So here is what will hit stores on June 8:
CD 1
1. City of Blinding Lights (Radio Edit)
2. All Because of You (Killa Hurtz Fly Mix)
CD 2
1. City of Blinding Lights (Radio Edit)
2. The Fly (Live from Stop Sellafield concert)
3. Even Better Than the Real Thing (Live from Stop Sellafield concert)
DVD
1. City of Blinding Lights (Live from opening night, San Diego)
2. Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own (promo video)
Bonus video footage
Why in the hell even have a CD1? IMO, as a 25th anniversary single, or just the need for a very good single to help sagging album sales, this does not cut it. I hope the live performances from Sellafield are better than what could have made the CD from the Vertigo tour (new songs like LPOE and acoustic YAHWEH would have pushed the album while still leaving plenty of singles). I agree a DVD had to be released, but with the CD. I don't know if that's the case, and the content looks weak (as in repeated) unless there is a hell of a lot of bonus footage. I cringe at the thought of a radio edit for a song that is 5:40 already.
Finally, U2 has abandoned, for sure, any singles strategy for the U.S. besides lead-off singles. To quote Interscope, "COBL will be in stores worldwide on June 8, 2005, except in the U.S., where there will not be a commercial single for sale".
At least we aren't releasing different singles at different times. If this single can make it through August, then OOTS and MD would help the 3rd leg sales in N.A. and possibly get the album back into the Top 40. I expect a small bump in N.A. sales starting in two weeks due to the major markets being played in from Chicago to NY to Boston. After mid-June, though, I expect the album to take a dive on the BB Hot 100 until U2 returns next fall.
Uggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh! I wish they would let a few of us chart watchers map out a singles strategy! IMO, this sucks. They have plenty of great b-sides or live footage from the current tour that would at least help promote the album. I will never understand why a single with b-sides can't at least be available for download in the U.S.
Ironically, after U2 pioneered the way with Vertigo/I-pod, now downloads are actually skewing chart positions TOWARDS singles that include downloads and airplay, as some artists are seeing HUGE jumps in chart positions because of unprecedented CD sales (i.e., downloads) pushing that half of the equation out of sight. Vertigo may have just been U2's last chance at a #1 single on the BB Hot 100. I always estimated that sales would not have counted enough for a #1, but the sales market is so weak that it turns out if you have MASSIVE sales (i.e., downloads), you get a MASSIVE bump on the charts. Also, for a while, U2 did not have much competition in the download world. Yep, I think Vertigo would have hit #1.
At this point, with probably nearly 10M shipped for HTDAAB in a very depressed market, a sold-out world tour, and the universal crown as the best band in the world, I doubt U2 cares about the singles now.
CD 1
1. City of Blinding Lights (Radio Edit)
2. All Because of You (Killa Hurtz Fly Mix)
CD 2
1. City of Blinding Lights (Radio Edit)
2. The Fly (Live from Stop Sellafield concert)
3. Even Better Than the Real Thing (Live from Stop Sellafield concert)
DVD
1. City of Blinding Lights (Live from opening night, San Diego)
2. Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own (promo video)
Bonus video footage
Why in the hell even have a CD1? IMO, as a 25th anniversary single, or just the need for a very good single to help sagging album sales, this does not cut it. I hope the live performances from Sellafield are better than what could have made the CD from the Vertigo tour (new songs like LPOE and acoustic YAHWEH would have pushed the album while still leaving plenty of singles). I agree a DVD had to be released, but with the CD. I don't know if that's the case, and the content looks weak (as in repeated) unless there is a hell of a lot of bonus footage. I cringe at the thought of a radio edit for a song that is 5:40 already.
Finally, U2 has abandoned, for sure, any singles strategy for the U.S. besides lead-off singles. To quote Interscope, "COBL will be in stores worldwide on June 8, 2005, except in the U.S., where there will not be a commercial single for sale".
At least we aren't releasing different singles at different times. If this single can make it through August, then OOTS and MD would help the 3rd leg sales in N.A. and possibly get the album back into the Top 40. I expect a small bump in N.A. sales starting in two weeks due to the major markets being played in from Chicago to NY to Boston. After mid-June, though, I expect the album to take a dive on the BB Hot 100 until U2 returns next fall.
Uggggggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh! I wish they would let a few of us chart watchers map out a singles strategy! IMO, this sucks. They have plenty of great b-sides or live footage from the current tour that would at least help promote the album. I will never understand why a single with b-sides can't at least be available for download in the U.S.
Ironically, after U2 pioneered the way with Vertigo/I-pod, now downloads are actually skewing chart positions TOWARDS singles that include downloads and airplay, as some artists are seeing HUGE jumps in chart positions because of unprecedented CD sales (i.e., downloads) pushing that half of the equation out of sight. Vertigo may have just been U2's last chance at a #1 single on the BB Hot 100. I always estimated that sales would not have counted enough for a #1, but the sales market is so weak that it turns out if you have MASSIVE sales (i.e., downloads), you get a MASSIVE bump on the charts. Also, for a while, U2 did not have much competition in the download world. Yep, I think Vertigo would have hit #1.
At this point, with probably nearly 10M shipped for HTDAAB in a very depressed market, a sold-out world tour, and the universal crown as the best band in the world, I doubt U2 cares about the singles now.
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