(10-02-2006) Definitive 'Best Of' on the Way -- U2.com*

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Status
Not open for further replies.
Calm down, people! U2 is not trying to get more money from us (the hardcore fans who already have everything). This year is U2's 30th anniversary, remember? This is a milestone for them - a huge one - so what would make more sense than to release a comprehensive Best-Of to go with U2 by U2? It's almost like a soundtrack for the book. Additionally, it's a good way to introduce casual listeners to U2's catalogue (as other people have already said).

Also, they just recorded a song with Green Day. And who makes up a large part of Green Day's fans? Young people who could potentially become U2 fans if properly exposed to U2's music. This is just a way to get new fans. Bono said once that they need "fresh blood." They're drawing them in and soon they'll be crazy fans like us. Plus, there's a new song and probably a new video, which is always exciting (to me). :yes:

I didn't like this news at first, but it doesn't bother me as much now that I've thought about it. I don't know if I'll buy the compilation or not. I'll decide when there are more details.
 
Z00rop@83 said:
ok so i just sat down and tried to comprise my own list of 16 songs...and seriously, i couldnt do it, and i REALLY am only including major radio hits....im having a hard time doing it on 20 tracks.

IMO the only real way to do this the RIGHT way would be a double disc...so here are my 20, the absolute minimum i could do this was 20

1. i will follow
2. NYD
3. SBS
4. Pride
5. Bad
6.WOWY
7. streets
8. ISHFWILF
9. even better than
10. The Fly
11. mysterious ways
12. lemon
13. stay
14. discoteque
15. staring at the sun
16. beautiful day
17. elevation
18. walk on
19. vertigo
20. COBL

i challenge anyone to argue any of these songs, they all belong, and there are some OBVIOUS glaring omissions...

particulary the singles from the lovetown era (when love comes, desire, etc.)

as well as a few songs from the 90's ( wild horses, numb, mofo, please, gone, Hold me thrill me, ground beneath feet)

call me crazy but i think its impossible to do this on one disc
:huh:
Well, first of all, 'Bad' was never a hit, so that won't be included. Remember, this is a Greatest Hits album, not a Best Of. I doubt 'Lemon' will be included either, since I don't think that busted to many charts in the US. I would guess that only one song from Pop will make an appearance, given the album's radio success (or lack thereof). We may not even see 'Sunday Bloody Sunday', since it wasn't really a single was it? Basically, I think this Greatest Hits album will be the highest charting singles from each album and that's it. That's all there is room for anyway.
 
Michael Griffiths said:

Well, first of all, 'Bad' was never a hit, so that won't be included. Remember, this is a Greatest Hits album, not a Best Of. I doubt 'Lemon' will be included either, since I don't think that busted to many charts in the US. I would guess that only one song from Pop will make an appearance, given the album's radio success (or lack thereof). We may not even see 'Sunday Bloody Sunday', since it wasn't really a single was it? Basically, I think this Greatest Hits album will be the highest charting singles from each album and that's it. That's all there is room for anyway.

this is not a greatest hits album :huh:

its a "best of"

:wink:

that list is they're "best"......"known" songs :drool:

and also remember this album isnt just for U.S. audiences, as far as i know, so im sure lemon, mofo, etc. were much better recieved in europe and latin america
 
Last edited:
Hmmmmm. i'd love to hear the discussions behind this.

Paul: we just put out the book, we're doing the gig with Green Day, let's throw this together in time for the holidays so people can give the book and a CD.

Larry: This is a crap idea, Paul.

Edge: Can we get Trombone Shorty involved.

Bono: sorry, I was working on world peace, did somebody say something?

Adam: smiles, nods, says, "Just tell me where to be."
 
i feel like the only person who is excited for this.... New U2 song!
Marketing Ploy for the holidays? YES
Kind of redundant? YES
Cheesy?YES
honestly...all of you guys are complaining but i bet that many of you are going to end up buying the CD anyway. i know i will. :shrug:
 
I just think this is a bad idea. I am willing to wait even 3 1/2 years to 4 yeasrs for a full studio album if that is what it takes. That has been the pattern since Zooropa anyway and I think this is flooding the market, like George Lucas does with Star Wars releases.


But I will get the song when the time draws nearer
 
Irvspad35 said:
This would be great news if it was a "Definitive 'Best of U2 LIVE' plus the 2 new singles. Now that would be a great package! If its just a reissuing of the studio tracks, come on guys!?!?

Wish list .. :drool: Definitive Live!! with a DVD of the "live" performances, and two new singles..:hyper:
one can dream :wink:
 
Z00rop@83 said:
ok so i just sat down and tried to comprise my own list of 16 songs...and seriously, i couldnt do it, and i REALLY am only including major radio hits....im having a hard time doing it on 20 tracks.

IMO the only real way to do this the RIGHT way would be a double disc...so here are my 20, the absolute minimum i could do this was 20

1. i will follow
2. NYD
3. SBS
4. Pride
5. Bad
6.WOWY
7. streets
8. ISHFWILF
9. even better than
10. The Fly
11. mysterious ways
12. lemon
13. stay
14. discoteque
15. staring at the sun
16. beautiful day
17. elevation
18. walk on
19. vertigo
20. COBL

i challenge anyone to argue any of these songs, they all belong, and there are some OBVIOUS glaring omissions...

particulary the singles from the lovetown era (when love comes, desire, etc.)

as well as a few songs from the 90's ( wild horses, numb, mofo, please, gone, Hold me thrill me, ground beneath feet)

call me crazy but i think its impossible to do this on one disc
:huh:

Well, I Will Follow, Stay, COBL, Walk On, and Bad were never hits, at least in the US. Lemon and The Fly were marginal, the Fly doing better than Lemon. And you're leaving off Angel Of Harlem, Desire & HMTMKMKM which were bona fide hits. And if there was to be a Zooropa track, I'd bet on (ugh) Numb. The Sweetest Thing was a hit along the same lines as Elevation, The Fly, Stuck In A Moment & Lemon, I wonder if it joins the others?
 
Snowlock said:


Well, I Will Follow, Stay, COBL, Walk On, and Bad were never hits, at least in the US. Lemon and The Fly were marginal, the Fly doing better than Lemon. And you're leaving off Angel Of Harlem, Desire & HMTMKMKM which were bona fide hits. And if there was to be a Zooropa track, I'd bet on (ugh) Numb. The Sweetest Thing was a hit along the same lines as Elevation, The Fly, Stuck In A Moment & Lemon, I wonder if it joins the others?

i feel like a broken record here, it does not say ANYWHERE about it being a "hits" record...its "best of", if we are talking about the TRUE BEST you could throw "running to stand still" on there....and in my first post i said that i recognized my omissions ( lovetown songs, and hold me thrill me).....im not looking to be a jerk here it is clearly obvious that the album sint gonna eb for us, its gonna be for the casual fans with all the "known" songs, i made that clear in my 1st post, but what i also said was if it is to be a TRUE "best of" cd, by definition it SHOULD be a double disc with 25-28 songs, all the ones i mentioned as well as angel of harlem, desire, and hold me thrill me....

i just think if they are gonna saturate the market and flood people with U2, atleast do a fair representation of yourselves and give people the "best"
 
Z00rop@83 said:


this is not a greatest hits album :huh:

its a "best of"

:wink:

that list is they're "best"......"known" songs :drool:

and also remember this album isnt just for U.S. audiences, as far as i know, so im sure lemon, mofo, etc. were much better recieved in europe and latin america
Yes, but I would equate "best known songs" to "greatest hits". To U2, they are one and the same, as they don't mean "best known to the diehards"; they mean, "best known to the masses". If this is a purely commercial release, I can only assume they would be selecting tracks on purely commercial terms (ie, "best known songs").

I realize that the album isn't only for US audiences, but we all know that U2 have greared their latest offerings to that audience.

I could see something like this:

1. I Will Follow (this song broke U2 into the public eye)
2. Sunday Bloody Sunday (might not have been released as a single, but the live version made it a hit)
3. New Year's Day
4. Pride (In the Name of Love)
5. With or Without You
6. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
7. Where The Streets Have No Name
8. Desire (one of their biggest UK hits ever)
9. All I Want Is You
10. Mysterious Ways
11. One
12. Stay (Faraway, So Close) - (I think this has become more well known than 'Numb')
13. Beautiful Day
14. Walk On
15. Vertigo
16. Sometimes You Can't Make it on Your Own

Not the same exact tracks I want to see, but such is the nature of the beast.
 
This release is the dumbest thing I have heard today, mind you it is only 9:30am.

What happened to releasing two more studio albums then a Best Of of 2000 - 2010? Good to see the nutjobs at Universal/Island etc are on the ball.

Don't give me any bullschtick about for this being for the casual fan either. This is what the last two Best Of's were for.

If they have a few new songs, what is the harm in releasing an EP instead?

Bollocks from start to finish...
 
Z00rop@83 said:


i feel like a broken record here, it does not say ANYWHERE about it being a "hits" record...its "best of", if we are talking about the TRUE BEST you could throw "running to stand still" on there....and in my first post i said that i recognized my omissions ( lovetown songs, and hold me thrill me).....im not looking to be a jerk here it is clearly obvious that the album sint gonna eb for us, its gonna be for the casual fans with all the "known" songs, i made that clear in my 1st post, but what i also said was if it is to be a TRUE "best of" cd, by definition it SHOULD be a double disc with 25-28 songs, all the ones i mentioned as well as angel of harlem, desire, and hold me thrill me....

i just think if they are gonna saturate the market and flood people with U2, atleast do a fair representation of yourselves and give people the "best"
I agree - it should be a double album with 25-28 songs to be a true Best Of. But this is exactly why I'm making the point that it will be a greatest hits album as far as I can tell. There simply isn't enough room for it not to be that.
 
silvrlvr said:
Hmmmmm. i'd love to hear the discussions behind this.

Paul: we just put out the book, we're doing the gig with Green Day, let's throw this together in time for the holidays so people can give the book and a CD.

Larry: This is a crap idea, Paul.

Edge: Can we get Trombone Shorty involved.

Bono: sorry, I was working on world peace, did somebody say something?

Adam: smiles, nods, says, "Just tell me where to be."

:lol:

Brilliant!!
 
Don't mean to freak everybody out with this comparison, but.... this reminds me of the way Guns 'n Roses' record label released a single disc version of Use Your Illusion I and II a while back. All the fans had already bought both albums a long time ago, and the record company (I presume) decided to weed out all the filler and recruit new fans with the single disc of "essential" songs.

I'm sure all the longtime fans were pissed off, but the record probably still sold.

(Any GNR experts feel free to correct me, please.)
 
What an embarrassment this band has become. How many collections were necessary from 1978-1997? ZERO. Since we've now got three best ofs (including the absolotely atrocious revisionist history best of 1990-2000 and this latest gag), and two highly mediocre retro, FM-lite, soccer-mom friendly studio albums. That's two albums in a decade with 3 best ofs. Just horrific output.

There are two U2's in my book: the great band that pushed musical boundaries for 20 years from 1976-1997, and then the post-POP U2, apologizing for everything that might offend anyone and passing the collection hat around far too many times for a band in their position.

R.I.P. U2 1976-1997. Yeah, POP was unfinished, but that doesn't mean you should spend the next decade raking your fans over the coals and producing crappy AOR mid-tempo trite with the most bottom drawer banal lyrics that ever came from Bono's pen!!!!!!
 
I have to agree with the majority here. Whoever's idea this was, it's a pretty bad one. Like it or not, the band will get absolutely hammered in the music press for this release. There will be no question over the quality of the music, the question will be hanging over the 'ripping off' fans when there are already two definitive 'Best Of' packages on the shelves.

It's a commercial release for the masses. Simple as that. It will, as the statement says, "contain the 16 best known U2 tracks" and that is meant on a global level. Songs such as Pride, Still Haven't Found, With or Without You, Sunday Bloody Sunday, One, Elevation, Beautiful Day & Vertigo are all very likely to be included. You then have the brand new track added in to entice the die-hards into buying along with the 'Saints' track with Green Day.

As with any U2 release, it is bound to sell very well and will, in that capacity, be deemed a success, but you can't help asking, as a fan, why this and not something else? Something the fans don't have and would really want. A nice big double cd of live tracks spanning the bands career for instance? Just thinking out loud there, but you all know what I'm getting at I'm sure.

Just my opinion..
 
skott100 said:
Lets remember here that the world is not made up of hardcore U2 fans. I realize that may be a shock to some of us, and even I realize it makes little sense, but it is the world we live in.

There's a whole group of people out there who are aware of U2, may have an album or maybe just like them when they come on the radio. Buying the two best of's that are currently out may not be an attractive option for someone who wants "pride" and "beautiful day" on the same disc. So there is a "hole" that this CD will fill for some people. Very few, if any, of the people reading this site and posting to this board are amoung that group, but it does exist and here's the scary thing...

There's more of "them" than there are of "us".

So with all the money flying around in the fourth quarter a release like this makes good business sense. We don't have to like it, but it's undeniable. Plus, in the age of itunes, we can just buy the bonus songs ala carte.


WELL SAID!! There are plenty of people who are going to buy this CD - and yes, they will be the NON hard-core fans. I know plently of people who have Joshua Tree and the BEST OF 1990-2000 in their collection, just because they are "surface" U2 fans. The band has everyt right to release a CD that might cater more to the so-so fans. I really don't understand why so many people are freaking out over this. If you want just the new single, I am sure you'll be able to get it on iTunes. Nobody's forcing you to buy the CD if you don't want to.
 
hibricc said:
Don't mean to freak everybody out with this comparison, but.... this reminds me of the way Guns 'n Roses' record label released a single disc version of Use Your Illusion I and II a while back. All the fans had already bought both albums a long time ago, and the record company (I presume) decided to weed out all the filler and recruit new fans with the single disc of "essential" songs.

I'm sure all the longtime fans were pissed off, but the record probably still sold.

(Any GNR experts feel free to correct me, please.)

Yes, the GN'R record label did release that and as far as I am aware, none of the band (the 'original' members who recorded those albums) had a say in it. I believe the release was a complete failure. Say what you like about Guns N'Roses, but those Use Your Illusion albums were full of fantastic music, back to back. Trying to make one single album from the two is just wrong.

The same happened with the GN'R Greatest Hits package they released a couple of years back. Again, the record company put that together without any input from any of the original band members and they ended up with Slash publically slamming it for a number of reasons including the fact that there were five cover versions on there!
 
after thinking about this for a while i kinda feel bad for the band....id be willing to bet they have absolutely no hand in any of this...whoever is in charge is probably just salavating at the mouth when he heard the band was in the studio again and wanted to cash in asap....impatient bastards :mad:
 
Its a great commercial move, I wish everyone would get over it.
 
Z00rop@83 said:
after thinking about this for a while i kinda feel bad for the band....id be willing to bet they have absolutely no hand in any of this...whoever is in charge is probably just salavating at the mouth when he heard the band was in the studio again and wanted to cash in asap....impatient bastards :mad:

I can't believe U2 doesn't have any say whatsoever. I was under the impression they had until 2010 to release their third Best Of. Or do they just want to get it out of the way so they can negotiate a new contract?

It does suck, but after all the commercialism and lameness of the past six years it's hardly surprising. In some ways the digital box set was even more aggravating. At least this will be a single disc that hopefully won't even cost more than $10 to $12 if you get it the first week at Best Buy or wherever.
 
Rachel D. said:
Calm down, people! U2 is not trying to get more money from us (the hardcore fans who already have everything). This year is U2's 30th anniversary, remember? This is a milestone for them - a huge one - so what would make more sense than to release a comprehensive Best-Of to go with U2 by U2? It's almost like a soundtrack for the book. Additionally, it's a good way to introduce casual listeners to U2's catalogue (as other people have already said).


I think with disposable "Best ofs" like this one U2 don't give a s*** about fans who made them rich and famous :madspit: and just care about those posers and wannabes who buy any s*** just because it's in style. U2 kiss their asses and don't even think that those teens really don't know and don't want to know U2 at all and they swallow any corporate act like Robbie Williams, Shakira, Justin Timbercrap, Beyonce, Nu Metal crap, etc.

How come they celebrate their 30 years career with such disgusting product?. A proper celebration should be an omage and a treasure, a way to say Thank you to the millions of long time fans instead of those kids who buy whatever is being played on MTV

A 4-5 CD set collection of Singles, Promos & Digital Releases, or a 4-5 CD Set of Unreleased tracks, B-Sides and Demos or even a 2 CD set The Rest Of The Best could have been much more interesting and it could have been perfect as the soundtrack of U2 by U2, because it could have reveal the inner spirit of the band with lesser known songs rather than the "Biggest band in the world" with the same overplayed songs side.

They spoiled their golden chance to present the world what is and what has been the extraordinary U2 career for the new generations. Instead of that, they took the easiest way: make a "New" Greatest Hits filled with the same songs once again, collect the bucks and disappear at the south of France for summer once more.

With this fake "Best of" the new generations could think that U2 is nothing but an extremely overrated act, a singles band who has been so much hyped over the years, but in the end nothing but another superficial "greatest hits" band... what a shame!
 
ponkine said:
.

Everytime when a band release a "Greatest Hits" filled with the same songs again and again their credibility go to hell. (

Right, because that is exactly what happened to:

The Beatles (Red, Blue, 1)
The Rolling Stones (Big Hits - High Tide And The Green Grass, Through The Past Darkly - Big Hits Volume 2, Hot Rocks 1964 - 1971, More Hot Rocks - BIg Hits & Fazed Cookies, Made In The Shade, Sucking In The Seventies, Rewind 1971 - 1984, Singles Collection - The London Years, Jump Back - The Best Of The Rolling Stones, Forty Licks)
Bruce Springsteen (Greatest Hits, The Essential Bruce Springsteen)
The Cure (Staring At The Sea, Galore, The Greatest Hits)
The Who (Direct Hits, Meaty Beaty Big And Bouncy, Then And Now)
Led Zeppelin (Remasters, Early Days, Latter Days)
Queen (Greatest Hits, Greatest Hits II, Classic Queen, Greatest Hits III, Greatest Hits - We Will Rock You Edition)
Van Morrison (Best Of, Best Of II, Super Hits)
Bob Dylan (Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits, Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Volume II, Biograph, Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits Volume III, The Essential Bob Dylan, The Best Of Bob Dylan)

All of these artists are still considered amongst the best and most credible rock acts of all time, and they are also very guilty of similar practices. Let's just face it, this is what happens when a band is this big. Expect more releases way into the future, and way after they stop making music.

Expect another All Encompassing Best Of in 20 years too. (Whether or not U2 is even still together). I hate how people are getting all bend out of shape over this.

The same thing happened both other times they released best ofs and i doubt any of us ever really listen to those records either, especially in the age of iTunes. This is a release for the Best Buy "I Still Buy CDs" market.

So we get 2 new songs. Good. None of us really expected a new album in 2 months anyway. Edge says we'll get one in a year. So we get 12 new songs a year from now. I'm down with that. It'll still be the shortest between album gap since the Achtung / Zooropa days. And while it is true that the gap will then be about 3 years, this time is an exception because the band has been on tour most of that time (which is more than we can say about the Between Zooropa and Pop days)

And before anyone goes off on "yeah, but those artists didn't just market the new best ofs as a selling point for a couple new tracks" know this: The Cure, Springsteen, The Stones and Dylan did exactly that.

This is nothing new from a band of this size. Let's not get into the same cranky business we did in 98 and 02.

My only concern here is the history revisionism. Will Zooropa and Pop era be represented at all? Somehow I doubt it. It seems Stay, Discotheque, and HMTMKMKM would be the only 2 songs that stand a chance. BUt given the band's recent live shows, I would guess they skip these releases. And to me, THAT is something to be upset with, because the band is far too critical of the 90s era.

It will be interesting to see if Sweetest Thing or Electrical Storm make the cut as well (I seriously doubt it in both cases)

I will agree with one point though: If U2 makes the new track an "Album Only" download, I will be miffed. But again, I don't think that will happen because it will most likely be available as a SINGLE download. (especially considering that Paul McGuinness already stated as much)
 
I'm with shades. If they're under contract for 3 Best Ofs and want out, to Principle Management this is probably the most direct way of escaping the obligation.

Anyways, until the tracklisting is released, I'll be optimistic- it'll probably be the greatest studio hits (and thus a production nightmare), but still possible to be an omnibus live release, which is what every fan's been waiting for.

The only downside of the studio release would be confusing the casual fans every proponent here is drooling over. If you want Beautiful Day, there are 3 albums to choose from, and 2 are supposed to be the "Best Of". Do you want Beautiful Day with the songs it was created with, with songs from the last decade it was shoehorned in with, or with songs that were written before 90% of the buyers were born?
 
I don't know what to think. I don't know if I like it or not but I do know their last 5 releases look like this:

Best of 80-90
ATYCLB
Best of 90-00
HTDAAB
GH

3 greatest hits albums in the last five releases does not look good in my opinion. In fact it's rather lame regardless of the reasons behind it.:|
 
Hawkfire said:
What an embarrassment this band has become. How many collections were necessary from 1978-1997? ZERO. Since we've now got three best ofs (including the absolotely atrocious revisionist history best of 1990-2000 and this latest gag), and two highly mediocre retro, FM-lite, soccer-mom friendly studio albums. That's two albums in a decade with 3 best ofs. Just horrific output.

There are two U2's in my book: the great band that pushed musical boundaries for 20 years from 1976-1997, and then the post-POP U2, apologizing for everything that might offend anyone and passing the collection hat around far too many times for a band in their position.

R.I.P. U2 1976-1997. Yeah, POP was unfinished, but that doesn't mean you should spend the next decade raking your fans over the coals and producing crappy AOR mid-tempo trite with the most bottom drawer banal lyrics that ever came from Bono's pen!!!!!!

Ha! Truer words have rarely been spoken or written or typed out on a message board!

U2 R.I.P 1976 - 1997 indeed!
 
i'm so sick of the post pop haters. pop may be my favorite album by U2, but this post pop bashing is ridiculous.

subscribing to that school of thought means posting in a message board for a band that you believe hasn't had any good output for nearly a decade.

seems like a waste of time to me
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom