What do you feel is needed for U2's next to be considered great?

[Dorian Gray]

The title says it all... Everybody's got their own opinion on this one. I'm just curious to hear your thoughts. What would make this one really special?

Bold experimentation?
Great songwriting?
Biggest selling U2 album to date?
Forging a new sound? Or perfecting what others have already done?

For me, in order for this album to really blow me away, it doesn't have to be any great progressive leap forward in rock, or sell millions of copies, but it should really build on a sound U2 hasn't fully explored before.

The standard verse, chorus, verus, chorus, bridge, chorus, etc. pattern is fine; I've got no problem with straightforward tunes, but I really hope that the songs sound new. If this is going to be energetic rock n roll, then I hope it's in a way that U2 hasn't much done before.

I guess in the end it doesn't really matter... They could technically release Acthung Baby 2 and if the songs were there, then I might think it great... but I really hope this sounds exciting; I hope it sounds fresh.

(Sorry if this thread touches a bit on every other discussion we've had on the album so far )

 

[Bunbury]

The standard verse, chorus, verus, chorus, bridge, chorus, etc. pattern is fine; I've got no problem with straightforward tunes, but I really hope that the songs sound new. If this is going to be energetic rock n roll, then I hope it's in a way that U2 hasn't much done before.

 

[U2girl]

Any or all of the things you mentioned (though I doubt they will ever exceed the JT selling numbers).

Personally I hope for great songwriting and maybe another classic song to be up there with the ranks of WOWY or One.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

great songwriting makes up for a multitude of sins

 

[The_acrobat]

As long as there is good song writing, the album will be considered great to me.

But now for the album to be considered great in the eyes of the public and the industry, a few things must happen. First, they must release a virtually accessible first single, the most radio-friendly song on the album, to draw interest to the album. They need to keep a strong presence with interviews and promotional performances on MTV, Saturday Night Live, Letterman, Leno, Conan, etc. (In the US anyway....not sure what shows you other countries have.)

The tour is always the best promotional device. People who go to the concert to hear Pride and With or without you will hear the new songs and think "wow, those are some good songs.....I think I'll go buy the new album." Also, some Grammy's/other awards are a great way to increase sales. In March of 2002, nearly a year and a half after it's release, ATYCLB reached the top 10 after the grammys.

The ATYCLB approach, basically. It really worked well for them, and the album did as well as it did due to promotion. I truly believe that's the main reason it did so good.

 

[Chizip]

i just want bono to be sexy

 

[U2DMfan]

Well, the key here is "considered great".

Many great albums have experienced relative commercial failure, they are considered great by those in critical circles and hardcore music fans.

For an album to be considered great throughout the mainstream it will likely need to have some commercial success and often a successful tour suppporting the album will help usher in the positive impact.

All in all, U2 could make a status quo album and not fuck up the tour and come close to making a great album. It all ultimately lies in the quality of the songs.

For the album to be considered truly great it will need to appeal to those who are not already presipositioned to buy or listen to U2.

ATYCLB was a model of this success and while maybe several hardcore U2 fans and even casual fans didn't think it was a great album, noone can deny it wasn't a "great" success.

An album doesn't need to have great sales, massive airplay on radio and MTV, and critical praise to be a great album. But it sure does fucking help a lot.

POP garnered positive reviews, probably similar to ATYCLB but maybe not quite as positive but it is considered a 'flop' or whatever term you want to use because.

#1- the tour was seen as a failure (should have no bearing on the actual music, but it does in the eyes of pop-culture mainstream)
#2- there wasn't a dies in the wool "big single". Discotheque was a modest success, hitting, I believe #10 on the US top 40 (Billboard) but it wasn't enough to resonate largely and there wasn't a follow up single that helped solidify it. (it should have no bearing on the quality of the album, but it does in the eyes of the pop-culture mainstream)
#3- probably a myriad of other reasons, bands image, actual musical production on the album etc.

Ultimately, only what is great to you, is great to you. Each of us have a different set of parameters or expectations about what U2 needs to deliver. This is not parrallel to the mainstream's expectation. For mainstream music fans and even some hack critics, the album will need the commercial success to be considered great.

But you asked "what do YOU feel is needed".....

Well, that is a short simple answer for me personally.

Great songs on 2/3 of the album. 8 out of 12 songs (basically).
And on another personal note, I couldn't give a shit less on the number of albums sold, top 10 singles, video airplay, radio airplay or even critical praise (although I tend to respect some critics over others), all I want is a great album with great songs, but I don't expect every track on the album to be even "great" in my eyes. Because for every song I don't like by U2, there are thousands of others who like that particualr song.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i just want bono to be sexy

hey this is a serious thread! take that crap to pleba!!!

 

[Rafiennes]

If it comes with its very own U2 Wine & Cheese platter....that'd be great

 

[U2girl]

Interesting points U2MDFan and The-acrobat. IMO the main reason the last album did as good as it did was a) they had a huge first single and b) in some ways it was a return to "classic" U2 sound and it appealed to a lot of people.

To add to my previous reply - I think ATYCLB was a hint that the band will focuse on the songs in the future. I don't think they will do any huge experimenting anymore (what's left? hip/hop, rap album? and what if another POP happens? they can't afford to risk another downslide like that at this stage IMO), sales most likely won't exceed JT, I'm not sure how much new in their sound there can be after 20 years.

I'd be interested in an album based on MDH sound and lyrics, but considering they already did that I think the new album will sound like guitar filled songs from ATYCLB period - BD, Elevation, New York, Always, and Electrical Storm. Slower songs may be similar to Kite or maybe Summer rain. (especially the ending with buzzing guitar in the background)

 

[discothequeLP]

U2 changes their sound for every album. The change from Acthung Baby and Zooropa is even noticable.

I'm sure we'll get a fresh sound, especially from Edge, and the tour will rock every other tour we've ever seen. Ever.

As for the actual song composition, the band has been doing it great for 20 years, why would they stop now?

 

[Moonlit_Angel]

U2 changes their sound for every album. The change from Acthung Baby and Zooropa is even noticable.

I'm sure we'll get a fresh sound, especially from Edge, and the tour will rock every other tour we've ever seen. Ever.

As for the actual song composition, the band has been doing it great for 20 years, why would they stop now?

.

From all the stuff I've heard so far, this album could be a mixture of many other aspects of some of their other albums, and if that's true, and if they can manage to fuse that all together and yet still make a whole new sound out of all that...wow, that'd be awesome. ...

The_acrobat made some good points, too.

I don't really have a ton of expectations, though. I just want this album to be one that I can listen to again and again.

Angela

 

[ishkash]

Good music

 

[alexvilagosh]

It has to be different, with no crap/standard songs on it.

Achtung Baby has no bad songs on it... Zooropa has no bad songs on it...

 

[Bono's shades]

If I listen to an album - whether it is by U2 or anyone else - and I get chills down my spine, then to me it's a great album.