Rate and Compare the Two Last Great Albums

[womanfish]

I love both POP and the new album. I think they are both superb albums that were/are unfortunately maligned and overshadowed by non-music forces.

So, I thought I would look at both albums and rate each track 1 to 10, 10 being the best, and rating them in an way that would take it into consideration U2's entire body of work, not just songs on that album.

This is what I came up with.

1. "Discothèque" - 6
2. "Do You Feel Loved" - 8
3. "Mofo" - 9
4. "If God Will Send His Angels" - 5
5. "Staring at the Sun" - 7
6. "Last Night on Earth" - 7
7. "Gone" - 9
8. "Miami" - 7
9. "The Playboy Mansion" - 5
10. "If You Wear That Velvet Dress" - 8
11. "Please" - 9
12. "Wake Up Dead Man" - 9

Total of 89 / 12 songs = 7.42 average


SOI

1. "The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)" - 7
2. "Every Breaking Wave" - 10
3. "California (There Is No End to Love)" - 8
4. "Song for Someone" - 5
5. "Iris (Hold Me Close)" - 7
6. "Volcano" - 8
7. "Raised by Wolves" - 9
8. "Cedarwood Road" - 7
9. "Sleep Like a Baby Tonight" - 9
10. "This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now" - 6
11. "The Troubles" - 10

Total = 86 / 11 = 7.82

Now I see why I love both these albums equally.

Give it a go if you'd like.

 

[BVS]

I find myself ranking this album very close to Pop and Zooropa, slightly higher than Pop, but lower than Zooropa.

I think at the end of the day it comes down to Miami and PM for me. I don't necessarily skip these songs, but they rank pretty low, and the only one that ranks this low as of now is California. And even recently it's actually gone up in my ranking.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[DomCobb]

I don't think Pop's very good at all so I'll say Zooropa was their last great album.

Zooropa:

1. Zooropa - 9
2. Babyface - 7
3. Numb - 7
4. Lemon - 8
5. Stay (Faraway, So Close) - 10
6. Daddy's Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car - 8
7. Some Days Are Better Than Others - 7
8. The First Time - 9
9. Dirty Day - 7
10. The Wanderer - 9

Total 81/10 = 8.1 average


Songs of Innocence:

1. The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone) - 7
2. Every Breaking Wave - 9
3. California (There Is No End To Love) - 9
4. Song for Someone - 7
5. Iris (Hold Me Close) - 9
6. Volcano - 9
7. Raised by Wolves - 8
8. Cedarwood Road - 7
9. Sleep Like a Baby Tonight - 7
10. This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now - 9
11. The Troubles - 9

Total 90/11 = 8.18 average

And the winner is SOI by a hair. Wonder how much that will change when I hear The Crystal Ballroom and Lucifer's Hands.

 

[LemonMelon]

Zooropa

1. Zooropa - 10
2. Babyface - 7
3. Numb - 7.5
4. Lemon - 10
5. Stay - 10
6. Daddy's Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car - 8
7. Some Days Are Better Than Others - 9
8. The First Time - 8.5
9. Dirty Day - 8
10. The Wanderer - 7.5

Average: 8.55

Pop

1. Discotheque - 8
2. Do You Feel Loved - 9
3. Mofo - 8.5
4. If God Will Send His Angels - 8
5. Staring at the Sun - 7.5
6. Last Night on Earth - 9
7. Gone - 9.5
8. Miami - 7
9. The Playboy Mansion - 7.5
10. If You Wear That Velvet Dress - 8
11. Please - 9
12. Wake Up Dead Man - 10

Average: 8.42

Zooropa is the winner, as always.

 

[2861U2]

Beautiful Day- 10
Stuck In A Moment- 8
Elevation- 7
Walk On- 8
Kite- 10
In A Little While- 8
Wild Honey- 6
Peace On Earth- 5
When I Look At The World- 9
New York- 5
Grace- 5

The Miracle- 6
Every Breaking Wave- 9
California- 7
Song For Someone- 7
Iris- 8
Volcano- 4
Raised By Wolves- 8
Cedarwood Road- 6
Sleep Like A Baby Tonight- 6
This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now- 7
The Troubles- 10


ATYCLB average: 7.36
SOI average: 7.09

 

[Axver]

This thread should be UF vs JT.

 

[SpiralStaircase]

1. Where the streets have no name - 10
2. I still haven't found what I'm looking for - 9
3. With or without you - 10
4. Bullet the blue sky - 10
5. Running to stand still - 10
6. Red hill mining town - 8
7. In God's country - 8
8. Trip through your wires - 7
9. One Tree Hill - 8
10. Exit - 10
11. Mothers of the disappeared - 9

99/11 = 9

1. Zooropa - 9
2. Babyface - 8
3. Numb - 8
4. Lemon - 10
5. Stay - 9
6. Daddy's Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car - 9
7. Some Days Are Better Than Others - 7
8. The First Time - 9
9. Dirty Day - 8
10. The Wanderer - 8

87/10 - 8.7

but as an experiment SOI:

1. The Miracle - 8
2. Every breaking wave - 9
3. California - 9
4. Song for someone - 9
5. Iris - 8
6. Volcano - 8
7. Raised by wolves - 9
8. Cedarwood Road - 8
9. Sleep like a baby tonight - 8
10. This is where you can reach me now - 8
11. The Troubles - 8

92/11 = 8.3636363636 etc

which sounds about right, allowing for the shock of the new. Might have to do this for all the albums now!

 

[Bring the Beat]

2. I still haven't found what I'm looking for - 9


Plz...

 

[prbiker15]

This calls for yet another Rate the Song Series.

 

[Flaming Friar Sr]

1. "Discothèque" - 9
2. "Do You Feel Loved" - 10
3. "Mofo" - 10
4. "If God Will Send His Angels" - 10
5. "Staring at the Sun" - 9
6. "Last Night on Earth" - 9
7. "Gone" - 10
8. "Miami" - 9
9. "The Playboy Mansion" - 9
10. "If You Wear That Velvet Dress" - 9
11. "Please" - 10
12. "Wake Up Dead Man" - 10

Total of 114 / 12 songs = 9.5 average


SOI

1. "The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)" - 7
2. "Every Breaking Wave" - 9
3. "California (There Is No End to Love)" - 8
4. "Song for Someone" - 7
5. "Iris (Hold Me Close)" - 10
6. "Volcano" - 9
7. "Raised by Wolves" - 8
8. "Cedarwood Road" - 10
9. "Sleep Like a Baby Tonight" - 10
10. "This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now" - 7
11. "The Troubles" - 9

Total = 94 / 11 = 8.55

 

[DomCobb]

I actually did this for all the albums. Almost exactly the same as my ranking for the albums overall. Things I realized: I like the songs on NLOTH more than I remember, and RAH has a even more bullshit than I remember (it's almost unfair to rank it this way - what am I supposed to give Freedom for My People and Star-Spangled Banner?).

 

[cobl04]

Gloria 9
I Fall Down 8
I Threw a Brick Through a Window 10
Rejoice 10
Fire 10
Tomorrow 10
October 10
With a Shout (Jerusalem) 8
Stranger in a Strange Land 10
Scarlet 9
Is That All? 9
93/8.45


United Colours 9
Slug 10
Your Blue Room 10
Always Forever Now 10
A Different Kind of Blue 8
Beach Sequence 10
Miss Sarajevo 9
Ito Okashi 7
One Minute Warning 9
Corpse (These Chains are Way Too Long) 7
Elvis Ate America 7
Plot 180 8
Theme from the Swan 7
Theme from Let's Go Native 8
119/8.5

 

[Musikwala]

Hahaha October vs. Passengers... talk about differing tastes... geez!

I agree with the OP about Pop and SOI both being great albums compared to everything that came in between. No time to rate tracks right now.

 

[An Cat Gav]

Zooropa

Zooropa: 10
Babyface: 7
Numb: 8
Lemon: 10
Stay: 10
Daddy's Gonna pay: 7
Some Days: 7
First Time : 7
Dirty Day: 8
The Wanderer:10

Tot 84
Average 8.4


Pop

Discotheque: 8
Do You Feel Loved: 8
Mofo: 10
If God Will Send:7
Staring At The Sun: 8
Last Night On earth: 6
Gone : 9
Miami:8
Playboy Mansion : 6
IYWTVD: 8
Please: 9
Wake Up Dead Man: 10

Tot:97
Average: 8.08


SoI

The Miracle : 7
Every Breaking Wave: 8
California: 9
Song For Someone: 6
Iris: 8
Volcano: 8
Raised By wolves: 8
Cedarwood: 9
SLABT: 9
TIWYCRMN:9
The Troubles: 10

Tot:91
Average 8.27

 

[thavidesco]

1. "Discothèque" - 9
2. "Do You Feel Loved" - 5
3. "Mofo" - 4
4. "If God Will Send His Angels" - 6
5. "Staring at the Sun" - 4
6. "Last Night on Earth" - 5
7. "Gone" - 6
8. "Miami" - 1
9. "The Playboy Mansion" - 0
10. "If You Wear That Velvet Dress" - 7
11. "Please" - 5
12. "Wake Up Dead Man" - 5

Total of 57 / 12 songs = 4.75 average


SOI

1. "The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)" - 5
2. "Every Breaking Wave" - 8
3. "California (There Is No End to Love)" - 8
4. "Song for Someone" - 8
5. "Iris (Hold Me Close)" - 9
6. "Volcano" - 8
7. "Raised by Wolves" - 8
8. "Cedarwood Road" - 5
9. "Sleep Like a Baby Tonight" - 7
10. "This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now" - 8
11. "The Troubles" - 8

Total of 82 / 12 songs = 7.45 average


Note: Pop is not a good album, it is an unsuccesful experiment, but they have my big respect for trying something new and not playing it safe like on the next two records

 

[Musikwala]

Pop is the last time I was crazy fanboyish about U2. It was the absolute peak of my fandom I think. It is not a good album. It is a great album!

 

[xtrmx]

Discothèque - 9
Do You Feel Loved - 10
Mofo - 6
If God Will Send His Angels - 6
Staring at the Sun - 1
Last Night on Earth - 10
Gone - 10
Miami - 3
The Playboy Mansion - 7
If You Wear That Velvet Dress - 3
Please - 10
Wake Up Dead Man - 2

Beautiful Day - 10
Stuck In A Moment - 9
Elevation - 1
Walk On - 10
Kite - 10
In A Little While - 2
Wild Honey- 6
Peace On Earth - 6
When I Look At The World - 10
New York - 6
Grace- 1

POP 6,41
ATYCLB: 6,45

While I loved parts of HTDATB and NLOTH, I don't consider them really 'great' albums, especially NLOTH was missing cohersion. SoI is absolutely garbage to me.

 

[cobl04]

1. "Discothèque" - 9
2. "Do You Feel Loved" - 5
3. "Mofo" - 4
4. "If God Will Send His Angels" - 6
5. "Staring at the Sun" - 4
6. "Last Night on Earth" - 5
7. "Gone" - 6
8. "Miami" - 1
9. "The Playboy Mansion" - 0
10. "If You Wear That Velvet Dress" - 7
11. "Please" - 5
12. "Wake Up Dead Man" - 5

Total of 57 / 12 songs = 4.75 average


SOI

1. "The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)" - 5
2. "Every Breaking Wave" - 8
3. "California (There Is No End to Love)" - 8
4. "Song for Someone" - 8
5. "Iris (Hold Me Close)" - 9
6. "Volcano" - 8
7. "Raised by Wolves" - 8
8. "Cedarwood Road" - 5
9. "Sleep Like a Baby Tonight" - 7
10. "This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now" - 8
11. "The Troubles" - 8

Total of 82 / 12 songs = 7.45 average


Note: Pop is not a good album, it is an unsuccesful experiment, but they have my big respect for trying something new and not playing it safe like on the next two records

Jesus there have been some horrible opinions in here of late.

 

[Salome]

Total of 82 / 12 songs = 7.45 average

I think you meant to divide by 11

 

[Musikwala]

 

[Harry Vest]

I love both POP and the new album. I think they are both superb albums that were/are unfortunately maligned and overshadowed by non-music forces.

So, I thought I would look at both albums and rate each track 1 to 10, 10 being the best, and rating them in an way that would take it into consideration U2's entire body of work, not just songs on that album.

This is what I came up with.

1. "Discothèque" - 6
2. "Do You Feel Loved" - 8
3. "Mofo" - 9
4. "If God Will Send His Angels" - 5
5. "Staring at the Sun" - 7
6. "Last Night on Earth" - 7
7. "Gone" - 9
8. "Miami" - 7
9. "The Playboy Mansion" - 5
10. "If You Wear That Velvet Dress" - 8
11. "Please" - 9
12. "Wake Up Dead Man" - 9

Total of 89 / 12 songs = 7.42 average


SOI

1. "The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)" - 7
2. "Every Breaking Wave" - 10
3. "California (There Is No End to Love)" - 8
4. "Song for Someone" - 5
5. "Iris (Hold Me Close)" - 7
6. "Volcano" - 8
7. "Raised by Wolves" - 9
8. "Cedarwood Road" - 7
9. "Sleep Like a Baby Tonight" - 9
10. "This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now" - 6
11. "The Troubles" - 10

Total = 86 / 11 = 7.82

Now I see why I love both these albums equally.

Give it a go if you'd like.

Sorry, but there is absolutely nothing on this new album that compares to the intensity of "Please", "Gone" or even "Wake Up Dead Man" - "The Troubles" may come close but with that horrible quick fade out I don't think so!!!

Then again, different strokes for different folks.

 

[CosmoKramer]

Jesus there have been some horrible opinions in here of late.

I would agree with your statement....you gave Passengers an 8.5. Heck, you gave Elvis ate America a 7.


Sent from my iPad using U2 Interference

 

[LemonMelon]

Only an 8.5?