Rumor: Band is already discussing date release and maybe new single out this year!

[lazarus]

There is no conceivable circumstance where they could "reject" it anyway. It would have to be an album of sound effects or something. And I'm sure it stipulates in their contract that they can record whatever the hell they want to, and if Universal didn't want to distribute for some reason they could do it themselves.

 

[U2Fanatic4ever]

^yep, they certainly could and frankly IMO they should have years ago.. But someone in management wouldn't hear of that..

 

[Aygo]

This is definitely one of the most hilarious discussions (is this really a discussion?) of the last times here...

 

[powerhour24]

Most not get exciting by rumors anymore... but any tidbit we get continues to drive me crazy.

Also in this sales age Universal is probably begging U2 to release a recording of the Dublin phonebook for a quick million album sales.

 

[Marien]

Just seen this, I could translate the Spanish blog if you want, but believe me it isn't worth, it just said that a supposed friend in France, Bob, has heard that some rock star, no name, has commented about Universal rejecting the new U2 album, but I know the blog, it's famous here for inventing stories, it's one of these blogs linked to a free web connection page, the author gets paid by the number of visits, so they always try to say something really shocking, this summer, for example, they said that U2 had really great problems with the company due to the leaking of the songs in France and insulted Bono for being so stupid, with that they got thousands of visits just to leave a comment about the writer's stupidity.
Don't worry about that, I think they may be discussing the release date, maybe Universal prefers March instead of February or so.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

well i could certainly see why Universal would prefer March... St. Patrick's Day is a Tuesday this year... they have to love the marketing potential in america.

not that it's a good idea, but executives tend to not make good ideas. but they still get billions of dollars from the government to save their bad ideas so what the fuck.

my guess... Monday March 16th Worldwide Release / Tuesday March 17th American Release... the band (or just bono) serves as grand marshal of the NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade.

 

[BoyOnTheHorizon]

well i could certainly see why Universal would prefer March... St. Patrick's Day is a Tuesday this year... they have to love the marketing potential in america.

not that it's a good idea, but executives tend to not make good ideas. but they still get billions of dollars from the government to save their bad ideas so what the fuck.

my guess... Monday March 16th Worldwide Release / Tuesday March 17th American Release... the band (or just bono) serves as grand marshal of the NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade.

"but they still get billions of dollars from the government to save their bad ideas so what the fuck."

Spot on man!!

 

[lazarus]

well i could certainly see why Universal would prefer March... St. Patrick's Day is a Tuesday this year... they have to love the marketing potential in america.

not that it's a good idea, but executives tend to not make good ideas. but they still get billions of dollars from the government to save their bad ideas so what the fuck.

my guess... Monday March 16th Worldwide Release / Tuesday March 17th American Release... the band (or just bono) serves as grand marshal of the NYC St. Patrick's Day Parade.

...and the album should just be called "ShamROCK".

 

[U2Fanatic4ever]

 

[vaz02]

...and the album should just be called "ShamROCK".

Total cringe value

 

[pepokiss]

they can put a clover in the album booklet, too

 

[Vlad n U 2]

four leaf clover

 

[PowerSurge]

There is no conceivable circumstance where they could "reject" it anyway. It would have to be an album of sound effects or something. And I'm sure it stipulates in their contract that they can record whatever the hell they want to, and if Universal didn't want to distribute for some reason they could do it themselves.

Exactly.

Listen, U2 are at a unique point in their careers where they could squeeze out a fart from their ass and it'll go at least gold if not platinum. To think that a band with that much recognition and catalogue to back it up would even be challenged by some record company executives makes me laugh. C'mon, this isn't Akon, or Rihanna...this is U2. Even Madonna has enough "street cred" to do what ever she pleases with her music. what tells you that U2 is any different? Please....they're atleast ten times better than Madonna...don't you think????

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Exactly.

Listen, U2 are at a unique point in their careers where they could squeeze out a fart from their ass and it'll go at least gold if not platinum. To think that a band with that much recognition and catalogue to back it up would even be challenged by some record company executives makes me laugh. C'mon, this isn't Akon, or Rihanna...this is U2. Even Madonna has enough "street cred" to do what ever she pleases with her music. what tells you that U2 is any different? Please....they're atleast ten times better than Madonna...don't you think????

Yeah, let U2 do what they want, and release what they want when they want.

 

[chocky]

Viva La Vida is a European only release and Violet Hill is France only; and I have no idea where Human was released (think it got a Vinyl release worldwide though) but I'm none of them had a UK release. Violet Hill was also released as a free CD in a magazine last I checked too.

With the UK and US physical sales pretty much gone; there isn't much of a market for them at all, especially if you want to get them at a decent price.

I agree to a certain extent that b-sides are dying, along with CD singles. BUT...

1. There are still plenty of digital singles that have b-sides. Just because we don't buy as many CDs, people are still attracted to a digital EP with a lead single together with exclusive tracks (live, remixes, true b-sides, acoustic etc)

2. In some countries CD singles are still quite popular. Here in Australia, a Rhianna song released earlier this year was the first time a digital single got to number 1 in the charts. Physical singles still mostly outsell the digital version. So far in 2008, over 1.1 million CD singles will have been sold in Australia.

3. Coldplay and Killers CD singles may be only released in UK/Australia/Japan but the b-sides from their singles such as Coldplay's "Death Will Never Conquer" and the trio of Killers b-sides ("Crippling Blow", "Tidal Wave" and "Forget About What I Said") are still available as digital releases on iTunes and the like.

I don't think we can expect songs as good as Luminous Times, Spanish Eyes and Walk to the Water in this new age. But surely fans can at least expect the occasional bonus track - even if it's an iTunes exclusive b-side?

 

[Aygo]

Exactly.

Listen, U2 are at a unique point in their careers where they could squeeze out a fart from their ass and it'll go at least gold if not platinum. To think that a band with that much recognition and catalogue to back it up would even be challenged by some record company executives makes me laugh. C'mon, this isn't Akon, or Rihanna...this is U2. Even Madonna has enough "street cred" to do what ever she pleases with her music. what tells you that U2 is any different? Please....they're atleast ten times better than Madonna...don't you think????

It's not a question of Madonna being good or bad, better or worse than U2. The thing is that their status in the recording industry is very similar.
What distinguishes U2 and Madonna (besides the big grossing world tour productions; besides still being sucessful and relevant against the newbies; besides all the re-inventions, whether in music or image/marketing; etc), I still see U2 mostly as musicians that are very mediatic and go a lot into other forms of expression, but I see Madonna as an artist and an entertainer that makes music her way to impose herself (so, I don't see her really as a musician, neither as a "singer") to those other forms of artistic expression.

 

[PowerSurge]

It's not a question of Madonna being good or bad, better or worse than U2. The thing is that their status in the recording industry is very similar.
What distinguishes U2 and Madonna (besides the big grossing world tour productions; besides still being sucessful and relevant against the newbies; besides all the re-inventions, whether in music or image/marketing; etc), I still see U2 mostly as musicians that are very mediatic and go a lot into other forms of expression, but I see Madonna as an artist and an entertainer that makes music her way to impose herself (so, I don't see her really as a musician, neither as a "singer") to those other forms of artistic expression.

Dude, are you REALLY in Portugal???

Cool...my family is from Portugal. As a matter of fact, they will be spending Christmas in Porto for the first time in 30 years since they've moved here (United States). Pretty cool stuff. Nice to meet you, man its small world I guess.

You write such fluent English....if you don't mind me asking, how did you learn English, you write it really well...and...are you a Benfica fan?

 

[artdirector]

Sounds right. My source had mentioned something similar. Double Album or album with b sides. 24- 30 songs in total with another 20 potential still in raw form in the studio.

 

[BEAL]

I really hope the double album. Hopefully U2 can market it in a way that will lead to success no matter what.

If the 2nd album is much more departure, then hopefully there is a theme to coiencide with it. If it's known before hand that the 2nd half is darker, or just plain different, it probably won't be panned.

If it's just b-sides, to me that just seems like "Here you go, these aren't very good, but have them anyway"....which I really doubt that's the case, but if U2 releases something, it usually means it isn't crap.

 

[topplehatU2]

Yeah I really don't like the idea of a disc of B-sides, I'd rather it be a full-fledged album.

 

[ChargedVT]

A double is a great idea, but you run the risk of filler songs and instrumentals. It would be hard for any band to come up with 22-24 amazing, classic songs. Although, having said that, it has been a few years in making this album so there's been plenty of time.
I would be extremely happy with a single-disc 14-15 track album. A CD can hold 80 minutes can't it, so why not fill it!

 

[LyricalDrug]

DOUBLE ALBUM!!!??!??

 

[slimongi]

No a single word yet about the new single....this is December & no line on the horizon....i doubt a lot to see the Album released at the end of february!

 

[Aygo]

Dude, are you REALLY in Portugal???

Cool...my family is from Portugal. As a matter of fact, they will be spending Christmas in Porto for the first time in 30 years since they've moved here (United States). Pretty cool stuff. Nice to meet you, man its small world I guess.

You write such fluent English....if you don't mind me asking, how did you learn English, you write it really well...and...are you a Benfica fan?

Yeah, I was born here and I live in Lisbon.
You'll be coming to Porto (2nd biggest and 2nd most important city) too? It's nice to hear that a family that moved elsewhere is coming back to its country for many years. That always feel great for that people, really. It reminds me when african-Portuguese friends go back to visit their roots in Cabo Verde, Angola, Mozambique, South Africa and what they feel.

I think my english is not that great, but thanks anyway. In fact, it has happened to me in Interference to be mocked by some users (not gonna say who) because of some basic language errors... just because I'm not english-native like them.
I started to learn english in school in the mid-90's and then practising everyday until today: oral, written, listened, etc. But then I stopped and I continued with french and spanish. Now I want to start with german.

No, I'm not a Benfica fan (sorry to disappoint you) eh eh eh. Neither for Benfica or for any other football club. They're just a (real) Mafia of assholes that generate money for themselves. And I hate how people can easily replace their religion by football obcession, here. It's like replacing the saints of the Catholic church by the football players. It's hard to understand the religious fever for football for me.

Thanks for the kindness m8! And pleased to hear there's a portuguese-descendent guy here

 

[JOFO]

If there is no info released this week, we are not geting a single this month, and I doubt an album by February.

 

[dabiggestu2fan]

If there is no info released this week, we are not geting a single this month, and I doubt an album by February.

Relax we will get the album by feb!

 

[BEAL]

I will guess that if we don't hear anything by the end of next week, we will not have a album in Feb.

Although, would the holidays be a good time to release news for a album? Maybe a good time to release a commerical announcing a new U2 album for 09.

Doesn't have to be for iPod/Apple or anything, just a commercial which has the music for the new single in it, and a message saying "U2 XXXXX released in 09".

People are home watching football/TV anyway over the christmas break, why not?

I doubt it'll happen though. I still think the single will be released in early Jan, with the album coming out late Feb or early March.

 

[last unicorn]

I have been thinking about that as well in the last days. If the album comes out in Feb or March, we should have an official announcement before the holidays. I say single release in January is most likely, but promo/announcements/ads would have to start within the next weeks. So let's keep our fingers crossed and think positive thoughts.

 

[Tyagu_Anaykus]

Benfica sucks! FC Porto all the way

Portugal is taking over this forum

Now back to the topic... I just don't see a double album.... BUT... i'll keep my fingers crossed.

 

[popacrobat]

to be honest, a double album doesn't excite me anymore than a single album does. Just get an album out by the end of March and lets get the show on the road. I'll gladly take a double album though.

I do believe we'll have a full album by the middle of March and probably a single around early January. If they do decide to release it around Christmas-great. It would be a smart move, IMO, with a lot of people traveling for Christmas/New Years etc., on vacations, turn on the radio and oh hey there's a new U2 single out. Good time for promotion I think.