Songs of Experience - Part 2

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1. HTAAB was a blatant attempt to capitalize on the populist pop/rock commercial success of ATYCLB.

2. NLOTH was marred by ill-fitting attempts to emulate the style that brought them commercial success in 2000 and 2004.

3. Prior to 2000, U2 had never repeated themselves. When they had success with War, TUF, Joshua Tree, Achtung, they didn't repeat the formula. They trashed it.

4. 360 tour was a successful attempt to play the biggest shows ever and make shit tonnes of cash. It also had the unfortunate side effect of demonstrating that they were a draw based on brand name and legacy, not their new music. NLOTH sold poorly and received negative reviews.

5. In 2009, they claimed to have a companion album nearly finished, but abandoned it. Based on their behavior this century, it's likely it was because it wasn't commercial, not because it wasn't good.

6. They spent five years making the blandest, safest music of their career (and writing some excellent songs, it must be said), removing anything that wasn't smooth and anodyne. They retreated from the weak attempt at once again being adventurous that was displayed on NLOTH because it wasn't commercially successful. They retreated to the sounds of their past and once again mimicked their music of the early 2000s in an attempt for commercial success. Despite that, they felt the need to force it on people rather than letting people chose to listen to it.

7. In 2015, they claimed to have a companion album nearly finished. That brings us to now, where they are claiming it will be out in a year. Based on their recent behaviour, it's probably because it lacks "hits."

8. U2 have not had a hit single since ATYCLB. Vertigo is widely known, but that's because it was in the ad. And it's reviled. Their cynical attempts to manufacture hits are failures commercially, but more importantly they fail artistically.

9. U2 are fond of reminding us that they're a business. They discuss that more than they do art. It seems that U2 are now in the business of business, not the business of art.

10. It's unlikely that SOE will be good. They'll overwork it in an attempt to achieve commercial success, following their tendency to use the (failed) commercial aspects of their previous album as a template, ignoring that their music does not fit on pop radio, and that nobody wants safe, predictable U2. For a band that prizes themselves on self awareness they are oddly unaware of the public perception of U2 being a bland, overly commercial, formerly great band.
 
Hollow Island said:
1. HTAAB was a blatant attempt to capitalize on the populist pop/rock commercial success of ATYCLB.

2. NLOTH was marred by ill-fitting attempts to emulate the style that brought them commercial success in 2000 and 2004.

3. Prior to 2000, U2 had never repeated themselves. When they had success with War, TUF, Joshua Tree, Achtung, they didn't repeat the formula. They trashed it.

4. 360 tour was a successful attempt to play the biggest shows ever and make shit tonnes of cash. It also had the unfortunate side effect of demonstrating that they were a draw based on brand name and legacy, not their new music. NLOTH sold poorly and received negative reviews.

5. In 2009, they claimed to have a companion album nearly finished, but abandoned it. Based on their behavior this century, it's likely it was because it wasn't commercial, not because it wasn't good.

6. They spent five years making the blandest, safest music of their career (and writing some excellent songs, it must be said), removing anything that wasn't smooth and anodyne. They retreated from the weak attempt at once again being adventurous that was displayed on NLOTH because it wasn't commercially successful. They retreated to the sounds of their past and once again mimicked their music of the early 2000s in an attempt for commercial success. Despite that, they felt the need to force it on people rather than letting people chose to listen to it.

7. In 2015, they claimed to have a companion album nearly finished. That brings us to now, where they are claiming it will be out in a year. Based on their recent behaviour, it's probably because it lacks "hits."

8. U2 have not had a hit single since ATYCLB. Vertigo is widely known, but that's because it was in the ad. And it's reviled. Their cynical attempts to manufacture hits are failures commercially, but more importantly they fail artistically.

9. U2 are fond of reminding us that they're a business. They discuss that more than they do art. It seems that U2 are now in the business of business, not the business of art.

10. It's unlikely that SOE will be good. They'll overwork it in an attempt to achieve commercial success, following their tendency to use the (failed) commercial aspects of their previous album as a template, ignoring that their music does not fit on pop radio, and that nobody wants safe, predictable U2. For a band that prizes themselves on self awareness they are oddly unaware of the public perception of U2 being a bland, overly commercial, formerly great band.
Click to expand...


It's Friday lighten up


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference
 
Hollow Island said:
1. HTAAB was a blatant attempt to capitalize on the populist pop/rock commercial success of ATYCLB.

2. NLOTH was marred by ill-fitting attempts to emulate the style that brought them commercial success in 2000 and 2004.

3. Prior to 2000, U2 had never repeated themselves. When they had success with War, TUF, Joshua Tree, Achtung, they didn't repeat the formula. They trashed it.

4. 360 tour was a successful attempt to play the biggest shows ever and make shit tonnes of cash. It also had the unfortunate side effect of demonstrating that they were a draw based on brand name and legacy, not their new music. NLOTH sold poorly and received negative reviews.

5. In 2009, they claimed to have a companion album nearly finished, but abandoned it. Based on their behavior this century, it's likely it was because it wasn't commercial, not because it wasn't good.

6. They spent five years making the blandest, safest music of their career (and writing some excellent songs, it must be said), removing anything that wasn't smooth and anodyne. They retreated from the weak attempt at once again being adventurous that was displayed on NLOTH because it wasn't commercially successful. They retreated to the sounds of their past and once again mimicked their music of the early 2000s in an attempt for commercial success. Despite that, they felt the need to force it on people rather than letting people chose to listen to it.

7. In 2015, they claimed to have a companion album nearly finished. That brings us to now, where they are claiming it will be out in a year. Based on their recent behaviour, it's probably because it lacks "hits."

8. U2 have not had a hit single since ATYCLB. Vertigo is widely known, but that's because it was in the ad. And it's reviled. Their cynical attempts to manufacture hits are failures commercially, but more importantly they fail artistically.

9. U2 are fond of reminding us that they're a business. They discuss that more than they do art. It seems that U2 are now in the business of business, not the business of art.

10. It's unlikely that SOE will be good. They'll overwork it in an attempt to achieve commercial success, following their tendency to use the (failed) commercial aspects of their previous album as a template, ignoring that their music does not fit on pop radio, and that nobody wants safe, predictable U2. For a band that prizes themselves on self awareness they are oddly unaware of the public perception of U2 being a bland, overly commercial, formerly great band.
Click to expand...


I have heard that the hate leads you to the dark side
 
@Gonna Run 2 U - it's Friday...the thirteenth.

@mack again - I don't hate U2, I love them and really like SOI a lot...I'm just beginning to feel that the album was an aberration, not the start of U2 rediscovering who they really are. I guess that band is gone, and all we can expect is an album of commercial rock (for a market that doesn't even exist anymore!) every four-five years, and maybe they'll write some decent songs for it. Which is fine. But U2 could, and should, be more than that. It's not even like they're striving for new territory but the muse has left them. They've abandoned that goal for HITS. And it's kind of shameful. But as long as we get SOI and not HTAAB it's all right I guess.
 
Hollow Island said:
1. HTAAB was a blatant attempt to capitalize on the populist pop/rock commercial success of ATYCLB.

2. NLOTH was marred by ill-fitting attempts to emulate the style that brought them commercial success in 2000 and 2004.

3. Prior to 2000, U2 had never repeated themselves. When they had success with War, TUF, Joshua Tree, Achtung, they didn't repeat the formula. They trashed it.

4. 360 tour was a successful attempt to play the biggest shows ever and make shit tonnes of cash. It also had the unfortunate side effect of demonstrating that they were a draw based on brand name and legacy, not their new music. NLOTH sold poorly and received negative reviews.

5. In 2009, they claimed to have a companion album nearly finished, but abandoned it. Based on their behavior this century, it's likely it was because it wasn't commercial, not because it wasn't good.

6. They spent five years making the blandest, safest music of their career (and writing some excellent songs, it must be said), removing anything that wasn't smooth and anodyne. They retreated from the weak attempt at once again being adventurous that was displayed on NLOTH because it wasn't commercially successful. They retreated to the sounds of their past and once again mimicked their music of the early 2000s in an attempt for commercial success. Despite that, they felt the need to force it on people rather than letting people chose to listen to it.

7. In 2015, they claimed to have a companion album nearly finished. That brings us to now, where they are claiming it will be out in a year. Based on their recent behaviour, it's probably because it lacks "hits."

8. U2 have not had a hit single since ATYCLB. Vertigo is widely known, but that's because it was in the ad. And it's reviled. Their cynical attempts to manufacture hits are failures commercially, but more importantly they fail artistically.

9. U2 are fond of reminding us that they're a business. They discuss that more than they do art. It seems that U2 are now in the business of business, not the business of art.

10. It's unlikely that SOE will be good. They'll overwork it in an attempt to achieve commercial success, following their tendency to use the (failed) commercial aspects of their previous album as a template, ignoring that their music does not fit on pop radio, and that nobody wants safe, predictable U2. For a band that prizes themselves on self awareness they are oddly unaware of the public perception of U2 being a bland, overly commercial, formerly great band.
Click to expand...



And with that, Interference is over. It's all been answered and explained for us. No need to post anything else. These are the 10 hard truths. Learn them and live them as you go forth into the cold night.
 
I'm not gonna argue with your opinions, but to say Vertigo wasn't a hit is just factually incorrect. You say it's only remembered because it was in an ad? By that logic, the general public should also be able to remember Crazy Tonight and The Miracle, but that's hardly the case.

Sent from my SCH-I435 using U2 Interference mobile app
 
Vertigo was absolutely a hit, and, if iTunes downloads counted toward the Billboard chart at the time, I'm pretty confident it's a top 10 hit for U2.
 
I think that what's wrong with SOI is that the band is focusing on the safe places the album has explored, and has forgot to promote their adventurous tracks from the 2nd half. From Raised by Wolves up to Crystal Ballroom, they have a very nice batch of creative songs, some of them sounding in a completely different way we are used to hear from U2.
I agree that The Miracle - Raised by Wolves is a decent batch of songs, but they are just more of the same old formulas. They are not innovative.
 
Vertigo was a hit. I literally hit myself like this :doh: first time i heard it. Full disclosure: I have actually grown to enjoy it at times, though I'm usually half in the bag.
 
I see a pattern. SOA was supposed to happen, but we got SOI instead. They skipped a vowel. So now SOE is supposed to happen, and since we already have SOI, they will skip SOO and release SOU in 2019. Songs of Understanding: a tribute to their fans

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using U2 Interference mobile app
 
I don't analyze music a whole lot, and maybe I'm better off for it. I truly do enjoy most of 00s U2. I don't really care that the songwriting is formulaic or that the production is too glossy. If I like the songs and they make me feel something, that's all I need.

That being said, the first time I heard Get on your boots and The Miracle (of Joey Ramone), I didn't like them. That opinion has never changed. There is a short list of U2 songs I dislike, and those 2 are near the top (big girls are best takes that top spot).


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interferencek
 
ozeeko said:
blasphemy, Big Girls Are Best is a classic.
Click to expand...


I just can't get past the lyrics. If I was trying to convert a non fan, that is the last song I would want them to hear. Even more so than stand up comedy.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interferencek
 
Hollow Island said:
1. HTAAB was a blatant attempt to capitalize on the populist pop/rock commercial success of ATYCLB.

2. NLOTH was marred by ill-fitting attempts to emulate the style that brought them commercial success in 2000 and 2004.

3. Prior to 2000, U2 had never repeated themselves. When they had success with War, TUF, Joshua Tree, Achtung, they didn't repeat the formula. They trashed it.

4. 360 tour was a successful attempt to play the biggest shows ever and make shit tonnes of cash. It also had the unfortunate side effect of demonstrating that they were a draw based on brand name and legacy, not their new music. NLOTH sold poorly and received negative reviews.

5. In 2009, they claimed to have a companion album nearly finished, but abandoned it. Based on their behavior this century, it's likely it was because it wasn't commercial, not because it wasn't good.

6. They spent five years making the blandest, safest music of their career (and writing some excellent songs, it must be said), removing anything that wasn't smooth and anodyne. They retreated from the weak attempt at once again being adventurous that was displayed on NLOTH because it wasn't commercially successful. They retreated to the sounds of their past and once again mimicked their music of the early 2000s in an attempt for commercial success. Despite that, they felt the need to force it on people rather than letting people chose to listen to it.

7. In 2015, they claimed to have a companion album nearly finished. That brings us to now, where they are claiming it will be out in a year. Based on their recent behaviour, it's probably because it lacks "hits."

8. U2 have not had a hit single since ATYCLB. Vertigo is widely known, but that's because it was in the ad. And it's reviled. Their cynical attempts to manufacture hits are failures commercially, but more importantly they fail artistically.

9. U2 are fond of reminding us that they're a business. They discuss that more than they do art. It seems that U2 are now in the business of business, not the business of art.

10. It's unlikely that SOE will be good. They'll overwork it in an attempt to achieve commercial success, following their tendency to use the (failed) commercial aspects of their previous album as a template, ignoring that their music does not fit on pop radio, and that nobody wants safe, predictable U2. For a band that prizes themselves on self awareness they are oddly unaware of the public perception of U2 being a bland, overly commercial, formerly great band.
Click to expand...

Vertigo was as big a commercial hit as any song they've ever released, if not bigger. To say otherwise is simply revisionist history based on personal taste, not actual fact.

And to say it was only popular because of the iPod connection is like saying Elvis was only popular because he appeared on Ed Sullivan. The ad and embracing of digital music was seen as ahead of it's time, and has been repeated ad nauseum ever since.


There's plenty to criticise this band over. Try not to make shit up.
 
Irvine511 said:
And with that, Interference is over. It's all been answered and explained for us. No need to post anything else. These are the 10 hard truths. Learn them and live them as you go forth into the cold night.
Click to expand...


:lol: :up:


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference
 
I don't remember hearing it on the radio many times, nor have I met anyone that likes it. I've met plenty of people who hate it though.

I also don't believe that SOE will be out next year. It's looking like this is SOA all over again.
 
Hollow Island said:
6. They spent five years making the blandest, safest music of their career (and writing some excellent songs, it must be said), removing anything that wasn't smooth and anodyne. They retreated from the weak attempt at once again being adventurous that was displayed on NLOTH because it wasn't commercially successful. They retreated to the sounds of their past and once again mimicked their music of the early 2000s in an attempt for commercial success. Despite that, they felt the need to force it on people rather than letting people chose to listen to it.
Click to expand...

The back half of SOI disagrees with this point.
 
Hollow Island said:
I nor have I met anyone that likes it. I've met plenty of people who hate it though.
Click to expand...


This is evidence enough for me.

I mean anyone who introduces himself; "hi my name is Hollow, do you like Vertigo?" Is dedicated to the cause! This man should be trusted.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference
 
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