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

[dsmith2904]

Definitive "Best Of" on the Way

Sixteen of U2’s best known songs and two new tracks are on a single ‘Best of” CD released next month.

No word on a title for the album yet nor what the track-listing is but the release date is set for November 20th.

Along with 16 of the band’s best known songs (start predicting them now!) one of the two new tracks is the band’s collaboration with Green Day while the other is a brand new song.

Both were recorded during sessions at London’s Abbey Road last month and are produced by Rick Rubin.

Ahead of the new collection, the U2/Green Day version of The Skids’ track ‘The Saints Are Coming’ will be released as a digital download on 30th October and as a CD single on 6th November.

Proceeds from ‘The Saints’ will benefit Music Rising.

The bands’ debuted the song live at the re-opening of the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans last Monday. Catch a stream of the live version here where it is also available for US-only download.

More news on the album – including the tracklisting – as soon as we get it!

--U2.com

 

[nathan1977]

Good Lord.

 

[Catman]

New song?

 

[efisher99]

This sounds like something designed more for a casual fan. Here are my guesses for the 16 tracks:

Beautiful Day
Vertigo
One
With or Without You
Streets
I Will Follow
Pride
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Desire
New Year's Day
Elevation
Discotheque
Still Haven't Found
Stay
Mysterious Ways
Real Thing


Not sure is this collection is at all necessary. But if nothing else, it keeps the string going of having something in the shops from them every year for the holidays

00 - ATYCLB
01 - Elevation Live DVD
02 - Best of the '90s
03 - U2 Go Home DVD
04 - Atomic Bomb
05 - Vertigo Live DVd
06 - Definitive best-of

 

[Snowlock]

Excellent news on the new song. I hope it's All My Life/Moment I'm In/Beach Clip.

Saints. Eh.

If it's truely their best known it' could be:

1. New Years Day
2. Sunday Bloody Sunday
3. Pride
4. Streets
5. WOWY
6. ISHFWILF
7. Desire
8. The Fly
9. Myst Ways
10. One
11. Numb
12. The Sweetest Thing (Single Mix)
13. Beautiful Day
14. Stuck
15. Vertigo
16. SYCMIOYO

But some majors are left off:

HMTMKMKM
COBL
Elevation
EBTTRT
When Love Comes To Town
Discotheque (maybe but is possible for album representation)

 

[LyricalDrug]

This sounds kind of lame to me.

 

[ponkine]

The title of this selling out should be "Best of The Best ofs"

 

[RavenBlue]

This is a bit strange... but whatever. Two new songs

 

[Cigar]

Who is going to be stupid enough to buy a "best of" of the previous 2 "best of"?????

"The Saints are coming" will already be out has a single 2 weeks before,so Paul Mcguinness things i'll spend 20$ for just 1 new song,then?

Who's kidding who here?

 

[Snowlock]

The title of this selling out should be "Best of The Best ofs"

How is this selling out by a band that puts out between 4 and 5 singles an album with usually two version of each, two previous hits packages, a digital box set, 8 videos on iTunes, 6 DVD's, 4 VHS only tapes, an offical book, a big budget movie, t shirts, hoodies, pullovers, lithographs, mouspads, key chains, hats, sheet music, concert seats beginning at $135, a subscription website, World Cup commercials, plus licensing of song clips to the NFL and NBA for promo use, in elevators, retail stores and restaurants, etc. etc. etc. If they thought U2-O's cereal would sell, I'm sure we'd have seen it by now.

Huh. Maybe it'd be called Bon-O's.

 

[Jeannieco]

.

Huh. Maybe it'd be called Bon-O's.

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

I don't think I like this. I think it's lame too. Is a new best of really necessary? I don't think so.

 

[Jeannieco]

Ya, this is strange.... it sounds like the "sooner than you think" comment by either Edge or Bono ( can't remember) wasn't that far off then. Maybe they just needed a vehicle to attach the new song to???

 

[Popmartijn]

How is this selling out... <snip mention of activities that don't really have to do with a superfluous Best Of>

Because there are already 2 Best Of... sets that more or less perfectly (or at least adequately) capture the first 2 decades of U2. So why release a new, single disc compilation that will leave out more than it can add to those 2 Best Of... sets?
You mention a lot of stuff in your post, but those items all add something to U2. This set doesn't. At least, I think that one unreleased song (since The Saints Are Coming will be released as a single too) is not enough. Not when there are already other compilations available.

 

[Zoomerang96]

wow is that pathetic.

so everytime u2 comes out with a new album, they release a best of?

this doesn't reak like "cashing in" at all... *cough

i can't see how anyone would be excited about this. it's embarrasing.

 

[Snowlock]

Because there are already 2 Best Of... sets that more or less perfectly (or at least adequately) capture the first 2 decades of U2. So why release a new, single disc compilation that will leave out more than it can add to those 2 Best Of... sets?
You mention a lot of stuff in your post, but those items all add something to U2. This set doesn't. At least, I think that one unreleased song (since The Saints Are Coming will be released as a single too) is not enough. Not when there are already other compilations available.

You're saying they sold out. So everything you snipped that I attached says they're not merely selling out. They're sold. Bono himself introduced the band during the Elevation tour as a Family Business. He wasn't kidding. Don't buy the disk if you don't want it, I'm sure the two songs will be available individually on iTunes sooner or later. But to complain that the disk is selling out by a band that approaches what they do not just as art but as big business is stating the obvious. And deriding them for it is kind of pointless.

This isn't Pearl Jam, a massively big band struggling against the big business aspect of what they do. U2 imbrace it.

 

[Zoomerang96]

yes, and that's GOOD isn't it? that u2 is the microsoft of rock and roll?

oh how rebellious and "punk"!

 

[Jeannieco]

But to complain that the disk is selling out by a band that approaches what they do not just as art but as big business is stating the obvious. And deriding them for it is kind of pointless.

This isn't Pearl Jam, a massively big band struggling against the big business aspect of what they do. U2 imbrace it.

That's a really great point. I don't mind spending money on U2 because I know they are going to use the money for great things.
I look at it like making a donation to the overall do-good business enterprise that is U2. If that means I am paying for somebody's fancy car or whatever so what, I know they are trying to give back not in small ways, but huge gigantic world changing ways so whatever money I spend is worth it.
But do I need to buy a whole new album for just 2 new songs?
I probably will becuase of MUSIC RISING.

 

[adrball]

What a joke!

Who is going to buy a BestOf-BestOf when they already have two BestOf's?

Okay, this could be the ultimate U2 collection. But not when they load it with a trashy (if well intended) charity record and some untested song that's never been released before.

I've gone out and bought every album, but this is a step too far.

 

[adrball]

But do I need to buy a whole new album for just 2 new songs?
I probably will becuase of MUSIC RISING.

I don't read the album proceeds going to MUSIC RISING, just the Saints single.

 

[-macphisto-]

Honestly this is pretty lame, who wants more best of's?

 

[Snowlock]

yes, and that's GOOD isn't it? that u2 is the microsoft of rock and roll?

oh how rebellious and "punk"!

Closed circuit to 1983, they're not a punk band anymore.

 

[ponkine]

This will be the worst ever U2 release, even worst than "Best" of 1990-2000, because any single disc compilation from a 25+ years career lacks serious song selection quality. U2 could release a REAL DEFINITIVE 4 CD compilation with no fillers if they want it:

Disc One: 11 O'Clock Tick Tock, Out Of Control, I Will Follow, The Electric Co, Gloria, Fire, A Celebration, Sunday Bloody Sunday, Seconds, New Year's Day (single), Surrender, "40", A Sort Of Homecoming, Pride (in the name of love), Wire, The Unforgettable Fire, Bad

Disc Two: MLK, Where The Streets Have No Name, I Still Haven't Found, With Or Without You, Bullet The Blue Sky, Running To Stand Still, One Tree Hill, In God's Country, Desire, When Love Comes To Town, God Part II, Angel Of Harlem, Heartland, All I Want Is You, Night And Day

Disc Three: Even Better Than The Real Thing, The Fly, Mysterious Ways, One, Until The End Of The World, Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, Zooropa (radio edit), Numb, Lemon, Stay, The First Time, Hold Me ..., Miss Sarajevo, Discotheque (single), Mofo, Staring At The Sun

Disc Four: Last Night On Earth (single), Gone, If God Will Send His Angels (single), Please (single), Sweetest Thing, The Ground Beneath her Feet, Beautiful Day, Elevation, Stuck In A Moment, Walk On, Kite, Electrical Storm, Vertigo, City Of Blinding Lights, Sometimes You Can't Make it, Original Of The Species, The Saints Are Coming



It's easy if you Try - John Lennon

 

[coemgen]

Here's the thing — It's lame for us U2 fans, because we have to buy this now. That means we'll each have like five copies of the same recording of WTSHNN and One. However, it is a music business and Best Ofs typically are a way for new fans to start their U2 collection.

Here's what I'm anxious to see:
1. When they sell it on iTunes are they going to make us buy the whole album to get the two new songs.
2. After their next full length album are they going to sign another "Best of" deal and have a "Best of 2000 to 2010" and then do they include the songs from ATYCLB again?

 

[skott100]

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.

 

[Jeannieco]

I wouldn't mind seeing new pictures of them with new packaging that comes with a new cd. I am fascinated by graphic design and would love new artwork, pictures ect
But do you thinkit will be just a re-hash of old photo shoots? hmmm. That would suc. No more buffalos please
At least give us fresh packaging, new pictures and lots of extras, whatever that means.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

wouldnt mind, but as i have said in previous posts, i have heard all proceeds will be going to music rising, so yep i guess thats selling out right?

 

[Anticipation]

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.

I totally agree. U2 is always trying to attract new fans and a single greatest hits is the way to go. The two Best of disks were more comprehensive with the b-sides disk and better for the fans and diehards like myself but for a casual fan it wasn' t all encompassing enough. Even as a diehard I am very excited about this..Two new songs, a new U2 cover, and a bonus dvd mentioned on some sites today as well. This is the best news all year. Here's my list.

1. With or Without You
2. Beautiful Day
3. One
4. Vertigo
5. Pride
6. Mysterious Ways
7. Elevation
8. Sunday Bloody Sunday
9. New Years day
10. Sometimes You Can't Make it
11. Desire
12. Walk On
13. The Fly
14. I will Follow
15. Stay
16. The Saints Are Coming
17. Mercy
18. Where the Streets Have No Name

 

[Peter]

I don't like this either. It doesn't make sense. Is this the beginning of the end? Even if that's true, it's way too early to release this kind of album.

However, I hope that 'relevant' songs like Bullet and The Fly will now be included...

 

[u2boy_nl]

As someone already pointed out, you don't have to buy it. Geez people.

U2 have sold out? Because they're selling their songs?