Will U2 go down the X Factor route to promote the new album?

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rennowba

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My missus was watching the voice last night ( I don't watch it honest ) and I noticed Liam Gallagher's band Beady Eye were performing their new single on it. I must admit I was shocked to see Liam from the mighty Oasis sinking so low to promote their new album. If ever there was a need to use the phrase "selling out" this was the time. I've also read that they will also be on the X factor when that starts again. It was cringe worthy to see such a great artist ( in my opinion) go as low as the voice.

It got me thinking with Bono's obsession with being down with the kids and having a number one singles will U2 go down this route? Isnt Bono friends with Cowell aswell.i really hope they don't they were a post punk band that should be against all this TV talent show rubbish!it would be cringe worthy.

I know bono's been on American idol but only for the charity shows and never to perform (I think) I did see the Spider-Man thing they did but that wasn't a U2 project and when they did perform it was as Bono and The Edge not U2

But then on the flip side I'm thinking is it just me being old fashioned, that there isn't many tv outlets to promote a new album now and programmes like X factor and the voice attract millions. Is it ok for bands to do these shows due to lack of options?

Basically I'm asking is it good to promote stuff on shows like the X factor?

Personally I would hate to see them on there
 
hopefully not! i think people are bored/sick of the X Factor by now...
 
Probably to make sure that a legitimate question doesn't get buried by arguments about past records and reminisces about ten year old threads, I imagine. It would be nice to assume that it wouldn't, but realistically I think we can assume that it would.

I'm with you, rennowba. It would make me very, very uncomfortable to see the band on any cheesy tv competition. But as for whether it's a legitimate venue for promotion culturally speaking- would it work, would it make them look good- I'm not hip enough to know.

One tough thing about a band of U2's stature is that there's hardly anything they can do right. They don't technically need to anything promotional ever again, aside from announce the record and release it. The record will sell, and the tickets will sell. But to do that would be resting on their laurels, playing to a static audience and looking arrogant. It they go with traditional methods of promotion they look ossified, and if they go with the most current methods they get hipster accusations. Especially having started out post punk, they are vulnerable to accusations of selling out for almost anything. How can they win?
 
i bloody hope not. there are better ways to promote your new album on tv through live performances.

i still live in hope they play on "Later..." someday! that would be so great...but we all know what U2 are like these days. they'd probably lay down so many conditions and demand final say in the edit and god knows what else that the BBC would just find it so much easier not to bother with them.

if they went on The Voice/The X Factor i'd be pretty appalled. I get they have to promote the stuff and try and reach lots of people but this band already make it hard to be a fan of theirs in this country and showing up on one of those programmes would just be a complete joke.

edit - i've just noticed jeevey's reply above mine. it's even-handed and sensibly considers the lose/lose situation a band like U2 are in...then I go and swan in with a reply about how U2 should appear on a more 'high brow' late night music show. sorry :wink:
 
Programmes like this get the big ratings these days so its the way to go for record labels who want maximum exposure and you only have to look at some of the names they've had on to see that they don't see it as selling out. Its all about exposure so it makes perfect sense to go on there and its changed days since Top of the Pops was the place to be. Even 10-20 years ago you'd get bands popping up on seemingly random and strange choices of TV shows in the UK and it was always down to ratings.

With each album that comes out I'm even more surprised they've never done an episode of Later. I remember an article before NLOTH (I think) where the interviewer was asked by Jools Holland to deliver a note to Bono and I assumed it was along the lines of "when the hell you going to do my show?" but still nothing came of it.
 
They'd probably demand that the audience is handpicked by their crew, and they get final say on who the other artists share the bill with them, before they agree to do the Jools Holland show. I kid, but they do seem relunctant to play a live set unless they can exert maximum control over proceedings.
 
Maybe they'd get an edition devoted to them like Radiohead back in 2001, that was great!
But then you get the usual U2 creative control headache :wink: would be a lot better than the wild promotion they got from the BBC last time round
 
I can see them doing jools holland this time round as like i said options are very limited now.

theres the chat shows, jools holland and the talent shows ,thats the promotion tools they have left.

Likewise in the usa chat shows and talent shows.

Didnt bono do a great version of velvet dress with jools holland once.seem to remember it on one of his cds?
 
please, why are we even discussing Jools Holland and X Factor in the same thread?!
 
At the risk of sounding naive and crotchety, I'm starting to believe the best way to do it is to just put it out via mainstream ads and an online (u2.com) download. All of this promo via the young, hip audiences seems almost counter-productive.

I tuned in to the MuchMusic Video Awards in Canada last night and I think the oldest performer the entire night was Psy. Seriously. Every other performer was some early 20's hipster with his underwear showing above his pants. And I'm not judging that, but it really got me believing that a band like U2 couldn't sell a song to that music-buying public if they tried.

They're completely, 100% irrelevant to that demographic who wants all their musicians to be someone they'd date if they had the chance. It's a losing battle. Sure, you hit the odd sensitive ear in the bunch who will like a song and have it on their ipod, but en masse marketing to that group is a waste of time and money if you ask me.
 
The only thing i will say is that what other show's are there? apart from jools holland i cant think of another UK music show to go on and promote your music.

In saying that i still don't want them to do it.
 
I'm not talking about UK music shows in particular. There are plenty of so called 'talent' shows around the world (X Factor, The Voice etc etc.).
 
super fly guy said:
The only thing i will say is that what other show's are there? apart from jools holland i cant think of another UK music show to go on and promote your music.

In saying that i still don't want them to do it.
Click to expand...

The only other shows are talk shows like Jonathan Ross,alan carr and graham norton which they will probaly do i think.
 
Couldn't think of anything worse than U2 appearing on shit like that. But considering their obsession with hits they'll probably do it, unfortunately.
 
If you want to promote and album, you promote it! Get it out there, get as many TV shows you can to have you and play your tunes. What's the point of putting your music out there so that only a small group of people will hear it? I recall an interview where one of the band (I forget who) had said that if you have songs, you want as many people as possible to hear them. I believe that comment was made in conjunction with comments on U2 merchandising themselves via TV commercials for one of the albums in the 90's. So while the X-Factor isn't my kind of show, I'll watch it if U2 is on there.
 
Meg said:
If you want to promote and album, you promote it! Get it out there, get as many TV shows you can to have you and play your tunes.
Click to expand...

I think U2 has this part down. Like playing Letterman. Five times. In a row.

Meg said:
I recall an interview where one of the band (I forget who) had said that if you have songs, you want as many people as possible to hear them.
Click to expand...

That would be Bono. How do I know this? Bono has been saying this for 30 years. He's got that down also.

Meg said:
So while the X-Factor isn't my kind of show, I'll watch it if U2 is on there.
Click to expand...

Who am I kidding, so would I. ;)
 
mama cass said:
please, why are we even discussing Jools Holland and X Factor in the same thread?!
Click to expand...

Yeah..two different things altogether

Id love to see U2 on that show with Jools where he has like 6 bands all set up in the round and they take turns playing a song each..then have Bono (and The Edge!) come over to the piano and talk a bit, do a tune on the piano..that'd be great!
 
ah right cool!

well on a related note he used to do The Tube in the 80s on Channel 4! I was born a year after it ended so have no idea what it was like, is that the one you're thinking of?

seems as good a place as any to post this!

U2 - The Tube (16 March 1983 Remastered) - YouTube

fingers crossed they'll suck it up and appear on "Later...", I certainly can't think of a better show and would rather not imagine them going down the assumed "more ratings=more sales" route! plus as I said earlier they should do a U2 special and make the most of having such a big band on :hmm:
 
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