You're the Best Thing About Me - Song Discussion Thread #2

[patternshirt170]

Back in 2009, GOYB went in at #12 here (UK Top 40) and U2 were collectively agewise, what? 49, 50 then. It was after that song that the shoe-in hit single 'slide' began, before fans had just assumed hey it's U2 and that = Top 10 hits regardless of the song and pretty much as it had been since NYD. Yeah, I expected Magnifcent to be a decent Top 20 hit on the back of the album and it was their first non Top 40 single since A Celebration. As for this song? again, I figured that perhaps there was enough of a hardcore fanbase to get a pretty good #12-20 position, but alas no and it does not take a shitload of sales to get Top 20 these days.

I know this site is pretty US centric ala the charts but our crappy old UK Top 40 was good to them back in the day, Desire, The Fly, Discotheque, Beautiful Day and Vertigo all going straight in at #1 and even POP had 3 further Top 10 hits.

 

[rennowba]

Back in 2009, GOYB went in at #12 here (UK Top 40) and U2 were collectively agewise, what? 49, 50 then. It was after that song that the shoe-in hit single 'slide' began, before fans had just assumed hey it's U2 and that = Top 10 hits regardless of the song and pretty much as it had been since NYD. Yeah, I expected Magnifcent to be a decent Top 20 hit on the back of the album and it was their first non Top 40 single since A Celebration. As for this song? again, I figured that perhaps there was enough of a hardcore fanbase to get a pretty good #12-20 position, but alas no and it does not take a shitload of sales to get Top 20 these days.

I know this site is pretty US centric ala the charts but our crappy old UK Top 40 was good to them back in the day, Desire, The Fly, Discotheque, Beautiful Day and Vertigo all going straight in at #1 and even POP had 3 further Top 10 hits.

Get on your boots was pushed here massively aswell. The whole BBC campaign for nloth was huge. It made a lot of press for not getting to number 1, first lead single for years. Get on your boots was played a lot on radio one and was probably the last u2 song that was pushed everywhere for all age brackets.

Boots, age and not being cool was the 3 factors that killed u2 off as a relevant artist. What a run they had though

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

My dad was a part-time jazz station DJ while he was building his law practice. He's the reason why I become a jazz piano player...he pretty much had me listening to jazz records from the 50s and 60s from the time I was 5 on through early adolescence. He also liked rock - and got me into U2 (reference: I was 8 in when TJT came out and it was the first CD my dad bought me). He also took me to my first concert - to see the Who (reunion tour) in the 80s. We were into anything from Chick Corea to Herbie Hancock to Yes.

I listened to a ton of music my parents were into: jazz, Hendrix, the Who, the Doors, etc...these groups/performers were super old (or dead) by the time I was 15...but I still liked them.

Okay never mind one person who doesn't fit normal music listening patterns.

 

[JUSTinPUSHPLAY]

Comparing this single to any other lead single is unfair because the band are on tour and can't push the single like they normally could. It'll be a grower, just be patient

 

[KUEFC09U2]

Comparing this single to any other lead single is unfair because the band are on tour and can't push the single like they normally could. It'll be a grower, just be patient

I think they will go for the big push with a second single after the tour

 

[rennowba]

Ok so now the kygo mix is number 75 and the u2 version is 76 on uk iTunes

 

[Y2K]

I wonder if one version is going to cannibalize sales from the other version, or if they are so distinct, it's irrelevant.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

Ok so now the kygo mix is number 75 and the u2 version is 76 on uk iTunes

Well that's an improvement for the u2 version as it was in the 90's just before wasn't it?

 

[Y2K]

Well that's an improvement for the u2 version as it was in the 90's just before wasn't it?

UK iTunes... not UK singles chart.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

UK iTunes... not UK singles chart.

Sorry that's what I meant am sure the u2 version has climbed a little since earlier on iTunes

 

[purpleblackeye]

Seriously who the f$@k is Kygo and how is this dorky dance mix better than the single or sci fi mix? Save it for some Ibiza nightclub at 4 am

 

[rennowba]

Well that's an improvement for the u2 version as it was in the 90's just before wasn't it?

Been in the top 50 for the week and half it's been out, was in the top 20 for the first few days.past day or so it's been dropping like a stone.

The kygo version has been climbing today

75-79 now

 

[rennowba]

Uk official chart number 92

 

[KUEFC09U2]

Been in the top 50 for the week and half it's been out, was in the top 20 for the first few days.past day or so it's been dropping like a stone.

The kygo version has been climbing today

75-79 now

Unfortunately that was always going to happen with zero promotion over here, hope the second single gets more of a push, unless of course they have some plan for this song

 

[Iggy Fizz]

A good video and the fact that U2 was out promoting it. They hit every show, every award ceremony

And the song got a HUGE boost for winning a Grammy

when BD came out, it signaled the 'return' of U2 after the dumpster fire that was Popmart. 'U2 was back' were the headlines and BD benefited from that positive PR in a massive way.

Since Atomic Bomb however, the band have seemed to overplay that goodwill and are hell bent on making people hate them. Bono of course in particular. There was a post somewhere on this thread (?) about how some radio stations refuse to play them. This is part of that effect.

I listen to satellite stations that play U2 regularly (The Spectrum, 1st Wave) and I have not yet heard TBT.

Oh well.

 

[rennowba]

when BD came out, it signaled the 'return' of U2 after the dumpster fire that was Popmart. 'U2 was back' were the headlines and BD benefited from that positive PR in a massive way.

Since Atomic Bomb however, the band have seemed to overplay that goodwill and are hell bent on making people hate them. Bono of course in particular. There was a post somewhere on this thread (?) about how some radio stations refuse to play them. This is part of that effect.

I listen to satellite stations that play U2 regularly (The Spectrum, 1st Wave) and I have not yet heard TBT.

Oh well.

Yeah From the vertigo tour onwards it was cool to hate u2 and especially Bono.

 

[super fly guy]

Uk official chart number 92

Wow,can't wait for the radio 1 countdown to 92.?

 

[KUEFC09U2]

Wow,can't wait for the radio 1 countdown to 92.[emoji52]

But again they have done nothing here in the U.K. to push the song apart from a couple of short radio interviews, they need to go old school and get on the chat shows etc, hell if they are that desperate then xfactor!

 

[rennowba]

But again they have done nothing here in the U.K. to push the song apart from a couple of short radio interviews, they need to go old school and get on the chat shows etc, hell if they are that desperate then xfactor!

Please please no X factor, they have to keep their dignity. Plus my wife would have a field day with me cause I said they would never ever do it. Larry would never allow it

 

[super fly guy]

Please please no X factor, they have to keep their dignity. Plus my wife would have a field day with me cause I said they would never ever do it. Larry would never allow it

Yeah I hope they never stoop so low,suppose it's hard to promote the single while they are in the states.

 

[KUEFC09U2]

Please please no X factor, they have to keep their dignity. Plus my wife would have a field day with me cause I said they would never ever do it. Larry would never allow it

Oh totally agree, but if they where that desperate to get over to a broader fanbase......

 

[Jarvio]

Just listened to the Kygo remix for the first time.

Wow, and people actually prefer this piece of crap over U2's version? Do you people even like U2? Or poppy dance?

 

[Jarvio]

(Double post, even though I definitely only clicked once)

 

[jeffarido]

Are we going to get a music video for The Best Thing About Me besides the lyric one?

Also will there be a video for the Kygo mix?

You would think in the age of digital media they would have this sorted.

 

[U2freakboy]

Are we going to get a music video for The Best Thing About Me besides the lyric one?



Also will there be a video for the Kygo mix?



You would think in the age of digital media they would have this sorted.

An official video is coming. Whether it's for the U2 version or Kygo's version is anyone's guess. Maybe we'll get one for both.

 

[BVS]

Just listened to the Kygo remix for the first time.

Wow, and people actually prefer this piece of crap over U2's version? Do you people even like U2? Or poppy dance?

I'm pretty sure you're allowed to like both

 

[The_acrobat]

I think part of the problem is that they released this song too early, if the album isn't coming until Dec 1st. Really, the best time to release it would've been about mid October, and just do the usual promo tour and build things to a fever pitch by Dec 1st. I really think the song is good, it's the best shot for a real hit they've had in awhile. Have tie-ins with popular TV shows, NFL, do SNL, Fallon, Kimmel, Colbert, Conan, Good Morning America, Corden, Ellen, etc. Have an actual music video.

They could be doing all this stuff if they didn't have to do these JT shows. Then again, this tour is obviously a huge $$$ success, but it's also filling stadiums in places like New Orleans and Kansas City where they probably would've had a hard time filling arenas on the I&E Tour. The friend that went with me to the Indy show probably wouldn't have bought the song on iTunes... but he liked what he heard, got on a bit of a U2 kick, and downloaded the song. He'll probably buy the album too. This JT Tour is going a long way towards rebuilding the public's goodwill towards U2, which I think was the real intention there.

My fear is that this song will be forgotten by the time the album is released.

 

[RoKKeR]

So no press for the Kygo version? Thought we'd hear something official. I'm glad that it's at least available on streaming services now. After listening to them back to back there are elements of each I like. The Kygo nails the build up to the chorus, and I think the more quarter-note driven beat on that chorus is just more catch. Then again, the original version has more interesting verses and the bridge with Edge is hands down the best part of the song.

 

[purpleblackeye]

The only dance remix of a U2 song I would be interested in is from someone much cooler, like James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem or Beck. Or even Mark Ronson, who did a great job on the new Queens of the Stone Age album.

I can't wait for the Pitbull remix

 

[womanfish]

I think part of the problem is that they released this song too early, if the album isn't coming until Dec 1st. Really, the best time to release it would've been about mid October, and just do the usual promo tour and build things to a fever pitch by Dec 1st. I really think the song is good, it's the best shot for a real hit they've had in awhile. Have tie-ins with popular TV shows, NFL, do SNL, Fallon, Kimmel, Colbert, Conan, Good Morning America, Corden, Ellen, etc. Have an actual music video.

They could be doing all this stuff if they didn't have to do these JT shows. Then again, this tour is obviously a huge $$$ success, but it's also filling stadiums in places like New Orleans and Kansas City where they probably would've had a hard time filling arenas on the I&E Tour. The friend that went with me to the Indy show probably wouldn't have bought the song on iTunes... but he liked what he heard, got on a bit of a U2 kick, and downloaded the song. He'll probably buy the album too. This JT Tour is going a long way towards rebuilding the public's goodwill towards U2, which I think was the real intention there.

My fear is that this song will be forgotten by the time the album is released.

I get your point, but this is pretty traditional stuff. Best case scenario, TBT has a rollout that includes a gradual build up at radio, the proper non lyric video gets released, maybe one more promo thing before they head to South America. JT tour ends, they release another song at the beginning of November, allowing it to get some exposure before Dec. 1st. They hit the promo thing hard during November and get themselves a respectable debut on the album chart.