Achtung Baby got a ton of airplay on alternative stations. Actually, most U2 records got a lot of radio attention on alterna-stations. The Joshua Tree as a whole was definitely a crossover hit between alterna and contemporary adult stations - just about everyone had that record in their collections. Not so much with Achtung Baby though. That record (with the exception of One which was a big hit all around) seemed a little more alternative radio friendly with it's driving tempos, dashes of industrial flair and explosive guitar riffs. Also, U2 were big on college radio and were high up on the charts then as well. Zooropa, even though Numb was a hit, fell pretty low in terms of airplay. Pop is/was a different story though. Discotheque and Staring at the Sun got a lot of airplay, but soon disappeared after U2 made their live appearance. *shrugs* I think overall slacking sales of POP greatly affected their time on the radio even though both of those songs were worthy of public attention after U2 were done touring. The problem doesn't necessarily lie with the band's music, it lies with the short attention spans of the music listening audience. Unfortunately the songs on Zoo and POP just didn't have the staying power as songs on previous releases.
To be honest, I hardly ever hear U2 on my ol' alternative radio station anymore. Hell, I can hardly be arsed to turn the radio on. It seems as though my alterna-station has taken Metallica, Korn and Puddle Of Mud under the wings of "alternative" these days. And although those bands have their own right to be pimped on the radio, they hardly fit the standard of what alternative used to be (whatever that was) The only time I hear U2 if I bother turning on the radio anymore is when my alternative station decides to have a "flashback lunch" or if I change the dial to an adult contemporary station. Elevation did get some airplay on the "hip" radio stations, but hardly as much as Limp Bizkit. Go figger.
As far as ATYCLB, I feel that Foxxern's assertions are correct. With the last leg of U2's tour, the hype will die down a bit and we'll be left with the memories of Beautiful Day and Elevation getting their props as milestones in U2's career. The true test of staying power will be clear as soon as U2 pack up their gear and head back to the studio.
*shrugs*
