what should have been the 1st single?

[manu0872]

According to some posts I've read on this forum, Boots was not a successful single, and the album is not selling as well as expected.
Boots was a logical choice because it followed in the steps of Vertigo, but that is the problem, it uses the same formula as Vertigo, and Vertigo was already expanding on the formula used on Elevation.
I would have personally chosen White as snow. It's different kind of U2, not alternative music but has more of a universal appeal. It has calm Bono vocals which is always pleasing.
SEcond choice for 1st single would have been magnificent, because musically it's the best on the album, although it could have been better in terms of production.
Third choice, the song NLOTH, because it has an edge and a catchy chorus, similar to The Fly as first single from Achtung, as an album opener it reminds me for some reason of Come Together from Abbey Road which is the 1st song on the ablum.

 

[bram]

Has there been a poll on this (what should have been the first single)? I'd be interested to know what everyone thinks.

 

[Jarvio]

According to some posts I've read on this forum, Boots was not a successful single, and the album is not selling as well as expected.
Boots was a logical choice because it followed in the steps of Vertigo, but that is the problem, it uses the same formula as Vertigo, and Vertigo was already expanding on the formula used on Elevation.
I would have personally chosen White as snow. It's different kind of U2, not alternative music but has more of a universal appeal. It has calm Bono vocals which is always pleasing.
SEcond choice for 1st single would have been magnificent, because musically it's the best on the album, although it could have been better in terms of production.
Third choice, the song NLOTH, because it has an edge and a catchy chorus, similar to The Fly as first single from Achtung, as an album opener it reminds me for some reason of Come Together from Abbey Road which is the 1st song on the ablum.

WAS is a good song, but it's just not representative of the album, nor is it single material. First single should have either been Magnificent, or the album's title track.

As for boots, it shouldn't have even made the album, never mind be the lead single!

 

[Aygo]

I still think that U2 should've follow this time a similar strategy that Coldplay did for Viva La Vida. That is, releasing two (almost) simultaneous first singles.
One of them, giving emphasis on radio airplay, music channels. The other one, based on digital releasement and on TV commercials/sponsors.

This would've given the "enough boost" for the album to survive with very strong sales and good peaks on the singles charts.

 

[bram]

I still think that U2 should've follow this time a similar strategy that Coldplay did for Viva La Vida. That is, releasing two (almost) simultaneous first singles.
One of them, giving emphasis on radio airplay, music channels. The other one, based on digital releasement and on TV commercials/sponsors.

This would've given the "enough boost" for the album to survive with very strong sales and good peaks on the singles charts.

Agree. Under this scenario, I'd have gone with Magnificent and MOS.

 

[popacrobat]

I'd have gone with the title track as the first single, but can easily see arguments for Magnificent or Moment of Surrender as well.

 

[U2girl]

NLOTH.

Acessible to be played on the radio, yet fresh enough to let the audience know this is a step in a different direction.

 

[bram]

NLOTH also would have been a great ambassador for the album.

 

[mikal]

i think the best thing would have been to release 2 singles at the same time. i remember when the Smashing Pumpkins did this in 1995 with BWBW and 1979. worked great.

they could have done a single schedule like this:

1a. GOYB
1b. MOS
2. Magnificent
3. Crazy Tonight
4. NLOTH

 

[nielsgov]

My first thought was Magnificent but it didn't do well as a second single. ut we'll never know how it would have done as a first single. It would have probably done better than Boots.
To create a surprise effect it could have been MOS. I think that would be the best choice. But it's easy to talk afterwards of course.
NLOTH would have been pretty good to I think.

 

[Niceman]

Moment of Surrender should have been the first single.

Why? Its the only one that would have really shocked the public. (And its the best song on the album.) GOYB is a good song, and so is Magnificent, but neither is very surprising. They sound like what U2 has given us in the past. WOWY, DESIRE, THE FLY, NUMB, DISCOTEQUE, BEAUTIFUL DAY, VERTIGO were all - to a greater or lesser extent - surprises. No one expected U2 to arrive that way. GOYB sounded like Vertigo part II. Magnificent also sounded too much like their past.

I would have released MOS a month or so early, and then NLOTH2 either the same day as the album, or a week earlier.

Oh, and the other mistake? You can't have a 5 year gap between albums and still expect to be current!!!!!

 

[mikal]

Moment of Surrender should have been the first single.

Why? Its the only one that would have really shocked the public. (And its the best song on the album.) GOYB is a good song, and so is Magnificent, but neither is very surprising. They sound like what U2 has given us in the past. WOWY, DESIRE, THE FLY, NUMB, DISCOTEQUE, BEAUTIFUL DAY, VERTIGO were all - to a greater or lesser extent - surprises. No one expected U2 to arrive that way. GOYB sounded like Vertigo part II. Magnificent also sounded too much like their past.

I would have released MOS a month or so early, and then NLOTH2 either the same day as the album, or a week earlier.

Oh, and the other mistake? You can't have a 5 year gap between albums and still expect to be current!!!!!

i agree with all of this, especially the last part. good thing is, it seems like the band truly realized that the gap between albums hurt them, as they've made a couple comments recently when talking about getting the next album out sooner than later.

 

[Niceman]

i agree with all of this, especially the last part. good thing is, it seems like the band truly realized that the gap between albums hurt them, as they've made a couple comments recently when talking about getting the next album out sooner than later.

Thanks!

Yeah, its an issue that doesn't get enough discussion. It's a lot of hubris to assume that a 5-year gap wont effect you! Suddenly you're perceived as old!

 

[mikal]

Thanks!

Yeah, its an issue that doesn't get enough discussion. It's a lot of hubris to assume that a 5-year gap wont effect you! Suddenly you're perceived as old!

agreed. a lot can change in 5 years, for sure. U2 already has to deal with the "old" label. and from what i remember, some publications were calling NLOTH U2's "comeback album". that's never a good sign in regards to your relevance.

 

[Niceman]

agreed. a lot can change in 5 years, for sure. U2 already has to deal with the "old" label. and from what i remember, some publications were calling NLOTH U2's "comeback album". that's never a good sign in regards to your relevance.

It may be a good thing for us! We get to have a good album of songs that society hasn't played to death - AND maybe the boys get scared back into a once every 2 years pattern for a bit???

Who would have thought that at this point in their career U2 could have a sleeper album?

 

[Galeongirl]

NLOTH or NLOTH2.

 

[coolian2]

NLOTH or NLOTH2.

no contest.

i'd have leaked moment of surrender a few weeks ahead of the single release, too.

 

[whackjester]

i think the best thing would have been to release 2 singles at the same time. i remember when the Smashing Pumpkins did this in 1995 with BWBW and 1979. worked great.

Not to derail the thread, but I'm pretty sure that Bullet with Butterfly Wings was released prior to 1979 (which was the second single).

I think No Line on the Horizon would have at least been a more interesting pick for 1st single over Get on Your Boots.

 

[mikal]

Not to derail the thread, but I'm pretty sure that Bullet with Butterfly Wings was released prior to 1979 (which was the second single).

i just remember both of them being on the radio before the album was released.

 

[andyuk]

first - NLOTH
second - Magnificent
third - MOS
fourth - Crazy Tonight

 

[Tim Wallach]

Warning: Highly subjective comment coming!

But I liken this question to baseball. If you're playing a must-win game, you go with your best pitcher.

I understand all of the strategies behind music, but I still say you go with your best song. And U2's best song on this album is Moment of Surrender. Start to finish, it's just a strong, melodic, haunting tune.

Aside from NLOTH the song, I don't see any other strong contenders. To me, even the much-loved Magnificent is kind of ho-hum compared to their golden years.

 

[powerhour24]

Magnificent, but NLOTH would have been great for marketing purposes as it's the title track.

 

[Niceman]

Warning: Highly subjective comment coming!

But I liken this question to baseball. If you're playing a must-win game, you go with your best pitcher.

I understand all of the strategies behind music, but I still say you go with your best song. And U2's best song on this album is Moment of Surrender. Start to finish, it's just a strong, melodic, haunting tune.

Aside from NLOTH the song, I don't see any other strong contenders. To me, even the much-loved Magnificent is kind of ho-hum compared to their golden years.

I agree 100%! And I think history will bear us out. These will be the 2 songs from this album that still matter 10 years from now.

EDIT: I DO NOT think the rest of the album is ho-hum...

 

[Aygo]

1st No Line On The Horizon [album version for the media/ad's/radio; "version 2" for the music channels] - February 9nd 2009
1st Moment Of Surrender [for digital releasement and more alternative-oriented radios] - February 2nd 2009
2nd Magnificent - April 6th 2009
3rd Get On Your Boots - June 22nd 2009
4th Breathe - September 7th 2009
5th White As Snow - November 23th 2009

 

[chocky]

first - NLOTH
second - Magnificent
third - MOS
fourth - Crazy Tonight

 

[digitize]

Moment of Surrender should have been the first single, or at least the first song from the album people heard (see: United States of Eurasia).

 

[zoopop]

U2 should have just gone for a different strategy all together. I remember this board was going crazy (no pun) last October-December. We wanted new U2 bad as we kept reading, seeing strange videos, and pictures of the band in the studio. U2 was very quiet about what was going on.

U2 should have just released NLOTH (the song) online with no hype. Just release it. Let the song do the talking and let the media talk about the secret release. This would have been very different for U2. And then maybe the next day release MOS or WAS. Again, media going crazy about U2 released another and the fans eating up this fresh approach. On the 3rd day release the album info. etc.

There was way too much hype for GOYB. I like the song but it felt like Vertigo 2.0 (quick rocker, but hit harder). Many people were waiting for the new U2 and Boots just didn't deliver. It was just a messy release and I think the hype from Oct-Dec died out a little.

Once NLOTH and WAS/MOS sank in, Magnificent could have been released in March/April with the album release & tour info.

 

[branwalls]

I still think that U2 should've follow this time a similar strategy that Coldplay did for Viva La Vida. That is, releasing two (almost) simultaneous first singles.
One of them, giving emphasis on radio airplay, music channels. The other one, based on digital releasement and on TV commercials/sponsors.

This would've given the "enough boost" for the album to survive with very strong sales and good peaks on the singles charts.

Agreed. Release title track or Boots as a free download on the website, and then a week later Crazy Tonight. But release it worldwide simultaneously, to radio, to itunes, everywhere. Have a kick-ass video on both u2.com and Youtube and release the Blackberry commercial all on the same day. And then play the hell out of it on the live tv appearances.

 

[Screwtape2]

I'd have gone with two singles close together. I think the first could have been Fez-Being Born just to maybe spark some intrigue in the album. I'd then quickly follow it up with Magnificent.

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

why people think Fez BB or White as Snow could be released as singles is beyond me. Both are good songs, and i can see maybe WAS getting some airplay on a really cool indie radio station that doesn not give a fuck or maybe satellite radio. I like that both songs are off the beaten path, but not single material by any means.