Zoocoustic
War Child
This has troubled me for quite some time.
Back during JT, R&H, AB, and even Zooropa, U2 songs in the US were embraced by the Top 40 radio crowd...they were HUGE. A new U2 song was released, and you'd get absolutely sick of hearing it on the radio.
Then Pop was released, and the pattern continued. Discotheque and Staring At The Sun were also played, instantly, and repeatedly, until many of us were almost - dare I say it - sick of hearing the songs on the radio.
Then something happened.
Starting with Last Night On Earth, suddently, U2 had to prove themselves. The songs weren't instantly heard on the radio. In fact, you had to pay VERY close attention to even find a station that would play them. And this sudden change continued with several releases to radio from that time on. Even Beautiful Day, which nabbed three grammies and a #21 spot on the charts, took quite a bit of time to find a "home" on mainstream radio.
Even after the relative success of BD, U2 still find themselves having to "prove" their songs are worth radio play. Never heard Elevation, Walk On, or even SIAM much on the radio. Not hearing Vertigo much either, and I would guess the pattern continues, regardless of how great the new album is.
I just don't get it...why, all of the sudden back in 1997 with Last Night On Earth, did U2 suddenly go from being a band you could count on for popular radio play, and now, it's a struggle to even hear them?
Any ideas???
Back during JT, R&H, AB, and even Zooropa, U2 songs in the US were embraced by the Top 40 radio crowd...they were HUGE. A new U2 song was released, and you'd get absolutely sick of hearing it on the radio.
Then Pop was released, and the pattern continued. Discotheque and Staring At The Sun were also played, instantly, and repeatedly, until many of us were almost - dare I say it - sick of hearing the songs on the radio.
Then something happened.
Starting with Last Night On Earth, suddently, U2 had to prove themselves. The songs weren't instantly heard on the radio. In fact, you had to pay VERY close attention to even find a station that would play them. And this sudden change continued with several releases to radio from that time on. Even Beautiful Day, which nabbed three grammies and a #21 spot on the charts, took quite a bit of time to find a "home" on mainstream radio.
Even after the relative success of BD, U2 still find themselves having to "prove" their songs are worth radio play. Never heard Elevation, Walk On, or even SIAM much on the radio. Not hearing Vertigo much either, and I would guess the pattern continues, regardless of how great the new album is.
I just don't get it...why, all of the sudden back in 1997 with Last Night On Earth, did U2 suddenly go from being a band you could count on for popular radio play, and now, it's a struggle to even hear them?
Any ideas???