Mr. V
Refugee
Logic for the ultimate win.
Logic for the ultimate win.
You overlooked the attitude of the band in this decade. The decision to become more mainstream and poppy. The hype and bullshit about these last two albums from members of the band. Making new fans and pleasing casual fans over their core support. The whole mindset of the band this decade is something I don't think a lot of people can get over because of one album.
Nothing will change my belief that ATYCLB and Bomb are crap. It was the downfall of U2. They have diluted the band's catalog. They have hurt the band's legacy. In my eyes, a great album in their remaining years can't change that they went away from evolving and creativity for the sake of money.
How do you know it is the truth? What quotes do you have to present this as fact?
And yes, quotes from the band/McGuinness only please, no interpretations of their actions. Because if you're making assumptions, then it's not certain it's the truth.
...of which I consider myself one of. (Although I can appreciate a lot of the 00's material it is just not as exciting or artistic, IMO...but this discussion has been done to death and is not the point of this thread. So on with the question.)
If U2 put out an album now that was truly innovative and ranked with their best material and was in every way an undeniable classic, would it be easier to accept ATYCLB and HTDAAB simply as a phase of the band that gave us some actually pretty decent pop music (rather than as the downfall of U2)?
I'm not sure if that question makes sense.
For myself, and I think maybe for other as well, the disappointment of the 00's material is the idea/fear that maybe they have "lost it" and can no longer reach the artistic peaks of the past. I think however, if they were to make something extraordinary at this point, I could more easily dismiss/accept the last 2 albums as an interesting sidestep for the band in which they tried something different with varying degrees of success. In other words, it would help to know they've still got it.
So, would an innovative classic, at this point, change your opinion of the last 2 albums or would they still seem like wasted opportunities?
Logic for the ultimate win.
It isn't assumptions. The evidence is there in their actions. Pop doesn't sell as many records as they wanted and the next thing we hear from them is this radio friendly pop.
So what is this irrefutable evidence then? As you can see from the post by U2girl above you, there are multiple explanations possible about the shift from Pop to ATYCLB. Hence, there is no truth in claiming that they're only in it for the money now.
Pop is an extremely radio-friendly album that just didn't sell well. Half of that album was released as singles.
"Always wear a safety belt... ALLLLLLLLLLWAAAAAAAAYS"
That's a beacon of intelligent songwriting right there.
Maybe they're just into a new style of making music that you don't particularly like? It doesn't make them any less creative of a band for producing it or you any less of a fan for not liking it.
They first dumbed down Sweetest Thing to simple pop for no other reason than money.
But none of the singles were rewritten or designed to be huge hits. They were all too unique sounding to actually end up being the single that sells the record.
It isn't about whether I like it or not. It is about the band's intention.
The Sweetest Thing has always sucked though.
For the record, Kate Bush has several greatest hits albums. Just saying.
The point is they went for the clear pop hit.
I'm not talking about greatest hits albums at all.
On the contrary, the single versions of "If God Will Send His Angels", "Last Night on Earth", and "Please" were altered upon release because the band thought those were better. How is that any different of a move than "dumbing down" other songs that you don't like? Why would any band release a song as a single without the intention of it being well-received?
"Discotheque" and "Gone" were also changed to appear on the Best Of, too.
What quantifies a song being more "unique sounding" than another, pray tell?
I'm talking about completely rewriting a song, changing the title and lyrics in some cases to ensure a record sells. They are choosing the money over the creativity.
The four examples I used are lowest common denominator songs. They are straight forward and simple. The Pop singles were all creative in their sound. They also weren't written specifically to be hits. They were part of the whole.
The Sweetest Thing's remix was released for the sole purpose of promoting a greatest hits. It's all tied together.
And I don't think you can deny that The Sweetest Thing is an obvious pop song, and was from the start. It's a perfect example of U2's proclivity for a pop hook, even during their peak. Shock of shocks, it was a success when they actually released it.
But none of the singles were rewritten or designed to be huge hits. They were all too unique sounding to actually end up being the single that sells the record.
I don't know for the life of me how you or anyone else can say how creative something is like it's a fact.
I think the songs on ATYCLB fit together pretty well and maybe could put up a decent argument saying Pop was a more single-ready album than that one was without making a sweeping generalization, but that doesn't mean it'll be right or people will agree with me. Maybe I would be wrong, it happens... but I will admit it if the time comes.
Pop sold 6 million copies... big failure....
I'll educate you then. You can look at time signatures of songs, musical complexity, the effects, the innovation, the lyrical complexity, the changes in the songs, types of instruments used, the difficulty of bass lines, uses of moods, song length and many, many more.
Seeing as Always was turned into the mega hit Beautiful Day, I think it is a fact that ATYCLB was a more single ready album. That song sold so many records by itself.
I'll educate you then. You can look at time signatures of songs, musical complexity, the effects, the innovation, the lyrical complexity, the changes in the songs, types of instruments used, the difficulty of bass lines, uses of moods, song length and many, many more.
Seeing as Always was turned into the mega hit Beautiful Day, I think it is a fact that ATYCLB was a more single ready album. That song sold so many records by itself.