Ahh. Probably one of the most debated albums on this forum. Honestly, it seems to me this album has more lovers or haters than middle-ground people than any other U2 album.
Me? For those of who have already seen me speak on behalf of Pop, you know how I feel. You know that I think it's hands down the greatest U2 album. No questions asked. No hesitation. No second thought.
Granted, it might be due to the fact that I didn't even know U2 existed until a friend of mine had me listen to Pop a week after it was released.
Granted, it might have been due to the fact that in 1997, aside from knowing U2, the only artists I knew about were Neil Diamond, Beach Boys and Led Zeppelin. Oh, and classical music, but that's a different story.
To me, U2 was something that I could particularly relate to in my personal life. Especially in 97 when I was going through this "My life is so fucked up, where is God to help me?" And so the likes of If God Will Send His Angels and Wake Up Dead Man really hit home to me.
The first U2 song I fell in love with was Please. I must have played that track on repeat for hours and hours. And then hearing on bootlegs and seeing the live version of it on the PopMart video was just a mental orgasm for me. First time I saw the PopMart video and Please was on, and the transition into Streets made me lose it and I immediately began to cry. The beauty, dispair, hope and pleading of that song all wrapped up in one just really touched me.
If I can recall and think back to 1997, my view of Pop was slightly different then, than it is now.
For starters, I HATED The Playboy Mansion. I skipped over that track constantly. And I thought Last Night On Earth was the best track on the album.
In 1997 - 6.75/10
Discotheque - 9/10
Do You Feel Loved - 6/10
Mofo - 7/10
If God Will Send His Angels - 8/10
Staring At the Sun - 4/10
Last Night on Earth - 10/10
Gone - 7/10
Miami - 7/10
The Playboy Mansion - 0/10
If You Wear That Velvet Dress - 6/10
Please - 10/10
Wake Up Dead Man - 7/10
Now - 8.66/10
Discotheque - 7/10
Do You Feel Loved - 9/10
Mofo - 8/10
If God Will Send His Angels - 8/10
Staring At The Sun - 8/10
Last night On Earth - 8/10
Gone - 10/10
Miami - 9/10
The Playboy Mansion - 8/10
If You Wear That Velvet Dress - 9/10
Please - 10/10
Wake Up Dead Man - 10/10
So I believe in just under 10 years (wow, the ten year is coming up in just a few months. Shit.) my appreciation for that album has gone up. Still my favorite - hands down.
Do I think it's overrated on the forum? Perhaps. Do I think it's underrated in the world? Oh most definitely. But the album is starting to get the recognition and understanding that it deserved. It was early. It was too new and confused people, even U2 fans. But, over time, I would imagine that in 10 years, there are at least twice as many Pop lovers as there were in 1997. And regardless of the fact that it took 10 years doesn't matter. It pleases me greatly that the appreciation for the album has been realized and will continue to be realized.
Pop is the underdog of the U2 catalog. And I'm an underdog-fan type of guy.
I'm pleased with it's progress over the years.
