When exactly did U2 start going downhill for you?

[jick]

Some say U2's last earnest album was War and then they sold out starting the Joshua Tree. U2 went downhill 1987.

Others contend that U2's last great album was The Joshua Tree and they sold out beginning Rattle and Hum and all the way towards the 90's where they go ironic. U2 went downhill 1988.

There are those who say U2 reached their creative and artistic peak with Achtung Baby when they literally chopped of the Joshua Tree and reinvented themselves. But their subsequent albums were self-absorbed experimental forays with U2 overestimating their talent (or lack thereof). U2 went downhill starting 1993.

Still there are some pundits who contend that U2 went too far with POP and that the album was a massive artistic failure. Zooropa was already U2's creative peak and they should have stopped there. Ever since the POP fiasco, every U2 release has been compromised and merely "POP-damage-control" that U2 forgot the real goal which is to make great music and not spend the rest of their careers trying to erase POP instead. U2 went downhill starting 1997.

A pocket minority of POP-lovers claim that POP was U2's most bold and ambitious album - full of dark beauty and layers of depth that may have been too much for the regular music fan to digest. POP was the peak. However, due to POP's commercial failure in America, U2 have overreacted by making scripted packaged calculated risk-free drivel starting with ATYCLB which is the real time when U2 started going downhill and HTDAAB is just an extension of this compromised artistic integrity. So U2 only really went downhill starting 2000.

So there are many arguments and many points of U2's history where fans would argue when U2 exactly started going downhill. That's why I am starting this poll/thread - I want to know your honest opinion on when you think U2 started going downhill.

My own opinion? Well, since the Joshua Tree it's been downhill since but a very very unsteep downhill curve at that.

So what do you guys think? When exactly did U2 start going downhill for you?

Cheers,

J

 

[strannix]

There are those who say U2 reached their creative and artistic peak with Achtung Baby when they literally chopped of the Joshua Tree and reinvented themselves.

Sorry, but this is a pet peeve of mine. They did not "literally" chop down the Joshua Tree, at least to the best of my knowledge.

I guess this comes from the Bono quote re: "The Fly", which he said was the sound of four men cutting down the Joshua Tree. But of course he meant that figuratively - it wasn't actually the sound of them cutting down a tree.

 

[doctorwho]

And a pet peeve of mine is saying that U2 are going "downhill". There are certain albums I like a lot less than others - but only when compared to the entire U2 catalog. Compared to other artists, those albums are brilliant. U2 have never gone "downhill" for me.

 

[financeguy]

I would like to think they still have one more great album left in them. I like Atomic Bomb with it's not up there with AB/JT. People who say that War was their last great album usually don't actually know that much about the band and are just saying it to be controversial.

I think they hit a creative peak around AB / Zooropa but that doesn't mean they won't surpass it.

 

[Numb1075]

IMO, they haven't gone down hill. Each album has been so drasitcally different sonically & thematically that each album is exciting in it's own way and stand on their own - as solid, soul searching, jubliant and yet very dark masterpieces.

The only album where I said "WTF?" was Passengers, although I still do listen/love Miss Sarevjo (sp?) and Your Blue Room.

 

[financeguy]

The only album where I said "WTF?" was Passengers, although I still do listen/love Miss Sarevjo (sp?) and Your Blue Room.

But in fairness can Passengers be called a U2 album, as it was not released under the U2 name as such?

 

[ZeroDude]

never went downhill but Achtung was the peak.

 

[jer2911]

A Classic Jick thread


Cheers,

 

[U2Kitten]

U2 have never been downhill but Passengers and Pop was the low point IMO. It's not that it was bad music, just not the kind of thing that appeals to me personally. They really haven't put out a 'great' album since AB, but they are still good, still have something to say, and still better than anyone else out there. Go U2!

 

[Numb1075]

Financeguy, IMO, Passengers is considered U2 for me because they play lots of the music on it and we know where the source of the ideas are coming from - Bono and company

 

[U2@NYC]

The started going downhill with Boy.

 

[HelloAngel]

U2 have never been downhill but Passengers and Pop was the low point IMO. It's not that it was bad music, just not the kind of thing that appeals to me personally. They really haven't put out a 'great' album since AB, but they are still good, still have something to say, and still better than anyone else out there. Go U2!

I couldn't agree more. I could try, but I would not be successful.

 

[Aardvark747]

The started going downhill with Boy.

lol! Love it!

Great thread Jick!

(seriously tho, for me at least - U2 have never gone downhill. Im one of those that seems to love everything they do. If that's just me being a 'blind fan' then so be it. But I DO love everything. From October to Passengers, from 'Another Day' to 'Wild Honey')

 

[strannix]

I don't think they ever recovered from Dik's departure. But that's just me reliving the glory days ... most people don't know this, but I was often referred to as "The Sixth Member of Feedback" in my Dublin youth.

 

[Aardvark747]

lol!

 

[BonoFan78]

they went downhill making pop and zooropa. Sure there are songs I like, but it's not what I have come / had come to expect from u2.

Since then, they've steadily been peaking

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

good to see you still have plenty of negative ideas left

Jeers,

H

 

[Achtung Joshua!]

For me personally I would have to say that after Joshua Tree things went downhill. I know it's hard for fans that got into U2 during AB and after to understand this but it's true. Don't get me wrong though after getting used to the whole AB thing it turned out to be their second best record for me. But they really haven't done anything special since then (although HTDAAB has some promise to it). But no matter what they do I will always love U2 and always will.

 

[coach]

I think they've had three different peeks in their career: The Joshue tree, Zootv era, and the Elevation Tour (not necesarily ATYCLB). I think they've gone downhill a couple of times too, so it's more of a cycle. And that's, in part, what's kept them relevant for so long, because they've been in and out of the limelight a couple of times. Creatively I think Zooropa and the unforgettable fire are their best albums.

cheers

 

[LPU2]

In some ways, every album has been better than the previous. Rattle more eclectic than Joshua, Achtung more adventurous than Rattle, Zooropa more challenging than Achtung, Pop tighter than Zooropa, All That warmer than Pop, Bomb more consistent than All That. Everyone has favorites depending upon tours and/or what's going on in their lives. There's going to be 18 year olds who find the new album irresistable and not understand what the big hype is with JT or AB.

What's remarkable is that a band who's been around for 25 years is still writing very good, relevant music. Think about that. What did Elvis sound like in 1980? What did the Beatles sound like in 1988? What did Elton John sound like in 1995? What did the Rolling Stones sound like in 1988? The Who in 1990?

 

[macfisto]

Stopping after they peak?

Come on!

I totally disagree with this notion!

U2 is great, U2 is the best band in the world!

I personally loved AB the best, but that does not mean they should stop after that!

Perhaps this analogy is bad but compare it to life:

They say the day you get married is the best of your life, or perhaps the day your child is born.

But let's say these days are behind you (you have children and you did get married)....should you stop living because the best day of your life is behind you!

NO!!

Another one: Gretzky scored 215 points in 85-86 season!! He still played on for more than 10 years without reaching that much points....should he have stopped? Are the fans disapointed?

NO!!

Like in life, there ups and downs! Let it be!

There will be other bright days, perhaps not as shiny but still worth looking for.

I say let them play on...we will decide if we like or not...and that's what's important (hey they still sell millions!)

p.s. so much criticism in these forums...I am a huge fan, I do love so much a lot of songs like I do dislike some also...I don't try to analyse why in both cases (compared to this, they should have done that, what is that production, etc)...don't care...I just enjoy...or play the next one!

 

[God Part III]

They went down since Pop.
Artistically.
How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb has a huge amount of style in them, but they don't experiment.

 

[Zoocoustic]

They were uphill all the way through JT.
Bit of a downhill move with R&H.
Uphill again (at tremendous speed) with AB and Zooropa.
Bit of a downhill move again with Pop.
Uphill yet again (albiet much slower) with ATYCLB.
Haven't decided on the latest album yet...it's too soon.

 

[SeattleVertigo]

When did they start going downhill?

They didn't.

 

[ImOuttaControl]

I don't think they've gone downhill creating music yet My favorite album is AB but that doesn't mean they've been going downhill since; it just means that they've been doing different things that I don't find quite as appealing as AB.

On the other hand, my respect for the band has gone way down recently due to their money hungry attitude; squeezing the fans for all they have (pay website, U2 Ipod, "digital boxset"...ect).

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

U2 haven't been any good since they released 11 O'clock Tick Tock, their personal peak. They sold out with October, a blatant attempt to get the "huge" Christian Rock crowd and have never recaptured the momentum from 11 O'clock Tick Tock. How can you people still listen to this crap? I don't get it.

 

[ZeroDude]

They'll be going downhill probably whenever the ski season starts............ ok permission to kick the shit outta me.

 

[Needle_Chill]

Haha, I think it would be pretty boring following U2 if they never experienced the usual peaks and valleys. The thing that makes U2 a great band is the ability they've always shown to rise to the occasion and prove everyone else wrong. After JT, when they went to 'reinvent' themselves you know there was a group of people saying "Well, looks like that's it for them. They were a great 80's band...". And after Pop, you know there were people saying "WTF? Well, that's it for them, they won't recover after that..."

So I see it as a testament to their true greatness when they hit these lowpoints and come out on top. Plus, if you can go around calling Pop their lowpoint, or October their lowpoint, or Zooropa their lowpoint, then you must have an amazing band on your hands.

 

[ponkine]

Without a doubt, since All That You Can´t Leave behind. I have just read a review and I found something really interesting: U2 changed their style forever ( now only playing safe and commercial crap ) because of U.S sales . Given Pop didn´t sale well on United States they changed they avant-garde and experimental amazing music for pointless and cheap "music". They made it, indeed ATYCLB got great U.S sales, so the band was glad. Given that, they made another ATYCLB hyped album, and now I think U.S sales aren´t too bad.

Once again, please U2 Go Home


Gracias

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

Why don't you go home instead?