"U2 confirm 2013 album"

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I'm not getting the whole "Get On Your Boots" was a repeat of "Vertigo" thingy. I'm certainly not getting the "Get On Your Boots" wasn't a new direction thingy. I've never heard the Arabic scale in a U2 song. The problem with "Get On Your Boots" as a single is it's too strange. It's not pop enough. It's a great album cut, but it makes "The Fly" sound like "Hey Jude."

They tried. They failed. The world keeps spinning. Next.
 
#1 Good luck trying to get the radio to play the full 7+minute version song.

#2 It is the point since this is the lead single choice. It would help matters if it actually got played on the radio. There's great songs and there's great singles. And the people U2 may have lost with ATYCLB and Bomb aren't likely to come back in droves just because MOS gets exposure.

#1 See #2 or See American Pie or see Stairway to Heaven.

#2 MOS is by far the best song on the album and it actually sounds like something new. Whether it got radio play or not, it would have gotten respect, which after the 2000s U2 needed very badly. GOYB and Magnificent are fine songs, but there's nothing new about either and the two of them just reinforced the critics' opinion that U2 has already given us all the great ideas they'll ever have.
 
I disagree.

First, what defines "hardcore fan"? The length of time one has been a fan? The number of concerts one has seen? How many CD's, books, promos, etc., one buys?

Based on your insightful comments here and your basic collection, I would feel you are a "hardcore fan".

However, you are not a collector. I would contend that a collector would want the big set - and even other versions - of whatever the band releases, as long as they can afford it. But I would not say that collector is necessarily any more "hardcore" than one who doesn't collect. They just enjoy collecting items. The enjoyment often comes in the hunt for older items as well as playing and cherishing them (properly displaying). Not everyone enjoys collecting and some don't have the room or the financial means to do so. However, these non-collectors can still be "hardcore fans".

i don't even own all their albums, 2 or 3 are burnt copies of library cds even, and i rarely play my top 4 and NEVER listen to the early stuff... i've loved their music though since the Joshua Tree, but until 2001 when i stumbled into Zootopia and discovered the online community of U2 fans i didn't even know which of Larry/Adam played the drums/bass and was constantly getting the two muddled up lol all i knew was they were "the two blond guys and one of them went out with Naomi Campbell" lol
 
Moment Of Surrender is an absolute snooze fest. I've played this for casual u2 fans and non u2 fans and agreed it was a bore. Wasn't there enough evidence for this during the mass exodus when played at 360? It would have flopped as a lead single. :doh:

Whilst i don't agree that it's a snoozefest by any means, I think it's one of the best songs they've done this century, I don't think that it really worked live, well, as a show closer anyway.

I've been to dozens of U2 shows going back to the early 80s and though some people always leave early to avoid the rush and skip the last song, I had never seen such a big exodus before and out of those who remained a significant number were just chatting with friends or just looking bored. Of course not everyone was doing it but it was really noticable, even I didn't feel the euphoric rush as strongly as I usually do at the end of a U2 show.

I really felt it watching the Glastonbury show, headline acts normally have a big song they go out on, an anthem that the fans and TV audience remember them for and MOS just didn't work, just this once I think One should have done the job.(and yes I know Out of Control was the last song, but that was more a kind of bonus song if you know what I mean..).

Let me stress again though, I love the studio version of MOS unashamedly, more songs in this spirit and NLOTH would have been a true masterpiece.
 
#1 See #2 or See American Pie or see Stairway to Heaven.

#2 MOS is by far the best song on the album and it actually sounds like something new. Whether it got radio play or not, it would have gotten respect, which after the 2000s U2 needed very badly. GOYB and Magnificent are fine songs, but there's nothing new about either and the two of them just reinforced the critics' opinion that U2 has already given us all the great ideas they'll ever have.

Would American Pie or Stairway to heaven stand a chance on today's radio ? Seriously ?

No one is discounting the quality of MOS. I think it's their best since One. However, a great song doesn't automatically mean great single. And the job of lead single isn't so much "this is new" as it is "we're BACK", especially after the longest break in their career.

Aside from being, honestly, one of the weakest songs on the album, Boots's failure is likely reminding people of Vertigo a little too much (even if, ironically, it includes the most interesting U2 sonic moment since AB: "let me in the sound" part which, instead of being tacked on Boots, should have been a launching point for the *real* comeback single. Alas.). MOS would likely turn the ADD audience right off. Most wouldn't even endure the lovely cello intro.
 
I think it's quite ridiculous that U2 should even be contemplating appealing to the "ADD audience". 95% of the ADD listeners would rather drink gasoline than download a U2 song anyways. U2 have reached the point where a quality and credible lead single would have been beneficial for their album, and MOS fit the bill perfectly.
 
Boots's failure is likely reminding people of Vertigo a little too much (even if, ironically, it includes the most interesting U2 sonic moment since AB: "let me in the sound" part which, instead of being tacked on Boots, should have been a launching point for the *real* comeback single. Alas.)

wow when i hear that bit i just think "Led Zep" and roll my eyes lol
 
U2 will never have another album that will remain # 1 on billboard chart for consecutive weeks.Because the 16-24 years old music lovers don't care for a U2 new album.They'll buy a ticket to see them in concert because they are an event as a live act,just like the Rolling Stones,but that's it.

Listen to them around you...(meaning the 16-24 years old).So releasing a record in the spring or in the fall of 2013 won't change the perception of the non-u2 fans or music fans in general.
 
Enough singles/charts/sales talk.

Let's try to talk new music.

When I think of U2 working with Danger Mouse, for some reason, I think of something like a modern version of Salome.
 
i don't even own all their albums, 2 or 3 are burnt copies of library cds even, and i rarely play my top 4 and NEVER listen to the early stuff... i've loved their music though since the Joshua Tree, but until 2001 when i stumbled into Zootopia and discovered the online community of U2 fans i didn't even know which of Larry/Adam played the drums/bass and was constantly getting the two muddled up lol all i knew was they were "the two blond guys and one of them went out with Naomi Campbell" lol

But 2001 was 11 years ago. :)

I first heard of U2 with "War". I bought the album because of SBS, and fell in love with NYD, not even knowing it was one of the album's bigger hits. I had TUF, and album I adore, copied onto cassette. I played that in my car until the tape broke. I don't even recall when I bought the JT - I just remember "having it". LOL!

For Christmas 1988, my friend finally bought me R&H and UF CD's. I never saw R&H at a movie theater. I've also not seen U23D at a movie theater! The first time I saw U2 in concert was with ZOO TV.

But look at my U2 collection, ask me about eras of U2, and see how many shows I've attended and most likely I'd be considered this "die-hard" fan, despite my slower start. ;)
 
Enough singles/charts/sales talk.

Let's try to talk new music.

When I think of U2 working with Danger Mouse, for some reason, I think of something like a modern version of Salome.

I can definitely imagine something dancey like that. I'm kind of picturing gorillaz 'demon days' but with chiming guitars... or 90's era u2 songs with synths that sound like robots throwing up (in a good way).

Question - do we know for sure that they are working exclusively with Danger Mouse, and have dropped Redone? Last i heard, u2 was still working with both.
 
Enough singles/charts/sales talk.

Let's try to talk new music.

When I think of U2 working with Danger Mouse, for some reason, I think of something like a modern version of Salome.

I've been listening to Rome lately, and I'd like to hear songs akin to 'Black.' I got a U2-ey feel out of that one. I'd like to hear acoustic guitars and pianos more prominently in a couple tracks, along with whatever hyperbolic statement Bono made about the bass lines.
 
I can definitely imagine something dancey like that. I'm kind of picturing gorillaz 'demon days' but with chiming guitars... or 90's era u2 songs with synths that sound like robots throwing up (in a good way).

Question - do we know for sure that they are working exclusively with Danger Mouse, and have dropped Redone? Last i heard, u2 was still working with both.

I don't think those RedOne sightings/rumors have been from reputable sources lately. The latest things seem to indicate that it's just DM.

I could be wrong though.
 
Would American Pie or Stairway to heaven stand a chance on today's radio ? Seriously ?

Again, the point would be to gain respect. No one has suggested MOS would be likely to dominate the airwaves. There is, however, a certain amount of guaranteed airplay a U2 lead single gets. MOS would have gotten at least that. (GOYB got no more than that.) It would have set the scene the right way. It's the next coming of Bad or A Sort of Homecoming, and I think there are more people out there who wanted that from U2 than they did a Vertigo retread.

No one is discounting the quality of MOS. I think it's their best since One. However, a great song doesn't automatically mean great single. And the job of lead single isn't so much "this is new" as it is "we're BACK", especially after the longest break in their career.

Aside from being, honestly, one of the weakest songs on the album, Boots's failure is likely reminding people of Vertigo a little too much (even if, ironically, it includes the most interesting U2 sonic moment since AB: "let me in the sound" part which, instead of being tacked on Boots, should have been a launching point for the *real* comeback single. Alas.). MOS would likely turn the ADD audience right off. Most wouldn't even endure the lovely cello intro.

I agree with so much of this. I don't agree that GOYB is a weak song. It's a great song, but not on a casual listen, not on the radio. If it hadn't been a single, I think it would have become ironically pretty popular. Yes, MOS would turn the ADD audience off. Shouldn't that be a good thing? Don't they have twittering they need to get back to? ;)
 
U2 will never have another album that will remain # 1 on billboard chart for consecutive weeks.Because the 16-24 years old music lovers don't care for a U2 new album.They'll buy a ticket to see them in concert because they are an event as a live act,just like the Rolling Stones,but that's it.

Listen to them around you...(meaning the 16-24 years old).So releasing a record in the spring or in the fall of 2013 won't change the perception of the non-u2 fans or music fans in general.

Sorry to discuss a bit more about charts and sales, but it all depends on U2's goal.

AB was released in the SoundScan era. AB spent just one week at #1. One week there, despite being one of the hottest artists around.

Some reasons for this are the sheer number of album that are released at that time of year. For example, ATYCLB had record SoundScan sales for U2 (at the time), yet it didn't even reach #1 (only #3) because of the competition.

If U2's goal is to have an album stay #1 for at least a few weeks, then later spring and summer seem to be the best times. Less albums are released and the competition is decreased.

However, if U2 wants that big burst of sales even if they aren't #1 for long, then November is still the perfect time. The holidays add substantially to an album's sales, even in this era of iTunes cherry-picking and illegal downloads. But U2 probably won't have an album that stays at #1 for more than a week.

U2's fan base is large enough to most likely ensure sales of over 400K in the first week in the U.S. But to increase upon that, U2 do need that big hit song that keeps the album going, like BD or "Vertigo".

If U2 just want to release good music and screw the charts/sales, then they should focus on what made parts of NLOTH really shine (it's the same parts that made JT shine). Songs that don't sound like hits or anything on the radio, but still succeed.
 
I don't think those RedOne sightings/rumors have been from reputable sources lately. The latest things seem to indicate that it's just DM.

I could be wrong though.

Ah ok. That should be good news then - if they had to choose between them, i'm glad they went for dm. Although, if they had worked with both, i could imagine a great fusion of electronic-rock and dance.

Then again, danger mouse is perfectly capable of dance music himself (like on his work with gorillaz), so maybe by working only with him, u2 will be able to get that 'dance record' they've wanted for a few years without slipping into that generic dance sound heard with lady gaga/britney spears/any club song.
How cool would it be if u2 'fucked up the mainstream' and got radio exposure by redefining what makes a great dance tune?

Unlikely i know, but one can dream... i believe u2 are capable of making popular music again, and are capable of making a good dance-rock song. Danger mouse is certainly a great choice of producer for such an ambition.
 
I would love to see U2 do something similar to Simple Minds 5x5 tour.
Alas, i don't think they have the inclination. All we got on the last tour was a revival of Scarlet and the odd Out Of Control.
 
I would love to see U2 do something similar to Simple Minds 5x5 tour.
Alas, i don't think they have the inclination. All we got on the last tour was a revival of Scarlet and the odd Out Of Control.

If they do an arena tour, I think we'll see more variety than a stadium tour.
 
Enough singles/charts/sales talk.

Let's try to talk new music.

When I think of U2 working with Danger Mouse, for some reason, I think of something like a modern version of Salome.

That would be no bad thing at all, deep heavy meaning hidden behind an incredible groove, begging vocals and a seemingly throwaway/incredibly catchy chorus.
I love when U2 "shake", eg A Celebration, Salome..It does strange things to me:drool:
 
Enough singles/charts/sales talk.

Let's try to talk new music.

When I think of U2 working with Danger Mouse, for some reason, I think of something like a modern version of Salome.

:up:

i think they could come up with something amazing... i think they've still got a bit of greatness left in them somewhere... hopefully Danger Mouse will beat it out of them with a very big groovy stick :D
 
Listen to them around you...(meaning the 16-24 years old).

Sadly from what I have encountered this is true. I'm 26 and the majority of people my age have the "No one listens to U2, Bono is a dork" attitude and I am finding that people in the 16-21 age have never even heard of U2. If that's the market that they are going for on the next album then I would say we're in trouble.
 
I'm still hoping for some sort of "double-release" like Radiohead or Nine Inch Nails: do a digital version in Late Fall/ Early Winter 2012, with a discounted download for .com subscribers. Followed by a physical release the following spring. Put an extra incentive on the physical release - numbered CDs - and then use the numbered CDs to announce a discount on upcoming tickets at the venue of your choice based on a range of numbers pressed on the CD.

It would be the best of both worlds: somewhat forward thinking release, a thank-you to the fans, and a follow up "regular" release for the not-so-crazy fans. People can dream...
 
Nick66 said:
U2's next album of original material will be a late fall/holiday 2013 release.

Yep. And it will be a conventional CD release, with eleven songs. There will be a normal CD, a deluxe two-disc something, and a $473748593983 superubermegadeluxe version - each of which will be signed by Bono and require an entire ship to carry it over from Ireland. Tour in March 2014. Count on it.
 
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