SOE 30: With a Fanscore of 5 Bananas

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Status
Not open for further replies.
Maybe we’ve read too much into the day of the dead theme and it’s really just more about a colorful street festival sort of thing. Then it could be released whenever and make sense.


Or maybe their priority is releasing it for maximum exposure and not coinciding exactly with a fucking holiday that's only official in one country and pretty much unknown in Europe, Asia, etc.
 
What's more interesting that no one has mentioned is that U2s own Facebook page mentioned that an album announcement as well as a single would occur on 9/6. Then they removed the note about the album announcement and just released the single.

I think we have enough sources, including members of the band themselves via interviews, that the album is coming on 12/1. It's just really odd that they have a very clear marketing plan yet there is a sense that they are still moving things around and nothing is really set in stone.

8/30- Blackout performance on Facebook
9/6- release single and lyric video but no album announcement
9/8- go on Fallon but no album announcement
9/15- Kygo mix released
9/27- official video released for TBT
9/29- acoustic version released
10/? - 3rd video released for TBT

Then they record a music video for GOOYOW and the rumor + logic is that it will be the second single likely tied to the album news. However, given the MLB exposure + the RSD promo vinyl for The Blackout (not to mention it's already out there in live form via Facebook) it seems that Blackout might be the next single.

I don't know what to expect but they have done a good job so far with their marketing that I trust they will make good decisions. I agree with Womanfish that Blackout would be the better choice for a single given the style difference from TBT. I also a, VERY excited to hear the studio version for Blackout.
 
Just gonna go on record saying I think Blackout second single would be ruinous.

Hope we get GOOYOW soon.

I suspect/hope the Record Store Day Blackout is just a bonus/nice little news story to boost visibility just before the record drops.

:up:
 
I think we have enough sources, including members of the band themselves via interviews, that the album is coming on 12/1. It's just really odd that they have a very clear marketing plan yet there is a sense that they are still moving things around and nothing is really set in stone.


Yeah there's definitely some master plan at work. It just feels very quiet a month out from release but I'm confident we'll start to hear more soon now TJTT wrapped.

Personally I'm convinced SoE is gonna tie in to (RED) & World Aids Day (which is also Dec. 1st) somehow...

Wild speculation: they're just letting word slowly spread about the album with these articles/behind the scenes press releases/band comments to diehards but it'll be another "surprise" debut to mainstream/casual observers with a big promo push (maybe another surprise performance?) tied to (RED) on the 1st. 2018 tour announcement/on sales will likely follow soon after.

But that's just my wild guess.
 
I think tour dates and locking in a schedule is probably largely to blame for the delays. They will link album sales to ticket queue positions, so they won’t announce the album until that is lined up.
 
I think tour dates and locking in a schedule is probably largely to blame for the delays. They will link album sales to ticket queue positions, so they won’t announce the album until that is lined up.

I don't know about that. Even if an album/tour were announced as late as mid-November, by now we'd have better tour rumours than we do.

Maybe they're doing better at not letting tour info slip - or everybody's so distracted with getting album news that tour stuff is getting overlooked/not asked about.
 
I don't know about that. Even if an album/tour were announced as late as mid-November, by now we'd have better tour rumours than we do.



Maybe they're doing better at not letting tour info slip - or everybody's so distracted with getting album news that tour stuff is getting overlooked/not asked about.



Maybe - they may announce the album, but not put sales up until the tour is finalised? They want the alignment to boost sales figures for the week one charts
 
Maybe we’ve read too much into the day of the dead theme and it’s really just more about a colorful street festival sort of thing. Then it could be released whenever and make sense.

This! Does anyone really believe people outside this forum will get the link between a skeleton dancing behind a drummer and the day of the dead in Mexico?
 
This! Does anyone really believe people outside this forum will get the link between a skeleton dancing behind a drummer and the day of the dead in Mexico?

that's from U2songs.com ... at least the video will have a Mexican vibe (and the release of GOOYOW might coincide with the day of the dead festivities)

In an interview with Reforma, The Edge said, “We are going to show a vibrant Mexico, one that is unique and fascinating.”
 
Or maybe their priority is releasing it for maximum exposure and not coinciding exactly with a fucking holiday that's only official in one country and pretty much unknown in Europe, Asia, etc.

This! Does anyone really believe people outside this forum will get the link between a skeleton dancing behind a drummer and the day of the dead in Mexico?

Although I agree that it could possibly have shifted to The Blackout, the logic above isn't necessarily correct. Thematically the Day of the Dead also ties in pretty closely with Halloween festivities, which are big in quite a lot of countries.
 
guys, U2 are trying to destroy America. Why? Bono said it twice. I am now convinced. Also, something about U2 carrying umbrellas when there's no rain should convince you.

 
Last edited:
I know it's late in the game, but which of these Best Thing releases is the actual album version? Do we even know for sure?
 
I know it's late in the game, but which of these Best Thing releases is the actual album version? Do we even know for sure?

apparently none.. cant remember who said it, but the album mix will be somehow different from those we've heard so far

I'm guessing it'll sound pretty close to the single mix
 
apparently none.. cant remember who said it, but the album mix will be somehow different from those we've heard so far

I'm guessing it'll sound pretty close to the single mix

Copy, thanks - I think Bono/Edge may have said that. I guess I don't understand the drip drop of various versions in various formats. Are they THAT indecisive where they release everything to cover all their bases? Add in the "live" take of Blackout and I just don't get it. :gah:
 
Copy, thanks - I think Bono/Edge may have said that. I guess I don't understand the drip drop of various versions in various formats. Are they THAT indecisive where they release everything to cover all their bases? Add in the "live" take of Blackout and I just don't get it. :gah:

the live take of blackout was a teaser for the fans. what's not to get about that? pretty easy there.
 
apparently none.. cant remember who said it, but the album mix will be somehow different from those we've heard so far

I'm guessing it'll sound pretty close to the single mix
So it'll be like Electrical Storm then..
 
Copy, thanks - I think Bono/Edge may have said that. I guess I don't understand the drip drop of various versions in various formats. Are they THAT indecisive where they release everything to cover all their bases? Add in the "live" take of Blackout and I just don't get it. :gah:

Because the out-of-the-blue SOI drop into everyone's phones, and consciousness, wasn't taken so well, they're now sort of gently warming up the masses for a new U2 album by getting their sound out there as much as they can, covering as many arenas as they can. Or literally stadiums, if the U2 songs in baseball are an indication. All without going for a U2 ice bucket approach.

Joshua Tree tour gets back some good will, a song for free that their followers like, a single release that can be played anywhere, and no one's thinking 'oh, not them again' when the album is announced. And when people listen to the album, everything on it, even the singles already out there, sound a little new.
 
the live take of blackout was a teaser for the fans. what's not to get about that? pretty easy there.

Why a teaser? What's the point? It's dumb. That's what I don't get.

Just release the song or don't. No need to hedge the bet. No need for these carefully orchestrated, over-thought, over-wrought promotional strategies.
 
Because the out-of-the-blue SOI drop into everyone's phones, and consciousness, wasn't taken so well, they're now sort of gently warming up the masses for a new U2 album by getting their sound out there as much as they can, covering as many arenas as they can. Or literally stadiums, if the U2 songs in baseball are an indication. All without going for a U2 ice bucket approach.



Joshua Tree tour gets back some good will, a song for free that their followers like, a single release that can be played anywhere, and no one's thinking 'oh, not them again' when the album is announced. And when people listen to the album, everything on it, even the singles already out there, sound a little new.



I still think plenty of people will say "oh, not them again" but I do agree they are going with the cover all bases approach leading up to the release.
 
Because the out-of-the-blue SOI drop into everyone's phones, and consciousness, wasn't taken so well, they're now sort of gently warming up the masses for a new U2 album by getting their sound out there as much as they can, covering as many arenas as they can. Or literally stadiums, if the U2 songs in baseball are an indication. All without going for a U2 ice bucket approach.

Joshua Tree tour gets back some good will, a song for free that their followers like, a single release that can be played anywhere, and no one's thinking 'oh, not them again' when the album is announced. And when people listen to the album, everything on it, even the singles already out there, sound a little new.
Couldn't agree with this more, and I applaud them for learning their lesson and not trying to hammer everyone over the head again this time around.

They're still promoting it, rather heavily compared to your average act, but it has a lot more subtlety to it this time around; which after the Apple debacle was sorely needed.
 
Couldn't agree with this more, and I applaud them for learning their lesson and not trying to hammer everyone over the head again this time around.

They're still promoting it, rather heavily compared to your average act, but it has a lot more subtlety to it this time around; which after the Apple debacle was sorely needed.

This is the right approach. The heavy promo will come at the end of November...or maybe a tad earlier, but it will happen.

The build up, and long wait to the release date seems to be a good strategy...so far. I'm hoping the music is more diverse (well lyrics specifically) than SOI, which is very personal, but almost too introspective.

U2's music is best when the lyrics are more diverse than specific. SOI's songs are very specific (lyrically) and that lessens the ability to connect to them. U2 works best when you have a multitude of songs where you can attach your own experiences to...fingers crossed we get more of those songs on SOE...:yes:
 
Why a teaser? What's the point? It's dumb. That's what I don't get.

Just release the song or don't. No need to hedge the bet. No need for these carefully orchestrated, over-thought, over-wrought promotional strategies.

I'm critical of most of the band's decisions these days, but this is a dumb thing to be upset about. It's an unorthodox move to release a video of a live performance of a new non-single for fans, but I'm not sure what's overthought or overwrought about it. I'd say that's a better description of your reaction than anything else.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom