Theories on ES song title and Best Of...

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beLIEve

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Since I haven't posted in a while and I actually have time on my hands, I thought I'd share a few far out theories on U2's upcoming releases. First, Electrical Storm. I like the song. I never listen to the radio, but yesterday, I had it on in the car. On a station in Johnson City, TN, called "Electric 94.9", they played Electrical Storm. This station is top 40 all the way. When they finished the song, the DJ said "Brand new U2...Electrical Storm on Electric 94.9". Just one hour later, I heard it again. The DJ then came on after the song finished and said "That was U2 delivering an Electrical Storm to Electric 94.9 listeners everywhere".

They said some other good things about the song. The song title doesn't exactly describe the mood of the song - I think most people would agree about that. But the way the DJ just loved saying Electrical Storm on Electric 94.9...it got me thinking. I started flipping radio stations, and since I get stations from several states, I found two more playing ES. Both of those stations were also called "Electric 99.3" and "Electric 105.?" So I just wonder - how many Top 40 type radio stations are called "Electric something or other" around the U.S. and the world, for that matter? U2 will be played on alternative rock stations, adult rock, album rock, etc., but it's the Top 40 that usually determines a hit, and for some reason, I think ES is going to be one of the top chart performers for U2 since AB. The way it leaked out, got hyped up, and maybe the title (I know, it's far out), have created a lot of interest in the song. It's hard for me to believe I heard it 4 times in about 2 hours where I live.

As for the CD, it does seem to have a few odd selections. Just two songs from ATYCLB gives U2 a chance to include the rest of the singles and maybe Kite on the next Best Of. But, if you look at all of what is being released by U2 in the various formats, many of the songs from the period not on the primary disc are going to be released. For example, on CD2, ES will be followed by Bad, 40, and Streets, with a fifth hidden track - Kite - all live from Boston. I'll be buying that CD for sure, and most fans will probably buy it too - and that version of Kite was awesome live.

On the DVD coming out December 2 - not the bonus DVD - we get this:

"Six bonus tracks are included on the DVD - Please, If God Will Send His Angels, Wild Horses, Lemon, Last Night On Earth and MoFo. In addition, many of the tracks feature alternative versions of the clips made for different countries, as early cuts or to accompany different mixes. Further exclusive content includes a
mini documentary, The Road To Sarajevo, filmed in the Bosnian capital in the run up to U2's historic 1997 concert and
complete with performance footage".

Now, once again, I'll be buying that DVD. As a big fan, I'm looking forward to "alternate versions...early cuts...and different mixes". But obviously we get six more songs that easily could have been on the Best Of CD. LNOE and Please live kick ass over the studio versions, IMO, and I'm hoping for that on this DVD.

Anyway, the point is, U2 gives their fans good reason to buy all three of these releases, not to mention ES CD1 with the New York remixes - another ATYCLB song. With the Fly hidden on the Best of, we get 15 songs from the 90's and 2 new ones. With the single CD's, we get Kite and New York, and some truly great live 80's songs. With the DVD, we get 6 more 90's songs, and who knows what else.

So, at the very least, we are getting 23 songs from the 90's, two new songs, live versions of Streets and Bad, and the bonus CD with the following 14 songs:

1. Lady With The Spinning Head (Extended Dance Mix)
2. Dirty Day (Junk Day Mix)
3. Electrical Storm
4. Summer Rain
5. North & South Of The River
6. Your Blue Room
7. Happiness Is A Warm Gun (The Gun Mix)
8. Salome (Zooromancer Mix)
9. Even Better Than The Real Thing (Perfecto Mix)
10. Numb (Give Me Some More Dignity Mix)
11. Mysterious Ways (Solar Plexus Club Mix)
12. If God Will Send His Angels - (Big Yam Mix)
13. Lemon (Jeep Mix)
14. Discotheque (Hexidecimal Mix)

That's a total of 39 songs from that era - and it captures an awful lot of what U2 was about in that decade. I know some of the remixes are not really unique songs, but they are different, and they will be played heavily in the club scene. The genius of the marketing is that you have to buy both singles, the Best Of limited edition, and the DVD to get it all. I'd be willing to bet that the vast majority of U2 fans will do that. Casual or new fans will test the waters with the single, and if they get hooked on ES, NY or the live songs on CD2, then they will probably buy the album.

In the end, it's a business. It's often a lot more than that for fans and the band, but it's still business. The success of ATYCLB will attract many people to this Best Of, IMO. The spreading out of 39 songs over 4 releases just about guarantees good sales of all these releases due to U2's very large core following. A hit single (maybe 2), a top album, and a top DVD - all during the holiday season. Catalog sales should surge big time. ATYCLB could easily sell another 1M albums in the next six months. Very good business decisions for a lot of great music.
 
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