Magnificent delivered to the radio

[Irishteen]

The album version is better than the radio edit,why would people buy an inferior edit when they can have the real thing on the album?!

But people could buy the album version, it never enough reached the top 100 on the UK itunes

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

what I was saying though is that using the argument "if you have to edit a song for the radio it's not a good sign" doesn't really work since U2 have released quite a few of their singles as radio edits.

 

[clipper699]

Haven't U2 always had to make Radio Edits from the begining though?

Frankly, I'm not sure. Vertigo, COBL, etc... weren't shortened, were they?

Vertigo was not, but Stuck and Walk On were, I think.

You may be right, and I may be totally wrong. I still think that "Crazy" is the ideal single. Magnificent is a great, great song, but its opening (which is what is cut) is the source of the song's momentum and inertia. Cut that out, and you cut out the song's allure. At least in my opinion.

 

[digitize]

Frankly, I'm not sure. Vertigo, COBL, etc... weren't shortened, were they?

COBL was shortened, and, like Magnificent, ruined by that edit. Streets was shortened. I believe Stuck was normal. SYCwhatever was cut and sped up by a few BPM. Walk On was either a shortened edit or a totally new version, with Hallelujahs as the end, depending on where you lived. Vertigo wasn't shortened because the normal album version barely made it over three-minutes in length anyway.

 

[dopper]

COBL was shortened, and, like Magnificent, ruined by that edit. Streets was shortened. I believe Stuck was normal. SYCwhatever was cut and sped up by a few BPM. Walk On was either a shortened edit or a totally new version, with Hallelujahs as the end, depending on where you lived. Vertigo wasn't shortened because the normal album version barely made it over three-minutes in length anyway.

There was a version of Stuck on the radio where the chorus came in after the first verse.

 

[U2girl]

i think it's bat shit crazy to compare magnificent to new year's day, still haven't found or pride.

look you love the song... that's great. but you have to be willing to admit that at least some of what i'm saying may just be true considering how poorly the song has performed thus far. otherwise...

I compared the way the choruses are, not the songs. Totally wacko, I know.

Crazy tonight (probably the most awkward title in U2's history) and Magnificent have the biggest choruses on the entire album, they're the two biggest candidates for singles/radio airplay/hits. I don't see why only one of them would do it.

Why is it failing? My guess is 1) weak first single choice, 2) U2 is too old and Vertigo was the last train to Hitsville, USA and 3) backlash (in some album reviews, mostly at Bono, and maybe U2 overdid it with early promotion by playing the three biggest music awards AND hogging Letterman for a week AND hogging the BBC).

 

[standrums]

I compared the way the choruses are, not the songs. Totally wacko, I know.

Crazy tonight (probably the most awkward title in U2's history) and Magnificent have the biggest choruses on the entire album, they're the two biggest candidates for singles/radio airplay/hits. I don't see why only one of them would do it.

Why is it failing? My guess is 1) weak first single choice, 2) U2 is too old and Vertigo was the last train to Hitsville, USA and 3) backlash (in some album reviews, mostly at Bono, and maybe U2 overdid it with early promotion by playing the three biggest music awards AND hogging Letterman for a week AND hogging the BBC).

the album is back in the top 20 in the uk though, I read it was always planned to sell over an 18 month period and the tour hasn't even started. it's got lots of legs and time will prove the doubters wrong

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i don't doubt no line on the horizon. i don't doubt magnificent as a song. i doubt it as a single. and as a single it has tanked.

and my assertion on magnificent being an awkward title is based on the word it's self... which is not exactly used often in every day life, unless you're talking of miles, sevens or wizards.

and yes... i'll go crazy if i don't go crazy tonight is a long, awkward title... but i think u2's had some success with overly worded titles in the past, and it's easily shortened to crazy tonight... not to mention the fact that it's got one of those choruses that easily sticks in ones head. you can hear it as a ring tone.

honestly... i can see a bunch of college co-ed's sitting in their dorm room before heading off on a night on the town screaming out "i know i'll go crazy if i don't go crazy tonight!!!" a lot easier than i can hear someone yelling "maaaagniiiiiiificeeeeeeeent"

again... for the millionth time. it's not about song quality, it's about accessibility as a single. that is the key to getting a hit in today's world.

it's a wonderful life tanked at the theatre... doesn't mean it wasn't a great movie. just didn't fit the times.

 

[U2girl]

Well, I guess we'll find out in a while if Crazy tonight has what it takes to be a hit.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

if it's not already too late for anything from the album.

 

[Galeongirl]

if it's not already too late for anything from the album.

Well summer is coming up, around the time people are looking for uplifting and light songs.. I can still see CT or Breathe be relatively popular. No huge chart hit or anything, just decent airplay. U2 aren't hitmakers, they don't do no. 1's around the world with their singles.. and I'm quite fine with that..

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i tend to agree.

case in point to my whole crazy tonight argument... there's a jukebox at a fairly popular bar on the upper east side of manhattan near my girlfriend's apartment.. crazy tonight is in the top 10 most played. it's a party song... it's a song that makes ya feel good. it's a song that even casual to less than casual fans can get into... especially the female variety. if any song has a chance to at the very least make a dent on the ole' relevancy highway, it's crazy tonight. it might not be an epic masterpiece but it's a great pop song.

breathe i think would become a staple on modern and classic rock stations, where boots and magnificent have thus far failed.

 

[popacrobat]

as i've said before, if im playing monday morning QB i would have done this for the singles:

1- NLOTH or Breathe
2 Magnificent
3 Crazy Tonight
4 Get on Your Boots
5 optional, whatever. Give Moment of Surrender a try - 5th single isn't big anyway.

i still think magnificent was the right choice for single #2. it probably would have fared better as the lead single. No line the song would have been perfect too- hypnotic chorus that has the albums name in it, good rock song. my friends- im in college mind you- who dont even like U2 like that song- and these are people who like whatevers on the charts etc.

 

[bram]

we'll have to disagree. i in no way find magnificent to be as "masses-friendly" as beautiful day.

you're talking about a massive commercial song in terms of staying power... it's still one of their most played songs to this day.

and no, i don't think magnificent was ever a #1 song, especially in today's climate. back in the day where everything they touched turned to gold, maybe it could get that spot based on their overwellming popularity alone... but that is not today.

there is some amazing crap on the radio and on the charts today... but what all of that crap has in common is a catchy hook. absolute dog shit can go to #1 if it has a catchy hook, while a great song can fail to chart if it doesn't. i don't know why some of you can't figure that out.

magnificent is an awkward word to sing as the title. it doesn't flow, as much as you'd like it to. what, was superfluous taken? fabulous? glorious? supercalifragilisticexpialidocious?

this song has left less of a dent than get on your boots... there HAS to be a reason beyond "no marketing push."

if they aren't going to go nuts with the iPod commercials and huge commercial push, then they need to release singles with broad, far reaching mass-commercial appeal.

crazy tonight is that song, breathe is second on the list, maybe even stand up comedy. but crazy tonight is deffinetly that song. it doesn't mean those three are the best songs on the album, it just means they are built more for mass radio success than some of the more obscure songs. unknown caller is a great song... it would be a god awful single release. it would fail before it was even released. your average 12 to 32 year old with a 2 second attention span isn't paying attention to a song like that... as sad as that may be, it's still a fact.

Yeah, you make great points. I think we'll never really know what Magnificent's potential was...and I may be a bit biased because I think it's one of their all-time greats .

 

[bram]

i don't doubt no line on the horizon. i don't doubt magnificent as a song. i doubt it as a single. and as a single it has tanked.

and my assertion on magnificent being an awkward title is based on the word it's self... which is not exactly used often in every day life, unless you're talking of miles, sevens or wizards.

and yes... i'll go crazy if i don't go crazy tonight is a long, awkward title... but i think u2's had some success with overly worded titles in the past, and it's easily shortened to crazy tonight... not to mention the fact that it's got one of those choruses that easily sticks in ones head. you can hear it as a ring tone.

honestly... i can see a bunch of college co-ed's sitting in their dorm room before heading off on a night on the town screaming out "i know i'll go crazy if i don't go crazy tonight!!!" a lot easier than i can hear someone yelling "maaaagniiiiiiificeeeeeeeent"

again... for the millionth time. it's not about song quality, it's about accessibility as a single. that is the key to getting a hit in today's world.

it's a wonderful life tanked at the theatre... doesn't mean it wasn't a great movie. just didn't fit the times.

I think you're focusing a little too much on the Magnificent part...especially since it's only in the intro and outro. The chorus..."ONLY LOVE...etc" is really catchy and more singable than anything on the album. I think the best point of comparison would be pride. Sing those 2 back-to-back...equal catchiness. This song hasn't officially tanked in the states yet--it's still slowing climbing in adult Top 40/Hot AC which is one of the biggest formats (and the only reason Beautiful Day charted in the Hot 100).

 

[Galeongirl]

i tend to agree.

case in point to my whole crazy tonight argument... there's a jukebox at a fairly popular bar on the upper east side of manhattan near my girlfriend's apartment.. crazy tonight is in the top 10 most played. it's a party song... it's a song that makes ya feel good. it's a song that even casual to less than casual fans can get into... especially the female variety. if any song has a chance to at the very least make a dent on the ole' relevancy highway, it's crazy tonight. it might not be an epic masterpiece but it's a great pop song.

breathe i think would become a staple on modern and classic rock stations, where boots and magnificent have thus far failed.

Wow, that's not bad for a not-yet-released single! It's one of the reasons why I love this song so much, it's so uplifting. People love MOS for being a good song, but to me it's way too depressing and slow. I tend to prefer uptempo songs that keep me awake! Too bad it takes away from the 'masterpiece' status, who cares if it's a good song either way?

I'm not sure how Breathe would fare in regular charts, it'd definately do well on rock stations yes, but how would it do in the mainstream? I'd say it's a catchy tune, like WITS, but I'm not sure if that's enough.

 

[ic170]

re: radio edits that come to mind..

bad, so-so ones; Gloria, NYD, Streets, AIWIY, Lemon, COBL & SYCM

good to great: mostly the various re-recorded singles like WGRYWH?, LNOE, Please [irony - longer version!], ..Angels, Walk On, OOTS & ABOY...

and that's enough acronyms for the evening...

 

[BVS]

Did, Bad ever actually have an official radio edit?

Please they had a single version, and a single radio edit...

 

[Danny Boy]

Did, Bad ever actually have an official radio edit?

The version on Best of 80-90 is an edit, but it's only 15 or 20 seconds shorter than the album version.

 

[digitize]

Please they had a single version, and a single radio edit...

Wild Horses was similar... the Temple Bar Edit was the first track on most CD and cassette singles, with the last track being the full (and much, much better) Temple Bar Mix (except for a some cassette editions, I believe, which didn't have the full version).

 

[digitize]

The version on Best of 80-90 is an edit, but it's only 15 or 20 seconds shorter than the album version.

He might be considering the WWIA version as the single mix/edit/whatever.

 

[BVS]

The version on Best of 80-90 is an edit, but it's only 15 or 20 seconds shorter than the album version.

I never even paid attention to that version, I just bought that for the b-sides(I had them all on cassettes)... Interesting.

 

[BVS]

He might be considering the WWIA version as the single mix/edit/whatever.

Um, no...

 

[CosmoKramer]

re: radio edits that come to mind..

bad, so-so ones; Gloria, NYD, Streets, AIWIY, Lemon, COBL & SYCM

good to great: mostly the various re-recorded singles like WGRYWH?, LNOE, Please [irony - longer version!], ..Angels, Walk On, OOTS & ABOY...

and that's enough acronyms for the evening...

Wow, its as if I wrote this! I agree 110% that NYD, Streets, All I want are worse than the originals.

I also feel that if the Please (strings), God will send his angels and LNOE singles were on POP instead of the album cuts...it would have been a much better album (for me). All Because of you was also a better single than album cut (the chorus is more in sync than on the album. The album chorus sounds forced). I think you covered everything pretty well!