Zoocoustic
War Child
U2's success since 2000 has been about one thing: how they do at the Grammys.
NLOTH has already been far better received than ATYCLB was when it was first released. Beautiful Day was NOT a radio success at all until AFTER it won the 3 grammys. Few were playing it on the radio until that point. Then the album rose, the song became popular, and U2 was able to call it a huge "comeback success". This despite the fact that every single after Beautiful Day failed to do what they hoped it would do.
HTDAAB had a bit first single with Vertigo. But subsequent singles also failed quite a bit to live up to the hype. Again, the Grammys were U2's saving grace with this album as well. I don't think it ever deserved to win Album of the Year, but it did, and when that happens, the album sells big time.
I wouldn't write NLOTH off as a failure yet. Not by any stretch. On the contrary, I don't think a U2 album has had such praise since AB. Rolling Stone gave it 5 stars. Say what you want about them, they are the biggest music magazine out there.
I'm not sure about how the singles will do. Magnificent and Crazy Tonight have potential to make a bit of noise on commercial radio. But who knows. The key will be (as it has been the last two albums) the Grammys.
NLOTH will obviously get a nomination for album of the year, and probably will have several other nominations from the Grammy's. It will probably win too, and then U2 can add this to their catalog as another huge success.
Like it or not, it will be all about the Grammys. Again.
NLOTH has already been far better received than ATYCLB was when it was first released. Beautiful Day was NOT a radio success at all until AFTER it won the 3 grammys. Few were playing it on the radio until that point. Then the album rose, the song became popular, and U2 was able to call it a huge "comeback success". This despite the fact that every single after Beautiful Day failed to do what they hoped it would do.
HTDAAB had a bit first single with Vertigo. But subsequent singles also failed quite a bit to live up to the hype. Again, the Grammys were U2's saving grace with this album as well. I don't think it ever deserved to win Album of the Year, but it did, and when that happens, the album sells big time.
I wouldn't write NLOTH off as a failure yet. Not by any stretch. On the contrary, I don't think a U2 album has had such praise since AB. Rolling Stone gave it 5 stars. Say what you want about them, they are the biggest music magazine out there.
I'm not sure about how the singles will do. Magnificent and Crazy Tonight have potential to make a bit of noise on commercial radio. But who knows. The key will be (as it has been the last two albums) the Grammys.
NLOTH will obviously get a nomination for album of the year, and probably will have several other nominations from the Grammy's. It will probably win too, and then U2 can add this to their catalog as another huge success.
Like it or not, it will be all about the Grammys. Again.
I know this won't hold much credibility coming from a U2 fanatic, but after U2's time, U2 will be remembered as THE greatest band EVER! bigger than The Beatles, bigger than The Rolling Stones, bigger than Pink Floyd and bigger than Led Zeppelin. oh and not just bigger, BETTER!
Love this post - have always maintained this. God forbid but if the band had been snuffed out in some plane crash in 86 or 87 or even later just after AB.......or if even bono had od'd (can u imagine) on heroin back then, well then they'd have been immortalised and elevated alongside all those great and dead icons, you could just imagine the Boy album cover becoming as popular an icon as Che Guevara gracing t-shirts and school bags and backs of locker doors across the globe. Yeah U2 have never really been forgiven for staying alive and pretty much drug free!
