U2's Popularity/exposure...?

[gareth brown]

I've always had this on my mind, but can people who were around at the times in question compare U2's popularity/exposure/whatever at times to that of bands today?

For example...Boy Period - (name of 'cult' band here)

Can it be done? Up until around Joshua Tree period, what sort of band of today (based on level of fame, recognition) could U2 be compared to?

Does that make any sense? I've just never known how well known they were back then...

feel free to try and answer

 

[Zoots]

Re: U2's Popularity/

Does that make any sense?

Not really.

 

[gareth brown]

Well put it this way...during the days of 'Boy-October' were they well known in the same way as a band like 'Kaiser Chiefs' or less?

 

[Zoots]

Ah, you mean how popular were they even as a cult band?

I wouldn't know cos I became a fan only in 1992.

 

[gareth brown]

Yeah! That's what I meant! Yours makes more sense!

 

[bobbyhewson]

i don't believe there are any good comparisons. u2 is a once in a hundred year phenomenon.

 

[VertigoGal]

^nah that's not true, they never quite reached the level of popularity of a certain British foursome

(not that I want to bring that debate up again )

 

[gareth brown]

...i'm not talking about whether you could compare U2 musically to another group...I'm talking about the amount of recognition/popularity they had and how it's on a similar level to a band of today. never mind...

 

[Zoots]

For being a cult band in 1980/1981, how popular were they in comparison to other cult bands? That is the question that blah.. I mean gareth here has raised.

 

[gareth brown]

Oooh. Zing!

 

[blueeyedgirl]

Well, first of all you must remember that in the 80s there was no internet and no worldwide MTV. For instance in Australia, we had to rely on month old NMEs etc and seeing vids occasionally on late night video shows 2 or 3 times a week.

Early, like Kaiser Chiefs
After War/UABRS - Like the Police
After JT/R&H - like Phil Collins
now - like Rolling Stones

 

[gareth brown]

Police, eh? That reminds me of another thread I need to start!

Cheers for the list!