Songs of Experience 36 - Now with 20% fewer acronyms

[CosmoKramer]

U2 could still get the youglings and I have a 3 step plan that would work:

1-change the name of the band to “Free Avocado”

2-Get full head covering helmets like Daft Punk to cover up all signs of aging

3- Release Love is Bigger Than Anything in its Way

 

[Scorpionac]

The idea that Red Flag Day, by far U2's most straight forward rock song from the album, would endear a modern audience, isn't even optimistic. It's just incorrect.

The only one that sounds like modern radio to me is Summer of Love (which, of course, is no comment on the quality of the music). That's probably the Ryan Tedder influence at work.

And to follow that up with the iTunes push of SOI was also a mis-read. It could have worked - if not for the auto-download gaffe.

Yeah, releasing the new U2 album for free was a wonderful idea. Forcing it into people's hands, however... Well, it was a shit show. Also, I will never believe Bono's claim that they didn't know about the auto-download. Of course they did - that was the difference between the release of Invisible and SOI.

What I'd honestly like to see is the anti-Rubin thing. Instead of improving their song-writing-craftmanship, they should jam out an album together, like you said. Accept that much their best work had been 'sketches', and go out there and sketch.

Amen

 

[TinKnight]

The only way for U2 to get the youngin's is to stop being so try hard.

Just 10 years ago, people made fun of me for liking Bruce Springsteen. Now he's an elder statesman of rawk, and universally respected.

U2 can only hope for respect at this point. People aren't going to care about their new music. I think Summer of Love, with its Ed Shreen-eque sound, is their best chance. TBT could have been too (and I think its a bigger success than the charts indicate, I hear it everywhere), as its kind of retro and poppy and fun. As for the rest of the rawk tracks, it's not going to happen. There's no appetite for traditional rock music.

 

[the tourist]

The other falsehood is that POP sucked.

Or that Songs Of Innocence is not good.

 

[TinKnight]

The only one that sounds like modern radio to me is Summer of Love (which, of course, is no comment on the quality of the music). That's probably the Ryan Tedder influence at work.

Haha, I missed this as I was typing out my rant. Absolutely agree.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

The only way for U2 to get the youngin's is to stop being so try hard.

Just 10 years ago, people made fun of me for liking Bruce Springsteen. Now he's an elder statesman of rawk, and universally respected.

U2 can only hope for respect at this point. People aren't going to care about their new music. I think Summer of Love, with its Ed Shreen-eque sound, is their best chance. TBT could have been too (and I think its a bigger success than the charts indicate, I hear it everywhere), as its kind of retro and poppy and fun. As for the rest of the rawk tracks, it's not going to happen. There's no appetite for traditional rock music.

I agree with your statement on Bruce being almost universally respected as an elder statesman, and that I want to see U2 get to that phase (by not trying so fucking hard to appeal to the youngs).

Alas, the youngs still don't buy Bruce's albums.

This is the hurdle that U2 need to get over - not giving a turkey if the youngs don't buy their new album on the way home from picking up some choice avocados at the farmers market.

 

[Montrose]

U2 could still get the youglings and I have a 3 step plan that would work:

1-change the name of the band to “Free Avocado”

2-Get full head covering helmets like Daft Punk to cover up all signs of aging

3- Release Love is Bigger Than Anything in its Way

I'd tweak that a little:

1 - Avocado Toast

2 - That, or turning into cartoons, Gorillaz style. Danger Mouse would *love* that

3 - ... plus Vocoder.

 

[lazarus]

The idea that Red Flag Day, by far U2's most straight forward rock song from the album, would endear a modern audience, isn't even optimistic. It's just incorrect.

Most straightforward rock songs I know don't have a reggae/island groove going on, but ok.

If the whole song had the beat of the beginning, I'd agree it's straightforward. But this is a callback to early 80s U2 with some additional changes, bells and whistles.

 

[Montrose]

The only one that sounds like modern radio to me is Summer of Love (which, of course, is no comment on the quality of the music). That's probably the Ryan Tedder influence at work.


Yeah, releasing the new U2 album for free was a wonderful idea. Forcing it into people's hands, however... Well, it was a shit show. Also, I will never believe Bono's claim that they didn't know about the auto-download. Of course they did - that was the difference between the release of Invisible and SOI.


Amen

It was a distinction between marking it as 'Free' and as 'Purchased'. That could have f-ed up on either Apple's or U2's side, or been a last-minute miss. I worked in software release, and most things go wrong when you're trying to push something new out last minute. Especially if the upper-ups decide on something without passing it through QA. I agree though, that's a tough one to miss. I can totally see Bono pushing to sneak it to 'Purchased' at the last second, hoping no-one would consider the whole 'Automatically download new Purchases' switch.

Anyhow, new album seems to be selling OK on its own. Haven't been tracking it too closely.

 

[trevgreg]

This is a falsehood that gets repeated too often.

All That You Can't Leave Behind was already massive, and they had already completed two highly successful legs of the Elevation tour, before 9/11.

Beautiful Day was released almost a year before 9/11, and won 3 Grammys in February of 2001.

Right. Plus, the Super Bowl performance, while I'm sure it didn't hurt matters, came about in early 2002... the album had already been out for a year and a half by that point.

 

[Irvine511]

U2 could still get the youglings and I have a 3 step plan that would work:

1-change the name of the band to “Free Avocado”

2-Get full head covering helmets like Daft Punk to cover up all signs of aging

3- Release Love is Bigger Than Anything in its Way

4- avoid getting banned from certain malls in Alabama while on the prowl for Youngs.

 

[corianderstem]

5 - get elected to senate!

6 - PROFIT.

 

[purpleblackeye]

Re Springsteen, if you go to one of his concerts, there are people there from ages like 6 to 80. Lots of young people actually. Obviously a lot of it has to do with parents passing on musical tastes to youngsters (I make my young sons listen to SOE everyday in the car and they love it), but it’s a mistake to label a band as having an old fan base strictly based on record sales and profile in mainstream media. I don’t see U2 ever becoming an act that appeals mostly to the 50 and older crowd. Great music never dies and is never confined to one age group.

 

[TinKnight]

Re Springsteen, if you go to one of his concerts, there are people there from ages like 6 to 80. Lots of young people actually. Obviously a lot of it has to do with parents passing on musical tastes to youngsters (I make my young sons listen to SOE everyday in the car and they love it), but it’s a mistake to label a band as having an old fan base strictly based on record sales and profile in mainstream media. I don’t see U2 ever becoming an act that appeals mostly to the 50 and older crowd. Great music never dies and is never confined to one age group.

That's what I'm saying. Young people go out and see Bruce because he's a respected figure within rock.

 

[purpleblackeye]

Or maybe because the music is authentic and has substance. But I get it - having respect is essentially recognizing the quality.

 

[Rachel D.]

This is the hurdle that U2 need to get over - not giving a turkey if the youngs don't buy their new album on the way home from picking up some choice avocados at the farmers market.

I bought U2’s latest album while picking up some Swanson’s chicken broth.

 

[Rachel D.]

Re Springsteen, if you go to one of his concerts, there are people there from ages like 6 to 80. Lots of young people actually. Obviously a lot of it has to do with parents passing on musical tastes to youngsters (I make my young sons listen to SOE everyday in the car and they love it), but it’s a mistake to label a band as having an old fan base strictly based on record sales and profile in mainstream media. I don’t see U2 ever becoming an act that appeals mostly to the 50 and older crowd. Great music never dies and is never confined to one age group.

At the Kansas City JT show, I saw little kids, an old lady with a walker, and every age in between.

 

[Maassie]

U2 could still get the youglings and I have a 3 step plan that would work:

1-change the name of the band to “Free Avocado”

2-Get full head covering helmets like Daft Punk to cover up all signs of aging

3- Release Love is Bigger Than Anything in its Way

Marketing genius!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Re Springsteen, if you go to one of his concerts, there are people there from ages like 6 to 80. Lots of young people actually. Obviously a lot of it has to do with parents passing on musical tastes to youngsters (I make my young sons listen to SOE everyday in the car and they love it), but it’s a mistake to label a band as having an old fan base strictly based on record sales and profile in mainstream media. I don’t see U2 ever becoming an act that appeals mostly to the 50 and older crowd. Great music never dies and is never confined to one age group.

I go to lots of Springsteen concerts.

Yes, there are kids there. There are even a decent amount of the youngs, with their avocado toast and Zima wine coolers. This happens at every concert. It happens at U2 shows.

The overwhelming majority are of the olds.

And Jersey like.

Nothing's worse than a Jersey Old, I'm tellin' ya.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

I go to lots of Springsteen concerts.

Yes, there are kids there. There are even a decent amount of the youngs, with their avocado toast and Zima wine coolers. This happens at every concert. It happens at U2 shows.

The overwhelming majority are of the olds.

And Jersey like.

Nothing's worse than a Jersey Old, I'm tellin' ya.

What age does one have to be to classify as an old?

 

[purpleblackeye]

Ha, I live in NJ. The funny thing is that Springsteen is not even Jersey like in the least. Especially after he seemed to have adopted a permanent southern twang and sings most of his songs, even the older ones, in that mode.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

What age does one have to be to classify as an old?

35 = an old
50 = an Old
65 = an OLD
85 = you're fucking awesome if you're still going to rock concerts

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

You know you've crossed over into the land of the olds when you're filling out one of those forms that has the age buckets and everything, and you crossover into a bucket that no longer has anyone in their 20s in it.

You are now an old.

 

[Rachel D.]

You know you've crossed over into the land of the olds when you're filling out one of those forms that has the age buckets and everything, and you crossover into a bucket that no longer has anyone in their 20s in it.

You are now an old.

I can’t choose “24-29” on those things anymore. That makes me feel old. And my boss and my dentist are both younger than me. That makes me feel even older.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I can’t choose “24-29” on those things anymore. That makes me feel old. And my boss and my dentist are both younger than me. That makes me feel even older.

I know, right?

The worst is when you get to the age range box and it's like 35 to 55, and you're like oh, so it's like that now.

 

[U2FloridaFan]

No.

They're not getting the youngs. Period.

The ship hath sailed.

This is the point where some young whipper snapper quotes this post and goes "but I'm a young, look at me with my war on drugs album and my avocados! I love this album!"

Or

"Hey I loved the Beatles and Zeppelin when I was a young! I had all their cassette tapes in my Song WalkMan[emoji769]"


You are the exception, not the rule.

The youngs don't like U2. Nothing is getting them to embrace U2 as one of their own. The best we can hope for is that Bono doesn't do anything overly embarrassing over the next few years so that they can move into the post popularity "the youngs respect them and shall listen to their greatest hits from time to time" phase.

Olds, however, fucking love em.

What I am saying is that U2 have a much younger audience (20-somethings) in Europe and SA compared to the US. You can even see it if you see a U2 concert in Miami (since many SA fans fly in for the Miami concerts.

 

[TinKnight]

i well this has made me very afraid to ever turn 35 now, thanks guys. luckily im still quite a young.

 

[CosmoKramer]

what age does one have to be to classify as an old?

16

 

[kiwilad]

Thoughts:
A few have mentioned U2 booking out a studio for a few months, getting some high class producers booked out for that time, and just immersing themselves in the creative process.
And it seems accepted that this process would work better if producing singles and eventually playing the songs live wasn't a goal.
So my questions:
1. what would that sort of project cost? Studio, Eno and Lanois et al, etc etc. Millions?
2. Without expecting revenue from touring, or expecting publicity from singles, ie depending on sales of what would be a non-commercial album, what sort of revenue would they likely make from such a project?

I mean, they must have the most expensive recording habits in world music. Which they can afford as they make commercial music and sell out huge tours.
Can they make the album some fans (me included) want, on a budget the expected revenue from said album would support?

 

[lazarus]

They can make an album on any budget imaginable, regardless of its potential revenue. And even if they decided to never tour again.

I don't understand the question.