Hewson
Blue Crack Supplier
Band felt prices were too low across the board.
Songs of Experience - Part 3
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Band felt prices were too low across the board.
I would differ. We can argue about how relevant they can be, but a good/interesting/weird video would, I feel, be the only way that U2 can gain new fans, living as we are in a time when youtube video views are the truest measure of relevance.
And for fuck's sake, get Bono's oscillating mug off the screen in videos. Whether we like it or not, he has too many haters and his face on music videos defeats the purpose, which is to promote the song and the band that composed it.
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Mack_Again
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
dammit, Huffington post.
prbiker15
Blue Crack Addict
Ha! 
mikal
Blue Crack Addict
U2 > FBI
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mikal
Blue Crack Addict
U2 likes the back door.
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Hawkmoon269
War Child
U2 is more powerful than the FBI! 
About the videos, I agree that they tend to make them not very interesting, the last interesting one -for me- was Ordinary Love, I also liked the VR video for song for someone, but just because the VR factor.
But really, as an older act the only way they can gain millions of views is having a video with cameos by younger artists, because I really don't think U2's fanbase is into watching U2 videos thousand of times a day, with its exceptions... I think I watched u2gigs video of zoo station live way more times than a responsible adult should
About the videos, I agree that they tend to make them not very interesting, the last interesting one -for me- was Ordinary Love, I also liked the VR video for song for someone, but just because the VR factor.
But really, as an older act the only way they can gain millions of views is having a video with cameos by younger artists, because I really don't think U2's fanbase is into watching U2 videos thousand of times a day, with its exceptions... I think I watched u2gigs video of zoo station live way more times than a responsible adult should
Why? I only got GA so maybe I just don't see it. But from what I know there were seats starting at around 35 Euro. Seems very reasonable to me.
brooklynmike
Refugee
Oregoropa
Rock n' Roll Doggie Band-aid
I thought they weathered the storm by buying Silver from William Devane
brooklynmike
Refugee
That worked out better than when they did the "tiny classified ads" system with Don Lapre in the 90's.
I assume most people know Bono is from U2, and thus wouldn't be any more likely to click a U2 video than if Bono's face wasn't all over it.
I'm calling for a Passengers reunion basically
I assume most people know Bono is from U2, and thus wouldn't be any more likely to click a U2 video than if Bono's face wasn't all over it.
I'm calling for a Passengers reunion basically
True, they won't click on it of their own accord, those who are already anti-bono. But the effect of these anti-bono hipsters on neutrals is also a factor. Those indifferent to u2 think they are uncool, so if they see a friend watching a cool video (have no idea what that might be, I am 33) with a cool sound (raised by wolves, TIWYCRMN, even Volcano) they might just latch on. The rock cliche self aggrandizement is not for them because it is so contrary to their personas that it shows (perhaps with the exception of Bono, whose antics are better suited on a stadium stage than on a video).
I dont know what it is exactly, but it is surprising that in their thirst and quest for relevance they have left this vital stone unturned .
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The_acrobat
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
But GOYB and TM(OJR) were both TERRIBLE choices for first singles. They are both (IMO, of course) bad songs. I'm as big of a U2 fan as there is, and I champion the new stuff as well as the old, there are few songs of theres I do not like. But I do not like those 2 songs. WHY they ended up as being the flagship singles from their respective album is beyond me. It shows me that 1- U2 are completely clueless about what people want to hear from them, and 2- there is no system in place for somebody to tell them that that particular song shouldn't be on the album, let alone released as the first single. They must be surrounded by a bunch of YES MEN. Yes, "Vertigo" was a huge worldwide hit (and their last one at that).
I'm not sure what song should've been the first singles from NLOTH or SOI to make a better impression, but they chose poorly in both instances.
Cedarwood Road or The Troubles would have been my choice, but Innocence's failure had more to do with the Apple release than it did The Miracle.
Boots, in the other hand...
Boots, in the other hand...
Mack_Again
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
I wonder what happened if they actually released Moment of Surrender as their 1st single off of No Line.
popacrobat
Rock n' Roll Doggie FOB
Yeah, the Miracle was fine. Much improved live, but what else is new? Innocence is a very strong album that the public didn't give a chance because of the release method.
I still don't think it's a big deal, and I wouldn't care if Taylor Swift or somebody I dislike put an album on my phone, but it is what it is, and the public made up its mind.
They likely felt redeemed with the tour and the new songs' reception, since the album translated very well live, so I doubt they are licking their wounds ala No Line.
Playing revisionist history, if I were releasing the first single, it would either be Cedarwood Road, Every Breaking Wave or Crystal Ballroom. I feel like Ballroom would've had a chance on radio.
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Mack_Again
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
apparently Edge is at Louisiana. i guess SOE isn't really made
Gonna Run 2 U
New Yorker
It's finished
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I think it's done too. They are in post album vacation mode.
The only issue would be them 52nd guessing their work.
Let's hope no frills with the release method. And please pick a better lead off single.
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The only issue would be them 52nd guessing their work.
Let's hope no frills with the release method. And please pick a better lead off single.
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trevgreg
Rock n' Roll Doggie
Going to go on a music geek tangent here, so bear with me…
In terms of the “first single” arguments, one idea that came to mind for me before SOI was even released was that, if they wanted to get a song out there that people could hear and possibly become popular, the band could always retreat back to the famed I–V–vi–IV progression that they’ve used at various times over the years. WOWY was always the main example of that, but they’ve used it in plenty of other songs in the years since then (The Wanderer, In a Little While, Wild Honey, Miracle Drug, Lady With the Spinning Head), but not necessarily as a single per se. The main riffs in Magnificent and Beautiful Day do have those four chords, but six in total that are being used.
SOI, as it turns out, had at least four songs in total that used the chords in that progression pretty frequently. Don't quote me on the specifics, but they're something along these lines...
The Miracle: G-D-Bm-A (first half of the chorus, G-D-A in the second)
Every Breaking Wave: A-C#m-E-B (most of song)
California: D-A-E-F#m in the verses, D-A-F#m-E ( first half of the chorus)
Volcano: Em-C-G-D (most of the chorus)
Unsurprisingly, those songs made up 80% of the suggestions for what a first single should have been on here, from what I remember (aside from maybe The Troubles got a few votes based on strength and artistic merit). In the end, I’d say The Miracle was probably the way to go anyway. Unlike EBW, the guitar sound and intro were probably would have been enough to get the most attention out of the four (sacrilege to those wanting Passengers or Blackstar-artistry, maybe, but in terms of Joe Listener… maybe not), on top of being a superior song to GOYB as it is.
And weirdly enough, The Miracle's chorus riff is almost exactly a half-step under the main riff in another popular Irish band's single...
EBW might not have been the strongest for a first-time song, although it’s arguably the strongest lyrically or even musically… imo, the second spot probably was the most appropriate, given that if The Miracle had performed a bit better or if the band was actually promoting in stuff w/o the bike accident and all, it might’ve set up EBW for an even bigger splash than it had in the two-spot. Yet again, maybe not?
Of course, the chords that are used do not automatically mean that song would have been a zeitgeist or one that broke into the mainstream big-time, as it was proved since then. But I don’t think there would have been much better choices than those anyway. At least the first two that were chosen had a little basis for being a single that could have received some attention, as compared to other songs off of the album. I'm still surprised that in my neck of the woods, Song For Someone was the one single that I heard the most out of the three on terrestrial radio!
In terms of the “first single” arguments, one idea that came to mind for me before SOI was even released was that, if they wanted to get a song out there that people could hear and possibly become popular, the band could always retreat back to the famed I–V–vi–IV progression that they’ve used at various times over the years. WOWY was always the main example of that, but they’ve used it in plenty of other songs in the years since then (The Wanderer, In a Little While, Wild Honey, Miracle Drug, Lady With the Spinning Head), but not necessarily as a single per se. The main riffs in Magnificent and Beautiful Day do have those four chords, but six in total that are being used.
SOI, as it turns out, had at least four songs in total that used the chords in that progression pretty frequently. Don't quote me on the specifics, but they're something along these lines...
The Miracle: G-D-Bm-A (first half of the chorus, G-D-A in the second)
Every Breaking Wave: A-C#m-E-B (most of song)
California: D-A-E-F#m in the verses, D-A-F#m-E ( first half of the chorus)
Volcano: Em-C-G-D (most of the chorus)
Unsurprisingly, those songs made up 80% of the suggestions for what a first single should have been on here, from what I remember (aside from maybe The Troubles got a few votes based on strength and artistic merit). In the end, I’d say The Miracle was probably the way to go anyway. Unlike EBW, the guitar sound and intro were probably would have been enough to get the most attention out of the four (sacrilege to those wanting Passengers or Blackstar-artistry, maybe, but in terms of Joe Listener… maybe not), on top of being a superior song to GOYB as it is.
And weirdly enough, The Miracle's chorus riff is almost exactly a half-step under the main riff in another popular Irish band's single...
EBW might not have been the strongest for a first-time song, although it’s arguably the strongest lyrically or even musically… imo, the second spot probably was the most appropriate, given that if The Miracle had performed a bit better or if the band was actually promoting in stuff w/o the bike accident and all, it might’ve set up EBW for an even bigger splash than it had in the two-spot. Yet again, maybe not?
Of course, the chords that are used do not automatically mean that song would have been a zeitgeist or one that broke into the mainstream big-time, as it was proved since then. But I don’t think there would have been much better choices than those anyway. At least the first two that were chosen had a little basis for being a single that could have received some attention, as compared to other songs off of the album. I'm still surprised that in my neck of the woods, Song For Someone was the one single that I heard the most out of the three on terrestrial radio!
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Mack_Again
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
I-V-vi-IV is everywhere, so at least different song structure/chord structure will help the song to "stand out" at least. i mean i don't give a damn about theory but different totality will be nice.
and almost all pop songs are reliant of this structure: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I–V–vi–IV_progression
and almost all pop songs are reliant of this structure: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I–V–vi–IV_progression
trevgreg
Rock n' Roll Doggie
Yeah, I did the math once, and when you're using those 4 chords, you have 24 different combinations you can make with them. I–V–vi–IV and vi–IV–I–V are obviously the most popular combinations - and I'm not sure if all 24 uses are definitively "the same" as each other from a music theory standpoint. But like you said, it really just comes down to how they're used and, if you can, at least make them kind of original (or not rely on them exclusively for whole parts of the song, if not everything). Lady With the Spinning Head's chorus, for instance, uses the popular C#m-A-E-B riff (vi-IV-I-V). Every Breaking Wave's main riff matches it, but has the C#m and A flipped around.
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Mack_Again
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
EBW was, in a way, adele cover as someone like you was using that classic progression.
cypress
The Fly
For the umpteenth time, the Apple event was NOT a problem, it was, in fact, the most publicity U2 had for an album release since the iPod ads. A few idiot Apple nerds complained for no real reason and it made huge news...and any publicity is good publicity when you're in the music business - just ask Miley Cyrus. Millions of people who found a free album on their device happily listened to it. U2 couldn't have asked for anything better at this point in their careers. The bike accident before the weeklong Fallon stay was really costly though.
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The_acrobat
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
People still talk about u2's album release in a negative way. They're a punchline now. That FBI thing proves it.
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prbiker15
Blue Crack Addict
During the SOI promo tour, I think it was Bono who said something along the lines of "Before they didn't know us and now they hate us, which is an improvement." U2 being a punchline doesn't bother me anymore and I don't think it bothers them.
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