New U2 single: Ahimsa

[tommycharles]

It's not about being cool, though, and it's not even necessarily about young people. Olds don't even have much respect for U2's recent work, and shit like Ahimsa is a big reason why.

See also Pearl Jam, who dropped the lead single from their first new album in 6 years today. They're 10 years younger than U2, but they put out a song that manages to (a) go somewhere new for them musically, (b) sound like it was made in 2019, but crucially also (c) not be awful.

U2 is still capable of this (The Blackout, This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now, Crystal Ballroom, for example), but the problem is that they think The Miracle and Get Out Of Your Own Way hit the mark there, and they don't.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

I take it you guys don't spend much time around actual young people.

 

[mikal]

I take it you guys don't spend much time around actual young people.

I heard that the teenagers love “13 (There Is A Light)” beggar this is the prime age where they love getting advice from their dads.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

See also Pearl Jam, who dropped the lead single from their first new album in 6 years today. They're 10 years younger than U2, but they put out a song that manages to (a) go somewhere new for them musically, (b) sound like it was made in 2019, but crucially also (c) not be awful.



U2 is still capable of this (The Blackout, This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now, Crystal Ballroom, for example), but the problem is that they think The Miracle and Get Out Of Your Own Way hit the mark there, and they don't.

You think young people want to hear those songs? Nah dude. They want The Troubles. They want less of Bono and more of not Bono.

They want nothing to do with The Blackout. I would venture so say Get Out of Your Own Way is more likely to capture a young blind ear than The Blackout. The youngest generation of U2 fans like The Blackout. But guess what, they’re not young anymore...

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

At this point it would be a good time to ask any young people on the forum what their opinions are but there aren't any so... yeah.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

By all means please let me know when Dance of the Clairvoyants hits the top 20

 

[tommycharles]

By all means please let me know when Dance of the Clairvoyants hits the top 20

Hollow Island's point, which was what I was responding to, wasn't about chart position, but about perception even among older folks (which, at 31, I suppose I am).

Radiohead and NIN (referenced as having more cultural cache than U2 these days) don't trouble the singles chart either. But their new stuff is taken seriously, at least. Dance of the Clairvoyants is, as you say, unlikely to get as much attention as something by Billie Eilish, Vampire Weekend, or The 1975. But it's respectable new creative work in a way that Get Out Of Your Own Way or god forbid Ahimsa just isn't.

 

[mikal]

Quantify “taken seriously”. How is that measured?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Quantify “taken seriously”. How is that measured?

Whether or not the OPs like the song.

Yes? Serious!

No? Not serious!

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Mind you the most common phrase in the song referenced here is "I know that boys want to grow their dicks"

That's some serious shit.

 

[zoocarolina]

This place is going to cave in on itself with all the relevancy questions for awhile since I’m guessing we don’t get even a dribble of news from the boys until mid year or late in the year. Feels weird since there was so much going on from 2014-2019 and we should have a good break now.

 

[Sickly Vulpine]

This place is going to cave in on itself with all the relevancy questions for awhile since I’m guessing we don’t get even a dribble of news from the boys until mid year or late in the year. Feels weird since there was so much going on from 2014-2019 and we should have a good break now.

Yep, definitely headed for a long dry spell. I think at best we get some holiday time announcement, similar to 2016, in which they let fans know what may be on the horizon. Other than that, there will probably be an interview or a podcast or two with either Bono or Edge saying the same general things about future work. Hopefully they find something to really get them inspired. Maybe do a song for a film or something.....

 

[mikal]

If there's one thing I'm certain of, whatever they released next is going to suck because it won't sound like Zooropa!

 

[MattD]

Hollow Island's point, which was what I was responding to, wasn't about chart position, but about perception even among older folks (which, at 31, I suppose I am).

Radiohead and NIN (referenced as having more cultural cache than U2 these days) don't trouble the singles chart either. But their new stuff is taken seriously, at least. Dance of the Clairvoyants is, as you say, unlikely to get as much attention as something by Billie Eilish, Vampire Weekend, or The 1975. But it's respectable new creative work in a way that Get Out Of Your Own Way or god forbid Ahimsa just isn't.

That’s it right there - respectable and creative.

U2 haven’t done that since a few of the gems on No Line (although knowing how woefully misguided the band are these days, they’d probably think I’m referring to the terrible trio of songs in the middle.

Ahimsa is the ultimate nadir and the antithesis of anything remotely interesting and respectable. The band should be ashamed of themselves for something so utterly tripe and dull as dishwater.

 

[mikal]

That’s it right there - respectable and creative.



U2 haven’t done that since a few of the gems on No Line (although knowing how woefully misguided the band are these days, they’d probably think I’m referring to the terrible trio of songs in the middle.



Ahimsa is the ultimate nadir and the antithesis of anything remotely interesting and respectable. The band should be ashamed of themselves for something so utterly tripe and dull as dishwater.

Overdramatic much? It was a one of single for their concert in India. It was probably put together quickly. If you really have a problem with U2's direction, seems weird that this is the song you'd flip out over.