Rank the 2000s albums, track by track

[LemonMelon]

It has three not-good songs, but they're more blatantly not-good than the 5-6 not-good songs on SOI, so it's apparently a worse album.

 

[TinKnight]

It's interesting how much NLOTH has lost stock in these parts over the last few years. Until SOI, it definitely felt like it had a sort of Revenge of the Sith reputation - the best of the least-popular U2 trilogy. Now, it looks like it's liked about as much as Bomb (not very much).

NLOTH is still by far my favorite of the post-Pop albums, but I see that that opinion isn't very widely shared anymore.

That's the hate for SUC and Boots.

Doing this ranking, I forgot how great the opening of NLOTH is. Those first 3 songs are incredible. The end also has this JT-like, get strapped in for the slow burn quality to it. It's definitely a good album, and I enjoy the highs of NLOTH waaaaaay more than the highs of SOI.

 

[Oregoropa]

SUC is such a phoned in attempt at a rocker. I played it for a friend who is a U2 fan and had never heard it. Said it was not album worthy and sounded kinda dumb. There are a couple interesting guitar flares towards the end, then "Come all ye people" takes a big nasty dump on it immediately

 

[lazarus]

I don't dislike anything on SOI as much as Crazy Tonight and SUC, but I think No Line has higher highs. Is it a better album? Hard to say. It's more adventurous sonically, and has a great opening run of four songs, but that bump in the middle is rough.

I can appreciate the autobiographical content of SOI, but the opening run is very inconsistent, with California the only standout for me (unless we're counting the earlier version of EBW, which is in my own playlist). I despise the presence of Tedder and Epworth for the most part. However, it recovers very well, and I honestly love every track from Volcano all the way to the end.

It's very much a toss-up. Neither fully work as an album and both were compromised by bringing in new producers to try and add hit singles to the mix. Lost a lot of respect for the band on both counts.

 

[Hollow Island]

I think that SOI is a better album than NLOTH just because it's consistently good and it's a cohesive experience. Half of NLTOH is a lot better than anything on SOI, but as a whole it's deeply unsatisfying.

 

[mediaman44]

4 Beautiful Day 3 Vertigo 2 TM(OJR) 1 NLOTH
4 Every Breaking Wave 3 MD 2 stuck 1 Magnificent
4 Sometimes 3 MOS 2 Elevation 1 California
4 Walk On 3 Song for Someone 2 LAPOE 1 UC
4 COBL 3 I(HMC) 2 kite 1 crazy tonight
4 ABOY 3 IALW 2 Volcano 1 GOYB
4 AMAAW 3 raised by wolves 2 Wild honey 1 SUC
4 peace on earth 3 crumbs 2 cedarwood road 1 fez
4 One Step closer 3 sleep like a baby 2 WILATW 1 WAS
4 original of the species 3 this is where you can reach me now 2 new York 1 Breathe
4 yahweh 3 the troubles 2 Grace 1 cedars of Lebanon

Totals bomb: 39
Atyclb 29th
SOI 29
Men's shoes 29
NLOTH 13

A little suprised but not with everything