the greatest band in the world because of how their music reaches people, and how they connect with their audience. Coldplay may sell alot of albums, but they have a ways to go before they reach U2's level. And, like I said, I love Coldplay. Its kinda the same for Oasis.

Feeling is mutual. Well said.

 

[GibsonGirl]

Oh FFS, people!

Here:

http://forum.interference.com/t129502.html

Here:

http://forum.interference.com/t127138.html

And here!:

http://forum.interference.com/t129336.html

 

[walkon11]

I agree and disagree with you in the same 6 seconds to read your post.

HTDAAB is certainly their best (my wife hits me while I write this, saying Pop! Pop!) since Achtung Baby.

I quite like, however, Standing on the Shoulder of Giants. I am most certainly the only American that does, and perhaps the only one on the continent. Let me tell you why...and I think this relates to why I can tolerate Coldplay more than many that have expressed otherwise on here:

U2 is the ONLY band that I follow as closely as I do. I am most certainly in the category described earlier as not knowing the guitar player's name in Coldplay. I don't really know crap about Billie Joe Armstrong. I couldn't tell you what high school Tim Rice-Oxley of Keane went to. The constant fued between the Gallagher brothers and what seems to be every member of the G8 and their population is lost on me. I don't read Rolling Stone (anymore) and I don't watch VH1. I do use Itunes to find new music, and their is lots that is great out there. I enjoy the music of it...not the universe of it. For some reason I am able to find the pH balance of Larry Mullen's pool interesting, but couldn't care less about many details of other bands. I don't really know why the Smashing Pumpkins broke up, or perhaps I can't remember. I don't know what Lane Staley overdosed on. I can't tell you the exact hour John Lennon was shot.

THE MUSIC IS THE MESSAGE, judge that. One of the things that being U2 fans has made us is overanalytical of everything else because U2 is so much bigger than life. Hardly anything they do is unnoticed, unprinted, unphotographed, unrecorded.

It's all good, and it's ok to like more than one band. You can't help what vibrations move you. Unless, of course, it is Kelly Clarkson.

I'll be the second American to really like Oasis' "Standing on the Shoulders of Giants" (my brother third)...in fact, it's my favorite Oasis album to date (with the exception of the "Little James" track).

Just to reiterate, you're the freaking man. I've agreed on everything you've said in this thread (only one exception- didn't find Green Day's last album to be as good as has been publicized).

Regardless of what people want to say in comparison to other bands, Coldplay is good. REALLY good. Their live show is good. REALLY good. Even with the praise, it's still a personal decision. I really like them, perhaps for the same reasons others dislike them. To me, the same challenge applies to all bands:

Make good music.

If I'm entertained, and like the songs, i'm a fan. Plain and simple. All I'm trying to say is that in the process of measuring every band up to U2 in hopes of finding "the next U2", most here end up hating <insert band name here>. Just listen to them for the music, without the pre-conceived notions on who they sound like, who they replace, etc. Maybe we'll all find better music in the process...




Hey, to make this more positive, anyone heard the new White Stripes CD yet? Very curious as to how it sounds...might be picking that one up today as well.

 

[Sken]

I think its time U2 handed over the guitar to another band like Sting did. Coldplay are good enough to be that band. U2 weren't the greatest band in the world when Sting gave them his guitar, but they were on the rise, much as Coldplay is today.

Set Coldplay the challenge, and U2 can take the pressure off themselves and continue to put out quality music and massive tours, without needing to justify being the biggest band in the world.

Take away the pressure for them to try and impress, and all you get is a band writing the music they want to write.

 

[Harry Vest]

Sorry Chris, you'll NEVER be as big as U2 - even if you sell more albums you'll NEVER be of the same stature - NEVER!!!

 

[bonoed]

I don't like Coldplay. U2 has not a thing to worry about.

 

[sue4u2]

I'm probably the only one who likes Parachutes more than a Rush Of..... Even though I love that album.

Coldplay doesn't have to live up to U2.
They can't anyway. and after listening to them on MTV live, this past Sunday - I really like what I've heard so far.
There is definite influence from U2 there, but that's all.
They should just consentrate on the lyrics more, the sound is already there. just need to push it to another level.
But I haven't heard all of the album yet.
Waiting for my copy from amazon..

 

[U2DMfan]

Part of being around for 25 years is not only do you have time to make more of a musical impact than a band 6 years, 3 albums in.
But you also are around long enough to be torn down two, three, four times over and expected to step up to the plate.

U2 didn't step up to the plate and deliver the sequel to The Joshua Tree with 11 songs reminscent of Where the Streets Have No Name like they could have easily, proclaiming themselves king of the mountain.

They tore themselves down to begin again, better.

We'll see what Coldplay does when they start getting kicked for being redundant. Maybe they will make their Achtung or Kid A, or maybe they will make Rush of Blood to the Head part 3.

Too early to tell.

 

[RademR]

God, I'm getting frustrated when people start comparing Coldplay to u2. What a bad comparison, a new popular group and rock legends. Hmmm....

I've seen both live, Coldplay is a pretty good live band but u2 would still kill them if all four members had the flu.

The thing is Coldplay are a great band and one of my favorites at the moment (the new album hasn't grown on me yet however).

Coldplay have had two good albums, and this one might be a huge hit...but they are all in the same vein and sound the same. The majority of the media seems to be in love with them, but if this album is the hit people say it is going to be, they better start some re-invention or the press will get bored and turn on them with their next release.

 

[Muad'zin]

I must be one of the few people who missed out on this whole Coldplay thingie. I can't remember a single song of theirs if my life depended on it. I just saw them doing a few songs on some TV show and they all sounded the same and very U2 wannabeeish. Then again I'm an atypical U2 fan. Besides U2 I'm more into metal.

But if they want to be the worlds biggest band, more power to them if that means less pressure when I try to get U2 tickets. Its really been a nightmare this time. Let them feel the heat of internet scalping bots instead. And maybe it will give U2 a much needed kick in the ass so they will cease playing it safe and do something adventurous and experimental again.

 

[YBORCITY]

Totally agree with everything Maud'zin said.
Take the the stupid "Title" anyway
It doesn't matter much in the grand scheme of things when you think about it. I guess it will show the sorry state of music if this band is going to be the best.

 

[Miricale_Drug]

3 ok albums dont make a superpower?

i think oasis were a superpower after 2...

 

[zwervers2]

Here's an article that is not quite so flattering for Coldplay. There is a huge backlash facing Coldplay right now.... (and not just on this site)

New York Times

June 5, 2005

The Case Against Coldplay

By JON PARELES



THERE'S nothing wrong with self-pity. As a spur to songwriting, it's right up there with lust, anger and greed, and probably better than the remaining deadly sins. There's nothing wrong, either, with striving for musical grandeur, using every bit of skill and studio illusion to create a sound large enough to get lost in. Male sensitivity, a quality that's under siege in a pop culture full of unrepentant bullying and machismo, shouldn't be dismissed out of hand, no matter how risible it can be in practice. And building a sound on the lessons of past bands is virtually unavoidable.


But put them all together and they add up to Coldplay, the most insufferable band of the decade.


This week Coldplay releases its painstakingly recorded third album, "X&Y" (Capitol), a virtually surefire blockbuster that has corporate fortunes riding on it. (The stock price plunged for EMI Group, Capitol's parent company, when Coldplay announced that the album's release date would be moved from February to June, as it continued to rework the songs.)


"X&Y" is the work of a band that's acutely conscious of the worldwide popularity it cemented with its 2002 album, "A Rush of Blood to the Head," which has sold three million copies in the United States alone. Along with its 2000 debut album, "Parachutes," Coldplay claims sales of 20 million albums worldwide. "X&Y" makes no secret of grand ambition.


Clearly, Coldplay is beloved: by moony high school girls and their solace-seeking parents, by hip-hop producers who sample its rich instrumental sounds and by emo rockers who admire Chris Martin's heart-on-sleeve lyrics. The band emanates good intentions, from Mr. Martin's political statements to lyrics insisting on its own benevolence. Coldplay is admired by everyone - everyone except me.


It's not for lack of skill. The band proffers melodies as imposing as Romanesque architecture, solid and symmetrical. Mr. Martin on keyboards, Jonny Buckland on guitar, Guy Berryman on bass and Will Champion on drums have mastered all the mechanics of pop songwriting, from the instrumental hook that announces nearly every song they've recorded to the reassurance of a chorus to the revitalizing contrast of a bridge. Their arrangements ascend and surge, measuring out the song's yearning and tension, cresting and easing back and then moving toward a chiming resolution. Coldplay is meticulously unified, and its songs have been rigorously cleared of anything that distracts from the musical drama.


Unfortunately, all that sonic splendor orchestrates Mr. Martin's voice and lyrics. He places his melodies near the top of his range to sound more fragile, so the tunes straddle the break between his radiant tenor voice and his falsetto. As he hops between them - in what may be Coldplay's most annoying tic - he makes a sound somewhere between a yodel and a hiccup. And the lyrics can make me wish I didn't understand English. Coldplay's countless fans seem to take comfort when Mr. Martin sings lines like, "Is there anybody out there who / Is lost and hurt and lonely too," while a strummed acoustic guitar telegraphs his aching sincerity. Me, I hear a passive-aggressive blowhard, immoderately proud as he flaunts humility. "I feel low," he announces in the chorus of "Low," belied by the peak of a crescendo that couldn't be more triumphant about it.


In its early days, Coldplay could easily be summed up as Radiohead minus Radiohead's beat, dissonance or arty subterfuge. Both bands looked to the overarching melodies of 1970's British rock and to the guitar dynamics of U2, and Mr. Martin had clearly heard both Bono's delivery and the way Radiohead's Thom Yorke stretched his voice to the creaking point.


Unlike Radiohead, though, Coldplay had no interest in being oblique or barbed. From the beginning, Coldplay's songs topped majesty with moping: "We're sinking like stones," Mr. Martin proclaimed. Hardly alone among British rock bands as the 1990's ended, Coldplay could have been singing not only about private sorrows but also about the final sunset on the British empire: the old opulence meeting newly shrunken horizons. Coldplay's songs wallowed happily in their unhappiness.


"Am I a part of the cure / Or am I part of the disease," Mr. Martin pondered in "Clocks" on "A Rush of Blood to the Head." Actually, he's contagious. Particularly in its native England, Coldplay has spawned a generation of one-word bands - Athlete, Embrace, Keane, Starsailor, Travis and Aqualung among them - that are more than eager to follow through on Coldplay's tremulous, ringing anthems of insecurity. The emulation is spreading overseas to bands like the Perishers from Sweden and the American band Blue Merle, which tries to be Coldplay unplugged.


A band shouldn't necessarily be blamed for its imitators - ask the Cure or the Grateful Dead. But Coldplay follow-throughs are redundant; from the beginning, Coldplay has verged on self-parody. When he moans his verses, Mr. Martin can sound so sorry for himself that there's hardly room to sympathize for him, and when he's not mixing metaphors, he fearlessly slings clichés. "Are you lost or incomplete," Mr. Martin sings in "Talk," which won't be cited in any rhyming dictionaries. "Do you feel like a puzzle / you can't find your missing piece."


Coldplay reached its musical zenith with the widely sampled piano arpeggios that open "Clocks": a passage that rings gladly and, as it descends the scale and switches from major to minor chords, turns incipiently mournful. Of course, it's followed by plaints: "Tides that I tried to swim against / Brought me down upon my knees."


On "X&Y," Coldplay strives to carry the beauty of "Clocks" across an entire album - not least in its first single, "Speed of Sound," which isn't the only song on the album to borrow the "Clocks" drumbeat. The album is faultless to a fault, with instrumental tracks purged of any glimmer of human frailty. There is not an unconsidered or misplaced note on "X&Y," and every song (except the obligatory acoustic "hidden track" at the end, which is still by no means casual) takes place on a monumental soundstage.


As Coldplay's recording budgets have grown, so have its reverberation times. On "X&Y," it plays as if it can already hear the songs echoing across the world. "Square One," which opens the album, actually begins with guitar notes hinting at the cosmic fanfare of "Also Sprach Zarathustra" (and "2001: A Space Odyssey"). Then Mr. Martin, never someone to evade the obvious, sings about "the space in which we're traveling."


As a blockbuster band, Coldplay is now looking over its shoulder at titanic predecessors like U2, Pink Floyd and the Beatles, pilfering freely from all of them. It also looks to an older legacy; in many songs, organ chords resonate in the spaces around Mr. Martin's voice, insisting on churchly reverence.


As Coldplay's music has grown more colossal, its lyrics have quietly made a shift on "X&Y." On previous albums, Mr. Martin sang mostly in the first person, confessing to private vulnerabilities. This time, he sings a lot about "you": a lover, a brother, a random acquaintance. He has a lot of pronouncements and advice for all of them: "You just want somebody listening to what you say," and "Every step that you take could be your biggest mistake," and "Maybe you'll get what you wanted, maybe you'll stumble upon it" and "You don't have to be alone." It's supposed to be compassionate, empathetic, magnanimous, inspirational. But when the music swells up once more with tremolo guitars and chiming keyboards, and Mr. Martin's voice breaks for the umpteenth time, it sounds like hokum to me.

This is the best review I have ever read in my life. it completely explains how I feel toward the new Coldplay record and especially mr Martin in particular. Listen to bigger stronger from their blue ep and then to X&Y the new release is a joke compared to the old stuff which I adored but It isn't interesting anymore. Some patern same whinny voice same piano same same same.
Damn i used to love these guys have seen them 6 times in concert in just 2 years.

13 and 15 july!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Amsterdam

 

[tsweeney]

I don't think U2 are in trouble of losing their title. Coldplay is a good band and at one time I thought they really could be big, especially after their second album. I think a band that has a lot of potential is The Arcade Fire. I got into them after hearing Wake Up at the Vertigo shows. The Arcade Fire's album ,Funeral, is an amazing album and better than anything Coldplay has released. I think bands like the Arcade Fire and even the Killers are the bands to watch. I also really got into Kings of Leon after seeing them open for U2. I think they are a great up and coming band and I look forward to what they will do in the future.

 

[RademR]

Arcade Fire

The Killers

Seeing them tonite in Maryland along with Keane. I like both bands, but also appearing are Louis XIV & Regina Spektor & MAXIMO PARK. Anyone heard any of their stuff?

 

[zoopop]

That article from the NY times sums up how I feel about X&Y too. I bought it yesterday and barely got to the 10th song on the album. There is nothing great or extradinary about it. I expected so much more from Coldplay. I love Parchutes and Rush of Blood.., seen Coldplay in concert, but X&Y is such a lazy album. And enough with these U2 comparisions or dethroaning U2 for the biggest band. Coldplay has a very long way to go if they even want to be in the same class as U2. The way X&Y sounds and Martin is going I don't even know if Coldplay has 2 more albums in them. So far X&Y is the most disappointing album I've heard in a long time and I think Coldplay's sudden popularity is going to hurt them during this time in their young careers.

 

[bombergirl1978]

I agree about The Arcade Fire and The Killers. They both have a very unique sound(which is really hard to do these days) and Im excited to see what they come up with next.

Personally I wasn't as impressed by Kings of Leon, even though I bought their album. But I like them ok.

 

[U2WOJO]

Coldplay is decent but hardly a great. Listening to their latest album will put you to sleep with it's monotonous sound. Same thing over and over and over again. Chicago Tribune goof Knot loves them though with like his 4th glowing article in like the last month.

 

[Zooropa man]

That article from the NY times sums up how I feel about X&Y too. I bought it yesterday and barely got to the 10th song on the album. There is nothing great or extradinary about it. I expected so much more from Coldplay. I love Parchutes and Rush of Blood.., seen Coldplay in concert, but X&Y is such a lazy album. And enough with these U2 comparisions or dethroaning U2 for the biggest band. Coldplay has a very long way to go if they even want to be in the same class as U2. The way X&Y sounds and Martin is going I don't even know if Coldplay has 2 more albums in them. So far X&Y is the most disappointing album I've heard in a long time and I think Coldplay's sudden popularity is going to hurt them during this time in their young careers.

I agree, there is only about 3 or 4 songs that are good but the rest lack way more then those 3 or 4.

 

[Pero]

IMO:
Coldplay has good music, but to cowardly singer. I bet if i sneeze on him, he would break some bones
U2 is U2, better than rest

But nobody is talking about The Rolling Stones!They are old, but they are biggest.

 

[**Liesa**]

I love Coldplay, and I was so excited when I went and got it from Target yesterday.

But then I listened to the cd while I was driving and nearly drove into a ditch because it bored me to tears. Now, I have known of Coldplay long before they became the media darlings thanks to a local indie station, but honestly their new cd did not impress me at all. I wasn't expecting reinvented amazing Coldplay...just not whatever that album is...

So, I think that U2 and Coldplay are in totally different leagues...they are similar, but honestly I think that Chris Martin and company need to grow up...collect some life experience and then try out for the biggest band in the world thing again. (If there is such a thing really.)

 

[Zooropa man]

IMO:
Coldplay has good music, but to cowardly singer. I bet if i sneeze on him, he would break some bones
U2 is U2, better than rest

But nobody is talking about The Rolling Stones!They are old, but they are biggest.

The stones? They are a bunch of dried up bones taking oxigen!

 

[U2phan]

lol don't knock the Stones, their current tour is selling well

see Coldplay is my 2nd favorite band, and I think X&Y will compete with HTDAAB for Grammys, cuz they're both great albums. Coldplay is getting a lot of attention, but they're not the band U2 is right now. For example, U2's 3rd album WAR was really upbeat, and started their creativity and whatnot, leading to the Unforgettable Fire, which was very experimental (Edge's delay sound).

X&Y though, doesn't seem to experiment that much, and sounds very familiar with AROBTH. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, considering AROBTH is my 3rd favorite album. (Behind ATYCLB and JT) Coldplay is popular enough now to change their sound, and go deeper, like what Radiohead did. And the thing I don't like about Coldplay, is that their lyrics suck. Really great melodies and all, but I don't understand what the heck Chris Martin is trying to tell us. That's why they're not U2 right now. Maybe 2,3 more great albums, but not now.

 

[daveydave]

The very fact that most of the media ponders whether Coldplay can surpass U2 should be sufficient evidence that they are not quite there yet.

Personally, I love Coldplay. I love their ability to create something that is so simple, yet seeps into your brain and remains there for days. Melodic genuis is what comes to mind when I hear a Coldplay tune.

I don't see how Coldplay's music lends itself to the type of experience that U2 has given through the years. When we're talking about being big, I assume we are talking about more than just album sales.

Can Coldplay create the kind of concert experience in arena's and stadiums? Can they create that stir / lift off with the type of music they make? Although sonically I think their shows are beautiful, I don't think we'll be seeing people hanging from the rafters at a Coldplay gig anytime soon. Their music is more apt to make me sit down and chill out. I don't think I've ever sat down at a U2 show. I can't even imagine it.

I felt Pearl Jam had a shot at the title, they just didn't embrace it. It wasn't their goal. It almost seemed like they turned away from the prospect of "Biggest Band" it in the mid 90's. It would have been interesting to see where they might have been able to take it.

What it comes down to is whether a band gets the chance, and then whether they decide to go after it.

Coldplay - let's give them 10 years, see if they can make stadiums and arenas work. See if they sell the albums and approach the number of live performances U2 has had.

Personally, I don't think they have a chance. I don't see keyboards suddenly creating the frenzy that a great guitarist can. Hopefully, not while I'm alive.

Right now, I tend to think the question we might be asking in a couple of years is if "The Killers" have what is takes to become the biggest band in the world. Their music has the tempo, raw energy and "liftoff" to take them to U2 like heights. I'm a little late on Arcade fire, but "Hot Fuss" was the first rock album in years that really struck me as being an amazing effort.

daveydave

 

[The_One1932]

I posted this in another thread, but i think its important here as well:
Since Coldplay can't truly rock, they'll never truly challenge U2. The biggest bands of all time have been able to really rock out. The Beatles could rock, the stones could/can rock, the who, zeppelin, the clash, nirvana, red hot chili peppers... all have the ability to truly rock. Can you imagine coldplay trying to cover vertigo or smells like teen spirit?? It'd be awful. To be the biggest you have to have the ability to create the biggest, loudest sound on the planet. Since Coldplay seems content to write songs that are loud, occasionaly fast, but never truly rocking... well, U2 will be on top until they decide to step down.

But while currenly watching the storytellers for coldplay, chris martin is a nice guy, but he can never be the bono he wants to be. he'll forever be a decent singer with a decent falsetto... but nowhere near the likes of bono.

Coldplay does not have the magic that u2 has. For each member of u2 you can make an arguement that they could be one of the best ever at their respective instruments. This cannot be said of coldplay. u2 is the exact opposite of a band like led zeppelin in terms of musicianship, but U2 do what they do better than anyone ever has.