U2 To Sell Five Versions Of New Album - One With Almost $100 List Price

[PowerSurge]

buy a butt-plug?

what would another one do?

 

[dan_smee]

another one?

isn't that what gay people who like that song do?

maybe you need one of those.... (hmmm this could get really offensive...)

 

[PowerSurge]

(hmmm this could get really offensive...)

or disgustingly funny.

 

[dan_smee]

or disgustingly funny.

good point... proceed...

 

[BonoIsMyMuse]

See, it doesn't piss me off. It's not like they are reaching into your pocket and taking the money. If you don't want it, don't spend it. Simple.

I like having the super delux remasters, because I like having the bonus stuff. I don't feel they are taking advantage, I don't care. Not like I'm rich, but come on people, all they are doing is releasing things, some responsibility must be placed on those who are buying things that they feel are not worth it.

I don't feel sorry for completists, because it is their choice. Yet again, we find another way to bash the band, the reason we are all here. Take some responsibility.

End of rant.

Of course it comes down to consumer choice and responsibility. If I'm buying a new album by an artist I really enjoy, I'll almost always go with the deluxe edition. Part of it is because I want the bells and whistles, but part of it is because I want to support the artist financially. ahittle is right when he (she?) says deluxe editions are great for business--fans get bonus material, and the artist gets more money. I'm questioning the need for three slightly different deluxe editions, one of which is at least four times the price of the limited edition sets most bands offer.

There's been so much new U2 material since the last album--the Vertigo DVD, U2 & I and U2 By U2, the Popmart DVD, remasters of four albums, the Red Rocks remaster and DVD. It's great to have so much, but I don't think it's unreasonable for some fans to start to feel a bit nickel-and-dimed, either.

It's possible to make critical comments about the band without bashing them. I wish more people around here would realize that.

 

[dan_smee]

Of course it comes down to consumer choice and responsibility. If I'm buying a new album by an artist I really enjoy, I'll almost always go with the deluxe edition. Part of it is because I want the bells and whistles, but part of it is because I want to support the artist financially. ahittle is right when he (she?) says deluxe editions are great for business--fans get bonus material, and the artist gets more money. I'm questioning the need for three slightly different deluxe editions, one of which is at least four times the price of the limited edition sets most bands offer.

There's been so much new U2 material since the last album--the Vertigo DVD, U2 & I and U2 By U2, the Popmart DVD, remasters of four albums, the Red Rocks remaster and DVD. It's great to have so much, but I don't think it's unreasonable for some fans to start to feel a bit nickel-and-dimed, either.

It's possible to make critical comments about the band without bashing them. I wish more people around here would realize that.

Questioning a bands motives that have given us as much as U2 has when it comes to releases is a bit much. Who cares if they release 5 versions or 20 versions. If they think there are 5 separate markets out there then go for it, cater for each and every fans needs.

In the end, noone should feel 'nickel and dimed' because noone is forced to buy anything. There is no switch in your head that says you have to buy any of it.

You have no right to blast someone as being money-grubbing when you have the choice to completely ignore it. Everyone has that choice, and if you want to buy something, you have the right to feel safe in the knowledge that you bought something you wanted.

Personally, if someone buys something knowing full well what it is and feels ripped off or whatever, they are kinda stupid...

 

[PowerSurge]

Of course it comes down to consumer choice and responsibility. If I'm buying a new album by an artist I really enjoy, I'll almost always go with the deluxe edition. Part of it is because I want the bells and whistles, but part of it is because I want to support the artist financially. ahittle is right when he (she?) says deluxe editions are great for business--fans get bonus material, and the artist gets more money. I'm questioning the need for three slightly different deluxe editions, one of which is at least four times the price of the limited edition sets most bands offer.

There's been so much new U2 material since the last album--the Vertigo DVD, U2 & I and U2 By U2, the Popmart DVD, remasters of four albums, the Red Rocks remaster and DVD. It's great to have so much, but I don't think it's unreasonable for some fans to start to feel a bit nickel-and-dimed, either.

It's possible to make critical comments about the band without bashing them. I wish more people around here would realize that.

Yeah but its like you get the knee jerk reaction from the ultra critic U2 fans: "What!!! they are only releasing ONE album format!!!! non-creative fucks!"

or

"What!!! they are releasing FIVE different formats/versions of the album!!!!!! money hungry music whores!!!!"

Its like they can't win either way. For god's sake...I remember buying Zooropa for like $14-15 about 12-13 years ago. The new album is being preordered for $9.99 online. How can anyone complain? If you don't have money and want to buy a basic album then they are selling cheaper now that in the last decade and a half...if you've got some dough and want to get some extra stuff then you've got FOUR other choices. How is that bad?

Yeah, people can be critical. There's nothing wrong with that...but lets pick and choose what we are critical about and think about it first before we do so. Thats all I'm saying.

 

[dan_smee]

Yeah but its like you get the knee jerk reaction from the ultra critic U2 fans: "What!!! they are only releasing ONE album format!!!! non-creative fucks!"

or

"What!!! they are releasing FIVE different formats/versions of the album!!!!!! money hungry music whores!!!!"

Its like they can't win either way. For god's sake...I remember buying Zooropa for like $14-15 about 12-13 years ago. The new album is being preordered for $9.99 online. How can anyone complain? If you don't have money and want to buy a basic album then they are selling cheaper now that in the last decade and a half...if you've got some dough and want to get some extra stuff then you've got FOUR other choices. How is that bad?

Yeah, people can be critical. There's nothing wrong with that...but lets pick and choose what we are critical about and think about it first before we do so. Thats all I'm saying.

Absolutely. There is big difference between constructive or useful critiscism, and being a downright troublemaker, making sensationalist comments to draw a reaction.

 

[subnet]

i bought my first CD for $22.99 way back when minimum wage was pocket change

some of you guys are too this:

 

[BonoIsMyMuse]

I can't believe I'm being accused of being a troll

 

[dan_smee]

I can't believe I'm being accused of being a troll

as long as you think its funny

 

[PowerSurge]

I don't think number of live plays necessarily equates to quality of song for U2 (A Sort of Homecoming, Acrobat). It's not my favorite song by them, but I think it really works and I love the flow of those last 3 tracks. I know a lot of hardcore fans LOVE the song Seconds, but to me that is the weakest song on the album and really cripples the first part of the record.

You are right indeed, the number of times they play a song doesn't equate to it being great or not...but its usually a good bet that if they opt NOT to play a song then its got to be one of the following: Bono can't quite sing the song the same way live as on the album, Edge can't get the guitar part right live, the song is pretty weak when done live, or the song is pretty weak in general.

So I think there's a 25% chance that "Red Light" is pretty weak in general

 

[lancerla]

This is the $120 set Pearl Jam is putting out for their Ten Reissue:

Super Deluxe Edition (2-disc set plus DVD, 4 LPs and replica cassette in linen-covered, slip-cased clamshell box):
· Disc 1: original Ten tracklisting digitally remastered (original mix)
· Disc 2: original Ten tracklisting digitally remastered and remixed by Brendan O’Brien, plus six bonus tracks: “Brother,” “Just a Girl,” “State of Love and Trust,” “Breath and a Scream,” “2,000 Mile Blues” and “Evil Little Goat”
· DVD of Pearl Jam’s previously unreleased 1992 MTV Unplugged performance including never before seen bonus performance of “Oceans” with 5.1 surround sound audio remix
· LP 1: original Ten tracklisting remastered for vinyl
· LP 2: original Ten tracklisting remastered for vinyl and remixed by Brendan O’Brien
· LP 3 & 4: Drop in the Park – Live at Magnuson Park in Seattle on September 20, 1992 (audio mixed by Brendan O’Brien)
· Cassette: replica of original “Momma-Son” Pearl Jam demo cassette featuring “Alive,” “Once” and “Footsteps”
· Package also includes an Eddie Vedder-style composition notebook filled with replica personal notes, images and mementos from the collections of Eddie Vedder and Jeff Ament, a vellum envelope with replicated era-specific ephemera from Pearl Jam’s early work and a two-sided print commemorating the Drop in the Park concert.




If the U2 set looked more like this, I think a lot of us wouldn't care.

 

[PowerSurge]

Yeah, but I think Pearl Jam unfortunately don't quite have the same impact now that they once did; as opposed to U2 who seem to still be bigger than ever. So I would imagine that PJ need to do stuff like that to create buzz and give people more reasons to buy their stuff.

I'm not saying thats it not cool....because its cool as hell. I wish U2 would go those lengths, but it seems like they don't have to do that right now on order to drum up excitement. They just need to put together an album an it will automatically sell 8-10 million units.

 

[AchtungDude]

Yeah, but I think Pearl Jam unfortunately don't quite have the same impact now that they once did; as opposed to U2 who seem to still be bigger than ever. So I would imagine that PJ need to do stuff like that to create buzz and give people more reasons to buy their stuff.

I'm not saying thats it not cool....because its cool as hell. I wish U2 would go those lengths, but it seems like they don't have to do that right now on order to drum up excitement. They just need to put together an album an it will automatically sell 8-10 million units.

There you are wrong. PJ sells out arenas very fast, and they are the only still sgoing strong band of the grunge era. But they are not gunge anymore. More lite arterative rock that came out of grunge.

You should go see them! They put up awsome rock n roll shows!

 

[phommel]

Yeah, but I think Pearl Jam unfortunately don't quite have the same impact now that they once did; as opposed to U2 who seem to still be bigger than ever. So I would imagine that PJ need to do stuff like that to create buzz and give people more reasons to buy their stuff.

I'm not saying thats it not cool....because its cool as hell. I wish U2 would go those lengths, but it seems like they don't have to do that right now on order to drum up excitement. They just need to put together an album an it will automatically sell 8-10 million units.

Well I think everybody who followed this band (Pearl Jam) for a long time, knows that this is not the reason why Pearl Jam is doing this. They just always wanna give value for money.

 

[Muldfeld]

I like to have all the available stuff, just because I have since 1987. I would like to see it all, and I would buy it if was somewhat reasonable. This is far and away the pinnacle of how ridiculous the U2 business machine is getting.

my point is simply all that stuff if bought seperately would be $50 max.

Put it out as a deluxe version, and people pay whatever they want.

I have paid $15-25 for all U2 dvds.
$20 for U2 by U2 (much bigger than a 60 page book).
$10-15 for regular cds.

But you package as a deluxe version and its suddenly $100. I realize it will sell for about $80, but its still ridiculous.

As for innovative release, i just wanted more music. Buy the album, and you get several b-sides to d/l. I don't see anything innovative about a dvd by anton. Music videos are innovative?

I won't be buying the $100, and wish that no one would so they cut out this crap. It's insulting to the hardcore fans. They will pay anything, so we can gouge them. I have done this forever. Its insulting when, this package is for only the most loyal, hardcore fans and they absolutely take advantage of it. This is very much a rolling stones move.

How is this really any different than the Bomb deluxe package, that sold for about $35. The fold out poster?

I'm with you. The fact is it's much more complicated than the "you don't have to buy it" argument professed by defenders of the band's commercial turn since late last decade. We really don't know what is on the deluxe version so we'll want it.

The deluxe version of the Vertigo DVD was insulting.

Just because we want something badly -- nice photos or "Window in the Skies" or whatever extra, doesn't make it okay to push us to the limits of what we're willing to pay.

Quite frankly, the band could sell the regular album for $50 and these defenders could use the same argument, but it wouldn't make things ethical.

At least, it doesn't appear there will be any bonus tracks. "Fast Cars" was pretty much the best song on the last album and it was unfair not to include it on the regular North American versions of the album. Oh, wait: "If you don't want it, don't buy it!" There's a reason it's called exploitation, folks.

I hope the $100 version will be awesome. I'm still pissed at the $50 list price for the Pop deluxe edition DVD here in Canada since its release; such greed is disgusting.

 

[last unicorn]

Awwww, you feel exploited by U2? Poor you.

And here am I still believing people have something called free will.

If I'm not willing to spend that much money, I won't. No one forces me.

If I find the box set worth buying and can afford it, I will have it.

In the end, the prices will be cheaper anyway.

 

[Popmartijn]

This is the $120 set Pearl Jam is putting out for their Ten Reissue:

Some comments. First of all, that deluxe set Pearl Jam is putting out is $140 (or $190 if you live outside USA/Canada) and not $120. In other words, it's 50% more expensive than the U2 one. Second, that album (Ten) has already sold more than 20 million records or so. Thus, there are less costs to recoup.

That said, I'm still debating whether or not to splash for that deluxe set. The extra music on that one is only on vinyl (and not CD).

 

[The Sad Punk]

Alright, I don't give two arses about Pearl Jam, but there's no doubt that their deal is considerably better than U2's. However, as far as I can tell, Pearl Jam are exceedingly kind to their fanbase, probably the frontrunner with that. I mean, U2 should be giving us a free trip for eight to Hollywood and a solar-powered jetski with their deal, since right now it's incredibly stingy, but to be behind Pearl Jam in this particular aspect, a band that released trillions of their live shows officially if I'm not mistaken, isn't really the worst thing in the world.

To be behind U2 though, that would suck... oh wait shit.

 

[indra]

If no one buys the box set, they will either not offer one again or they will make a better one the next time. Whining about it, but buying it (especially at full price) doesn't do anything to change their behaviour.

The comments about completists got me thinking -- wouldn't they be crushed if bands only offered one version of each album; only one or two live albums; and only one or two live DVDs during a career? They'd have nothing to hunt down. So U2 is really doing them a favour by giving them a purpose in life.

 

[dan_smee]

I'm with you. The fact is it's much more complicated than the "you don't have to buy it" argument professed by defenders of the band's commercial turn since late last decade. We really don't know what is on the deluxe version so we'll want it.

The deluxe version of the Vertigo DVD was insulting.

Just because we want something badly -- nice photos or "Window in the Skies" or whatever extra, doesn't make it okay to push us to the limits of what we're willing to pay.

Quite frankly, the band could sell the regular album for $50 and these defenders could use the same argument, but it wouldn't make things ethical.

At least, it doesn't appear there will be any bonus tracks. "Fast Cars" was pretty much the best song on the last album and it was unfair not to include it on the regular North American versions of the album. Oh, wait: "If you don't want it, don't buy it!" There's a reason it's called exploitation, folks.

I hope the $100 version will be awesome. I'm still pissed at the $50 list price for the Pop deluxe edition DVD here in Canada since its release; such greed is disgusting.

Your arguement is so flawed. The fact is, the regular album is heavily discounted. 9.99.

And just because you 'want' it (poor diddums) doesn't mean you don't have the choice not to buy it.

You claim that it is an unreasonable price, but yet, you want it, and will pay for it. If it truely was unreasonable, you wouldn't pay for it. Or you have a serious intellectual defect.

If you wanted Fast cars, buy the import once, dont buy two copies of the album... You are acting like they are forcing you to buy these things. If it really shits you so much, just download it for free, im sure it will be available in a zillion places before it's even released. Problem solved. You can feel much better about it now.

Do you really have such poor self control that you have to shell out so much for something you feel is grossly overpriced?

And the window in the skies arguement is also flawed. You could have just bought the single. 99 cents or whatever it is on itunes (SCANDALOUS!!!!!!) U2 18 Singles was released to fulfil a contractual obligation. It was released for no other reason than that.

 

[bathiu]

Your arguement is so flawed. The fact is, the regular album is heavily discounted. 9.99.

And just because you 'want' it (poor diddums) doesn't mean you don't have the choice not to buy it.

You claim that it is an unreasonable price, but yet, you want it, and will pay for it. If it truely was unreasonable, you wouldn't pay for it. Or you have a serious intellectual defect.

If you wanted Fast cars, buy the import once, dont buy two copies of the album... You are acting like they are forcing you to buy these things. If it really shits you so much, just download it for free, im sure it will be available in a zillion places before it's even released. Problem solved. You can feel much better about it now.

Do you really have such poor self control that you have to shell out so much for something you feel is grossly overpriced?

And the window in the skies arguement is also flawed. You could have just bought the single. 99 cents or whatever it is on itunes (SCANDALOUS!!!!!!) U2 18 Singles was released to fulfil a contractual obligation. It was released for no other reason than that.

bravo!

 

[RademR]

i'm going to get the cheapest one, which is just the album. that's all i really care about, the music. if the box set or any of the others have a few extra "bonus tracks" or "bsides"...i'll download them somewhere

sorry, HTDAAB "special edition" was horrible.

 

[intedomine]

What the hell is a Besoke Box?

 

[jphelmet]

There you are wrong. PJ sells out arenas very fast, and they are the only still sgoing strong band of the grunge era. But they are not gunge anymore. More lite arterative rock that came out of grunge.

You should go see them! They put up awsome rock n roll shows!

i agree with your assessment, and i am still a pj fan. the thing you are not addressing is, that since the height of their fame (first three albums), their albums sales have dropped considerably. they need to do something to sell albums, especially a reissue.

all that said, it makes u2's awful over priced 'deluxe' versions look like even worse.

 

[PowerSurge]

There you are wrong. PJ sells out arenas very fast, and they are the only still sgoing strong band of the grunge era. But they are not gunge anymore. More lite arterative rock that came out of grunge.

You should go see them! They put up awsome rock n roll shows!

One hing that they did that I thought should have been emulated by U2 was when they completely mixed up their setlists on any given night. I heard that they also released live albums from that particular tour from a bunch of nights with rare hardly played live songs and mixed up setlists. That sounded cool. Of course its tough for U2 to do that since their live shows are so choreographed due to the visuals and stuff that they use during their shows...but it would be cool.

 

[dan_smee]

i agree with your assessment, and i am still a pj fan. the thing you are not addressing is, that since the height of their fame (first three albums), their albums sales have dropped considerably. they need to do something to sell albums, especially a reissue.

all that said, it makes u2's awful over priced 'deluxe' versions look like even worse.

yeah... how awful of them. Releasing an album for us. BASTARDS!!! Stop whinging and just buy the 9.99 version. Pretty cheap if you ask me. Pretend the other one doesn't exist.

 

[PowerSurge]

i agree with your assessment, and i am still a pj fan. the thing you are not addressing is, that since the height of their fame (first three albums), their albums sales have dropped considerably. they need to do something to sell albums, especially a reissue.

This is exactly what I was getting at.

 

[jphelmet]

You claim that it is an unreasonable price, but yet, you want it, and will pay for it. If it truely was unreasonable, you wouldn't pay for it. Or you have a serious intellectual defect.

my question then, is do you think its worth $100?

I have said, i won't buy it- its not that big of a deal. i passed on all the deluxe version reissues, except for jt, because they sucked (they seem cheap compared to this new one). but i still have seen no one address that this type of special editions are aimed at the hardcore fans, that have shelled out literally thousands of dollars for this band. the way to give them something special is these awful packages, with way ridiculous price tags. that is not a legitimate complaint? Really, who is the special addition aimed at?

I won't buy it. that is not hard. I would like them to do something that is either worthy of the price, or make it more reasonable. i don't think its unreasonable for them, a band that talks a big game about appreciating their fans, to back it up.