U2 to perform at the Grammy Awards

[elevated_u2_fan]

oh god, please no, anything but the American song

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

oh god, please no, anything but the American song

I'll stab my eyes out with a rusty spoon.

 

[MMP]

I'll stab my eyes out with a rusty spoon.

But then you'll still be able to hear it.

 

[coemgen]

It'd be cool if they were playing GOYB. Radiohead and U2 at the Grammys?

Too bad the Grammys suck otherwise.

 

[elevated_u2_fan]

It'd be cool if they were playing GOYB. Radiohead and U2 at the Grammys?

Too bad the Grammys suck otherwise.

you forgot about teh Cold Play!!!!!111!!!!!!!!!!!!!111~~~000!!!!!

 

[MikeyJB]

U2 need to collab with Robert Plant goddammit!!!!! I wish...

 

[U2lunatic]

U2 need to collab with Robert Plant goddammit!!!!! I wish...

not a bad idea, maybe do Stand Up Comedy..

 

[U2lunatic]

you forgot about teh Cold Play!!!!!111!!!!!!!!!!!!!111~~~000!!!!!

Imagine them doing America Song with U2

 

[LarryMullen's POPAngel]

i'll stab my eyes ears out with a rusty spoon.

fix'd

 

[MMP]

 

[Yahweh]

Good to see U2 performing but somehow I can see this having a far reaching negative impact on the bands image in the newspapers and on the internet.

It is blatent promotion which I dont have a problem with but in the end they are taking up time that could be used by another band that actually has music nominated. Hopefully they arent making an error in judgement.

 

[Drowningman]

I think this was a last minute decision by U2 to promote GOYB.

The single has gotten fair amount of play on radio in the U.S. but sales are a different matter. I read that sales of the single are actually low.

So maybe the Brit Awards was the original plan to premiere the new single but, the lagging sales in the U.S. quickly changed that train of thought.

On a side note, nominated or not, I think U2 is one band that can pretty much play any show anytime they want. Nobody in their right mind is going to say to them "Hey we already have a full lineup. Try again next year".

I'm sure adding a three and a half minute song will not change the Grammy's schedule in any way.

 

[zoopop]

I'm sure U2 will open the show and the point the opening act is to get things going. Most people don't even realize the opening band is nominated as there isn't really a formal announcement.

 

[Aardvark747]

 

[santiago]

Good to see U2 performing but somehow I can see this having a far reaching negative impact on the bands image in the newspapers and on the internet.

It is blatent promotion which I dont have a problem with but in the end they are taking up time that could be used by another band that actually has music nominated. Hopefully they arent making an error in judgement.

errr... we have an enormous amount of threads saying "they are not promoting GOYB enough", "won't they get ever their shit together and sell the single/album properly?".

And now they announce what amounts to a mini-tour and people (OK, it may be different people) start asking themselves soulsearching questions about whether the band is just doing "blatant promo" or "selling out".

Goodness gracious!

It would be different if U2 went to a political event (such as the "Obama inauguration") and said, "hey here's our last single GOYB, which is completely unrelated to Obama or presidential inaugurations!" . That would be tasteless marketing.

But playing it at the Grammy's is ok, IMHI. The Grammys are a record industry event, organised to sponsor and present acts that have sold lots of records or may sell lots of records.

So appearing there is "blatant promotion" but it's what the event is for.

I don't think this has been a change of plans, but rather that negotiations with the Grammys have taken longer than expected.

 

[ultraviolet625]

I think that this is excellent news. I don't see why some people think that it is a problem that they are not nominated for an award If I remember correctly other acts have performed even though they are not nominated for an award. I do hope, however, that they do not perform the American song -Boots or NLOTH would be excellent promotion for the upcoming album --especially if they open the show!

 

[last unicorn]

Of course it's "blatant" promotion, EVERY performance of new material is blatant promotion for the album, but people have been complaining about the lack of promotion and here it comes. I think it's great the machine is finally starting to roll.

 

[Drowningman]

Amen to that. Please BLATANTLY PROMOTE the hell out of this song and album.

I've been watching a lot of crappy bands and singers over the last 4+ years promote the garbage they are trying to put out.

So when the artists I actually love has a new product, I want to see them on every show playing their hearts out promoting their stuff.

 

[Lila64]

Amen to that. Please BLATANTLY PROMOTE the hell out of this song and album.

I've been watching a lot of crappy bands and singers over the last 4+ years promote the garbage they are trying to put out.

So when the artists I actually love has a new product, I want to see them on every show playing their hearts out promoting their stuff.

QFT

 

[PowerSurge]

it doesn't say what song they'll be playing though.

Does it really have to?

Of course it's "blatant" promotion, EVERY performance of new material is blatant promotion for the album, but people have been complaining about the lack of promotion and here it comes. I think it's great the machine is finally starting to roll.

My point is that we usually see U2 on the Grammies because they are nominated and win something...not because they are necessarily peddling a new song. I believe Grammy performances should be reserved for acts that earned the honor due to their previous work that year that was nominated and not necessarily because they happen to be peddling a new song....again thats just me. It'll be great to see them live, but it should be on another stage IMO.

 

[LemonMelon]

errr... we have an enormous amount of threads saying "they are not promoting GOYB enough", "won't they get ever their shit together and sell the single/album properly?".

And now they announce what amounts to a mini-tour and people (OK, it may be different people) start asking themselves soulsearching questions about whether the band is just doing "blatant promo" or "selling out".

Goodness gracious!

It would be different if U2 went to a political event (such as the "Obama inauguration") and said, "hey here's our last single GOYB, which is completely unrelated to Obama or presidential inaugurations!" . That would be tasteless marketing.

But playing it at the Grammy's is ok, IMHI. The Grammys are a record industry event, organised to sponsor and present acts that have sold lots of records or may sell lots of records.

So appearing there is "blatant promotion" but it's what the event is for.

I don't think this has been a change of plans, but rather that negotiations with the Grammys have taken longer than expected.

Amen to that. Please BLATANTLY PROMOTE the hell out of this song and album.

I've been watching a lot of crappy bands and singers over the last 4+ years promote the garbage they are trying to put out.

So when the artists I actually love has a new product, I want to see them on every show playing their hearts out promoting their stuff.

Yes to both of these.

 

[PowerSurge]

errr... we have an enormous amount of threads saying "they are not promoting GOYB enough", "won't they get ever their shit together and sell the single/album properly?".

And now they announce what amounts to a mini-tour and people (OK, it may be different people) start asking themselves soulsearching questions about whether the band is just doing "blatant promo" or "selling out".

Goodness gracious!

It would be different if U2 went to a political event (such as the "Obama inauguration") and said, "hey here's our last single GOYB, which is completely unrelated to Obama or presidential inaugurations!" . That would be tasteless marketing.

But playing it at the Grammy's is ok, IMHI. The Grammys are a record industry event, organised to sponsor and present acts that have sold lots of records or may sell lots of records.

So appearing there is "blatant promotion" but it's what the event is for.

I don't think this has been a change of plans, but rather that negotiations with the Grammys have taken longer than expected.

We agree to disagree.

I feel the event is for the blatant promotion of the acts that earned the spot to be there.

Of course we all know that the album was delayed and that if it did come out in November the band would have been nominated anyway so its kind of a moot point. I'm sure the delay kind of screwed up WHY they would be there, but they were still going to play new music.

Again, its not a terribly big deal because its U2, and they are going to win grammies next year anyway. I'd have more of a problem with it if it were "Lil Bow Wow's" new single and he hadn't been nominated. But I think if I'd be criticising him for it then it would be hypocritical for me not to do the same for U2 in that case.

 

[MMP]

Actually, even with the album released in November they would not be nominated... unless the 1st single came in October or earlier.

And, of course, if the grammies felt they deserve nominations.

 

[Drowningman]

Does it really have to?




My point is that we usually see U2 on the Grammies because they are nominated and win something...not because they are necessarily peddling a new song. I believe Grammy performances should be reserved for acts that earned the honor due to their previous work that year that was nominated and not necessarily because they happen to be peddling a new song....again thats just me. It'll be great to see them live, but it should be on another stage IMO.

I see your point. And I do respect that on some level the ceremonies should be about honoring the nominated artists.

But, in this day and age of short attention spans, if you get an opportunity to promote your single to the entire world in one shot, well you take that shot.

And also, the Grammys need U2 as much as U2 needs them to promote the new single. Believe me, the ratings for the Grammys if U2 is performing are vastly different than when they are not.

 

[Utoo]

I really don't get all the negative responses to this. They're playing a music awards show. The crowd is full of musicians. The night is about music. U2 have new music.

Let's all be happy that we're going to see U2 play their new music. We're getting a live peformance of songs that we've never heard played live---and potentially never heard at all. Let's just fucking enjoy that, shall we?

 

[Lila64]

Don't forget that The Police played the Grammy's a few years back. They weren't nominated either

YouTube - Grammy 2007- The Police Roxanne Live

 

[Sicy]

I really don't get all the negative responses to this. They're playing a music awards show. The crowd is full of musicians. The night is about music. U2 have new music.

Let's all be happy that we're going to see U2 play their new music. We're getting a live peformance of songs that we've never heard played live---and potentially never heard at all. Let's just fucking enjoy that, shall we?

 

[subnet]

I loved the Grammy's from the 90s, very good selection of musicians and groups back then

this is a return to that period, imho

and I was right, U2 performing at the Grammy's was my prediction

 

[santiago]

We agree to disagree.

I feel the event is for the blatant promotion of the acts that earned the spot to be there.

Of course we all know that the album was delayed and that if it did come out in November the band would have been nominated anyway so its kind of a moot point. I'm sure the delay kind of screwed up WHY they would be there, but they were still going to play new music.

Again, its not a terribly big deal because its U2, and they are going to win grammies next year anyway. I'd have more of a problem with it if it were "Lil Bow Wow's" new single and he hadn't been nominated. But I think if I'd be criticising him for it then it would be hypocritical for me not to do the same for U2 in that case.

I get your point, although I see the Grammy prizes more as an "industry gathering" than as true "music awards".

 

[Chizip]

but BLATANT promotion contradicts their STEALTH promotion tactics