I think U2 should surprise release their just-delayed album whenever it's done. Wait! Where are you going? Hear me out. There's not a lot of artists the whole surprise release thing works for. They need to be popular, front page of iTunes popular. U2 aren't exactly fashionable, but they're one of the biggest bands on the planet. If they suddenly appeared everywhere out nowhere with an album, as they almost certainly would if they chose to do this, you'd probably be at least a little bit curious to hear it. They're one of the few acts who could match surfboard-levels of excitement, even if it occurs in a completely different string of media.
I'd rate my interest in new U2 material somewhere between morbid curiosity and foolish optimism. They've been away for a while, and seem set to make their legacy album. But remember, not everyone who bought that Beyoncé album was a Beyoncé fan; they just got drawn into its inescapable buzz. I think we're still realising the full extent of that secret releases' effects. It made people think of a singles act like Beyoncé in full album terms. U2 sit somewhere in the middle, they've had great singles over the years, but they're mostly seen as an LP band. This release style could combine the best of both worlds, it's an album as a single. If they can surprise people into listening to something they would have never given the time of day to otherwise, they could be back in fine form, people might actually start enjoying U2 again. And at the least, it'd one of the only things about their upcoming album that they hadn't over thought. -
Peter Hinson
