Next single in Australia is....

[Earnie Shavers]

City of Blinding Lights.

 

[Axver]

Got confirmation of that, or is that just a rumour/speculation?

 

[jendzi]

I think that it will be 3rd single worldwide

 

[JJJ Frenzy]

g'day

i reckon crumbs or miracle drug - crumbs for that indie sound and miracle drup cos its got that unique U2 sound

Marty

ps: is that sydney gig confirmed yet?

 

[bono_man2002]

ps: is that sydney gig confirmed yet?

Nothing for Australia is confirmed.
They will be still in the States till December 19th....so bring on the 2006 Australian Vertigo Tour!

 

[intedomine]

Nothing for Australia is confirmed.
They will be still in the States till December 19th....so bring on the 2006 Australian Vertigo Tour!

2006

I'll be in my 20's by then.

It'd be great if City of Blinding Lights IS the 3rd single though.

 

[adambk]

Nothing for Australia is confirmed.
They will be still in the States till December 19th....so bring on the 2006 Australian Vertigo Tour!

I am crossing my fingers, and I know If they confirm it I will start worrying about getting tickets.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

I know for sure that City of Blinding Lights is the next single.
Unfortunately the radio edit kinda sucks, but they always do. It lops off a fair part of the opening, and a round of the "time's" near the end. Also unfortunately, there seems to be no new production, just a trimmed down version of the album version.

As for the tour, you may have seen in the news today that U2 have once again gone for cashing in over in the US over travelling the world and the Australian leg of the tour, which had 4 shows locked in for mid December in Sydney, as well as Brisbane and Melbourne. The Australian leg has been cancelled, with no new dates on the plans just yet although the birdies tell me that the Australian promoters think they can do a deal for February.

 

[Neenie]

I know for sure that City of Blinding Lights is the next single.
Unfortunately the radio edit kinda sucks, but they always do. It lops off a fair part of the opening, and a round of the "time's" near the end. Also unfortunately, there seems to be no new production, just a trimmed down version of the album version.

Where did you hear it? I didn't think there would be another single until about june. I hope City of Blinding Lights is the next single though.

 

[ahmedadam]

w

 

[intedomine]

Confirmation of City of Blinding Lights as the next single.

Triple M are saturating their playlist with City of blinding Lights and have been doing so since Sunday 13/3/05.

It doesn't seem to be an edited version.

Considering the SYCMIOYO CD single was released just 4 weeks ago, this is extremely pathetic.

It's still 2 months until the City of Blinding Lights CD will be instores. By then most radio listeners will be sick of the song and won't go and buy the single.

It happened with the first 2 singles and it will happen with the 3rd, whether it's an anniversary edition or not.

The fact that City... probably will sell poorly doesn't do the song, nor the band, justice.

Song should have been released onto radio in late April.

 

[Neenie]

Gotta agree with you there intedomine

 

[boystupidboy]

Tie me kangaroo down sport?

 

[Roland of Gilead]

I really hope this 25th Anniversary single is loaded up like an EP. City of Blinding Lights would be a good choice for this.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Single sales don't mean a thing to the band or their record company.

 

[Axver]

Single sales don't mean a thing to the band or their record company.

But how about chart positions?

 

[Dima]

But how about chart positions?

and how about ALBUM chart postions? don't you think that massive airplay has much more influence on album sales than #1 single that sells 5000 copies (at best) in its first week?
The truth is that THE ONLY important chart for singles is the airplay chart: #1 in the airplay chart means a great bump in sales...make a song #1 on the radios and you'll see the album fly on the charts.

 

[Leebonoman96]

Sadly no Dima. Not in Australia anyway. Sometimes got huge airplay on Nova, Tripple M and Mix. 3 of our top 4 fm stations and the album still didn't climb back up the charts. U2's marketing here for this album has been pathetic. Both Vertigo and Sometimes were being played on radio more than 2 months before being released as a single. Not to mention the video came out 3 days before Sometimes hit the shelves. Now the same is happening with COBL. If the song hits radio it should be released 2 or 3 at the most weeks later. I doubt with this marketing strategy COBL will even crack the top 20 now. Which in Australia is weak. Very weak. Poor marketing will end Bombs run here. No matter what single is released now.

 

[Bad Templar]

Poor marketing will end Bombs run here. No matter what single is released now.

The 'Bomb' campaign in Australia is looking more and more like a depth charge...sinking and sinking...and in the end turns out to be a dud.

 

[beli]

I think, and I'm could just be talking out of my bottom, that U2 were relying on the Ipod commercial for a chunk of their publicity, forgetting about the Itunesless countries in the world.

 

[Axver]

I think, and I'm could just be talking out of my bottom, that U2 were relying on the Ipod commercial for a chunk of their publicity, forgetting about the Itunesless countries in the world.

What about all the European nations in which HTDAAB is still lingering in the top ten? I'm pretty sure not all of them are iTunes nations.

I think U2 aren't going to worry about promotion down here until (if) they tour.

 

[beli]

But many European nations have had interviews. What have we had? One Foxtel thingie that most people didn't see because it was on Foxtel. That's it.

I'm suprised tv stations haven't picked up some of the English/Irish interviews and played them.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

Firstly, U2 weren't relying on the iTunes stuff. U2 OWN their digital rights completely, meaning Universal get 0% of all iTunes sales. They're a very savvy band and had that written into their contract when 99.9% of the world were still saying "Inter-what?" They'd want iTunes and all other digital sales to boom. Of course the commercials are still shown in Australia, but they're paid for by Apple. U2 and Universal have nothing to do with that. They were on tv to sell iPods, and if they gave the album a boost (which they would have) then so be it. They weren't relying on that.

Secondly, U2 have never, ever, ever been big promoters in Australia. They'll usually do one interview with a radio station that can be syndicated (usually Triple M Sydney which is then broadcast throughout Australia via Austereo) and Bono will pony up for a more serious interview (something like 60 Minutes, or these days Denton even) and both usually occur closer to a tour.

Single sales and chart position do not mean a thing. They make up such a tiny % of an artists revenue, they are almost not worth putting out anymore. Cancel one concert in the US because of an illness and they've lost more money than they'll make from an Australian #1 single. U2 couldn't care less about Australian chart position.

Radio airplay IS important and if Sometimes or City of Blinding Lights are in high rotation then the job is done. It keeps the band at the front of peoples minds, it keeps the album selling steadily. People who obsess over the Bomb have to realise that there is NOT a killer song on there that's going to shoot it back up the charts. It's not that kind of album. It doesn't appeal to that kind of market. U2 are not that kind of band anymore.

What U2 do care about above and beyond all else is tour revenue. When they do finally make it down here, expect bombardment. That's where you hand over the most cash, that's when they'll be interested.

 

[beli]

Firstly, U2 weren't relying on the iTunes stuff.

Have you read the Australian Rolling Stone interview from a couple of months ago? It was actually a translation from the German Rolling Stone mag. In that article it was mentioned that the Ipod adverts were creating enough publicity that U2 decided to cancel all further interviews (for a while).

Dunno if they actually had any Australian interviews booked, reading your post it sounds as if they probably didn't.

 

[beli]

oops, my post reads a little bit agro. Its not meant as such. My apologies.

 

[beLIEve]

They had to cancel some interviews, right?

Have you read the Australian Rolling Stone interview from a couple of months ago? It was actually a translation from the German Rolling Stone mag. In that article it was mentioned that the Ipod adverts were creating enough publicity that U2 decided to cancel all further interviews (for a while).

Dunno if they actually had any Australian interviews booked, reading your post it sounds as if they probably didn't.

I've also read that just about all engagements, interviews, live performances that were planned got nixed due to the situation with the Edge's family illness and the serious doubt that was cast over the tour. The band basically disappeared after Christmas and showed up again at the Grammies in February.

They did not play Leno, Letterman, Irving Plaza, etc., which were all done for ATYCLB. The I-pod success probably made that decision to "pull-back" easier, but I still think U2 went on hiatus during that very uncertain and worrysome time. I'm sure no one wanted to field questions about all the tour/illness rumours, plus there were obviously more important things to focus on. Even now, they are not that accessible but for the RnR HOF and the Edun clothing line.

I think the redone 1st leg in N.A. hits the big cities on both coasts due to Edge's situation, as he has a palace in Malibu, CA., where he can be close to his family, and Bono, Adam, and Larry have pads in NYC, allowing for the same when they go to the Northeast. I hope and pray that this does allow for family time while on tour. Even on the 3rd leg, U2 skips much of the South in favor of the big cities on both coasts, with some exception, but not much.

As for singles, it seems that U2 does release them in the UK for the publicity of getting a "#1 hit". Other than that and the typical hype surrounding the lead single, I agree, U2 are not a singles band and there is NO money in it. They do make videos and release songs for airplay only to help album sales. Even incremental albums sales from this point forward will not generate much income for the band. The tour and all the merchandise that sells with it...now that's another story. Much more money to be made there for sure!

 

[intedomine]

Heard City of Blinding Lights again. I think that it may indeed be an edited version, but don't get too excited.

U2 have done another "Sometimes you Can't Make It On Your Own" and cut some seconds off the ending. That's all the editing I noticed.

 

[Leebonoman96]

Just about every single in the past 20 years has hit the top 10 here besides the Pop singles. Electrical Storm peaked at #5, Lemon #6, Miss Sarajevo #9, Even Mission Impossible went to number #2 here. For a great tune like Sometimes to only hit #19 I classify as a failure. It is still important for singles here. There isn't any big radio play chart here. If U2 want to play 10 sold out concerts here early next year the band and their management need to fix this problem. If Sometimes was released 2 weeks after hitting radio I have no doubt it would have cracked the top 3. Throw in a few commercials for the album on Tv both the album and single would be still in the top 10. You simply can't have any U2 song released as a single 2 months after being played on radio. And if the band don't care what position the singles peak at they need to. Remember this, MTV, Channel V, Video Hits and a few other programs only really count down the top 20. If the song is only in the top 20 for one week nobody is seeing or hearing Sometimes. Poor marketing thats all it is. The songs are great. Fix this problem now and the album wont keep dropping and the singles will reach the top 5, which they deserve.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

U2 will sell out 10 concerts in Sydney no problems. Even if this album wasn't even out.

Singles don't matter. Chart position doesn't matter. Can't say it enough.

'Sometimes' was never going to be a big single. People who like songs like that by bands like this don't buy singles.

 

[Down Under]

You discuss the lack of marketing and chart position in Australia, well let us talk about the lack of a tour here.

I hate to say it, but I would not be surprised (and I would love to be proven wrong) that U2 might not tour here this time like the last U2 tour.

Back in January 2005, it was announced (in the press) that dates had been booked in a number of Australian major city concert venues for the new tour in December 2005, news some 12 months in advance.

As we all know they have extended the American tour into December 2005.

So here we are in March (almost April) and still no news of a forthcoming tour has been leaked about a visit to our shores.

It will not be the first time they have forgot us, with their last tour being PopMart back in 1998.

I am not being negative, just playing devils advocate.