Here comes the press rollout...Time magazine cover

[last unicorn]

I'm sure this "failure" will lead to U2 playing a sold-out tour again once they hit the road. They will overcome, this whole thing is just blown totally out of proportion. It's not like they have committed a criminal act or anything.

It's unfortunate the promo activities have been cut short so brutally now by Bono's injuries, but the tides have really been starting to turn on U2 and the album because of their recent performances. Sadly, the current situation won't help the album reception much

While I'm not a fan of the way the forced the album into people's libraries and wish they'd found another way of giving it away for free, I still think reactions to the Apple thing have been mostly exaggerated and overblown by the anti-U2 media. Of course, the media will bash and hate the music because they hate U2 and the Apple deal gives them another lame excuse to continue doing so.

But yes, SOI surely deserves to be much much higher in the charts, especially after the praise it got from music magazines like Q.

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

if only people hated iphones as much as they hated u2, there'd be far less texting while driving in this wretched world.

 

[Arcadion]

I'm not sure where to post this but this seems like a general news thread. Well according to QC magazine (who?) Bono is the least influential person of 2014.

How the f*** has this rag article made it to other news headlines, getting reported as if this is some kind of fact. Absolutely disgusting article but one of too many this year.
I'm really sick of the negativity. It was a free f***ing album FFS!
You don't like it, delete it!

 

[PhilsFan]

Yes, it's unfair that the "Apple's stunt" has influence so badly such a great record.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

It's not really unfair so much as it's entirely U2's fault. I would love for people to separate the record from the rollout but it was never going to happen and they should have understood that. Their chickens are coming home to roost in the form of the critical reception.

 

[Super Yo]

It's not really unfair so much as it's entirely U2's fault. I would love for people to separate the record from the rollout but it was never going to happen and they should have understood that. Their chickens are coming home to roost in the form of the critical reception.

You have a good point there, but I feel the reaction of the media was a proof of how much hated U2 is in certain circles, and wasn't very professional.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[Super Yo]

I'm sure this "failure" will lead to U2 playing a sold-out tour again once they hit the road. They will overcome, this whole thing is just blown totally out of proportion. It's not like they have committed a criminal act or anything.

This!



Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[Hawkmoon269]

You have a good point there, but I feel the reaction of the media was a proof of how much hated U2 is in certain circles, and wasn't very professional.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

Yes, that is mainly my issue here, the "professional journalists" are not being very professional about it, they don't research just copy-paste stuff...

Is not a journalist someone supposed to inform people with the facts? Like a recent billboard article about films of innocence saying that U2 is copying Beyonce again... As if Beyonce was the first one to release a surprise album or the first one to release a visual album.

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

I'm not sure where to post this but this seems like a general news thread. Well according to QC magazine (who?) Bono is the least influential person of 2014.

How the f*** has this rag article made it to other news headlines, getting reported as if this is some kind of fact. Absolutely disgusting article but one of too many this year.
I'm really sick of the negativity. It was a free f***ing album FFS!
You don't like it, delete it!

Ha! It was actually GQ magazine, here is the link

GQ's 30 Least Influential People of 2014

President Obama is # 2 on the list FWIW

(i bet anything it was written by a hipster)

 

[rennowba]

Wait until the nme awards next febuary. They give out an award for worst album and villian of the year. You only need one guess to who will win those awards

 

[The_acrobat]

Yep, that's the opposite of relevance.

NME is the worst, for sure. They are just a bunch of snarky hipsters who don't know what to do with themselves now that oasis broke up, but it paints a bigger picture of the kind of legacy SOI will leave behind.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[U2girl]

They fucked this one up, and it'll go down in history as the most hated album in U2 history. I don't know if at this stage they can come back from this.

Most hated ? Not while Rattle and Hum and Pop are still around.

They will come back with SOE and SOA.

 

[popacrobat]

I think both sides are overreacting. It's not the best thing in U2's history, it's not going to doom the album. It'll be connected to the album, and obviously, U2 knew that before this happened.

But what is there to come back from? People going to be so mad that they're not going to buy tickets? U mad bro??? It's like come on.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

You have a good point there, but I feel the reaction of the media was a proof of how much hated U2 is in certain circles, and wasn't very professional.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

I mean... U2 have always been critical darlings. The times that they've been bashed? They've kinda deserved it.

Rattle and Hum? Yea... Good songs, but they deserved to have the piss taken out of them.

Pop? Yup... same. Some good songs, but they deserved it.

Songs of Innocence? Rinse, wash, repeat. Some good songs, but...

 

[mikal]

^^^^^^^^^^^

Except in this case, U2 took the fall for Apple because Apple can do no wrong.

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

Im going to agree with you Mikal, ive said it before, and others have as well. This (anger) has all been about U2. Nevermind the method of delivery.

Its probably all Bono's fault anyway. Had Taylor Swift done this i don't think the outrage would have been this loud.

 

[gvox]

FUCK THESE FUCKlNG FUCKS SAYING BAD THlNGS ABOUT BONOOOO!!1!1!11!1


Sent from my ass crack

 

[mikal]

Im going to agree with you Mikal, ive said it before, and others have as well. This (anger) has all been about U2. Nevermind the method of delivery.

Its probably all Bono's fault anyway. Had Taylor Swift done this i don't think the outrage would have been this loud.

Yep. If Apple hadn't pushed the album to everyone's "Purchased" items and instead just made it a free download on iTunes, everyone would have been happy.

 

[prbiker15]

^^^^^^^^^^^

Except in this case, U2 took the fall for Apple because Apple can do no wrong.

This.

 

[lemonfly]

This release strategy was an absolute FAILURE. Time has proven this to be true. They should've let the music do the talking. They fucked this one up, and it'll go down in history as the most hated album in U2 history. I don't know if at this stage they can come back from this.

Yeah, I'd like to think that in an alternative universe they released a very interesting album solely produced by Danger Mouse in spring. That album was raw and edgy and got people talking about U2 purely for their - shock, horror! - music. No Epworth/Tedder shiny farts. No twiddling their thumbs waiting for Apple to unveil a new gadget that they could piggyback the album on. Blaming Apple for all this is like blaming Paramount for distributing the R&H movie. U2 were the architects of their own demise, and this time there may be no coming back for them (too old and, well, just not that good anymore).

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

^^^^^^^^^^^

Except in this case, U2 took the fall for Apple because Apple can do no wrong.

Well that I agree with... But guilt by association

 

[Bad Exit]

I still don't think this was a "failure"... why?

People hating it? most of them either didn't care about u2 before this or already hated them since long time ago.

Media bashing it? it's not all of them, the people influenced by their hate are mostly the people I mentioned above, and also this will pass too.

Low sales? that's absurd.

---

They managed to get more people to listen to their album, which was their main goal, they became relevant again (there's no such thing as bad publicity), their catalog improved in sales after the release, they signed a pretty good deal with Apple for more than this record and they even sold a lot of albums worldwide.

And the promotion of the album/songs proved to be successful and capable of turning the tide on media perception about the album.

Are they doomed because of Bono's accident?
I don't think so, probably is the other way around: When they start promoting the album again, time would have already pass, which may be bad for sales, but it may be good for public perception... people won't care by then that much about the release but will still have present the band, and may be more receptive to the music.

I really don't think it was a mistake or a failure their strategy.

 

[The_acrobat]

It's a failure because stupid people are not taking the record seriously because of the controversy around it. It left a bad taste in the mouth of the general public. It doesn't matter that the record is good, people aren't going to give it a chance.

This album has no legs. Look at ATYCLB. It stayed in the charts through all of 2001, due to having 1 huge hit single, 3 other decent performing singles, relentless touring, great promotion and an overall positive public association. The album even bounced back into the top 10 in feb of 2002, because of the Super Bowl and Grammys. That's a successful album.

This album will not have any hit singles, not because they aren't good songs, but because outside of the fan base, nobody wants to bother with it. They made a huge splash and got their music to as many people as they could, but I think the negatives have outweighed the positives.

Bottom Line:
Album Good
Release Stupid



Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[Arcadion]

hay gaiz, omg, some music has shown up on my computer without my permission!
damn you M$$$$ damn you mr scruff!
oh the humanity. how to delete???? my life is ruined.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

if only people hated iphones as much as they hated u2, there'd be far less texting while driving in this wretched world.

agreed.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Im going to agree with you Mikal, ive said it before, and others have as well. This (anger) has all been about U2. Nevermind the method of delivery.

Its probably all Bono's fault anyway. Had Taylor Swift done this i don't think the outrage would have been this loud.

Right now Taylor Swift can do no wrong but trust me, her time will come when she will be considered irrelevant too. Probably this will happen when she begins to age as our society of ageism decrees!

 

[Hollow Island]

Ha! It was actually GQ magazine, here is the link

GQ's 30 Least Influential People of 2014

President Obama is # 2 on the list FWIW

(i bet anything it was written by a hipster)

The Thomas Friedman of rock? What the fuck does that even mean? Neoliberal globalization activist? Serial abuser of the English language? Complete and utter twat?

Never mind the writer has no awareness of William Blake or the significance of the title. And there's nothing worse than being socially conscious. Better off reading Tom Friedman and letting the ignorance wash through you.

Shouldn't people be more mad at Apple than U2? After all they're the ones with the capapbility to put things directly on your device... and they hand everything you do and say to the NSA. But that's OK to these people. Maybe if they were more socially conscious they'd get upset about things that matter instead of letting the western world become a surveillance state monitoring a growing underclass while the rich treat everyone with comtempt.

Obama is the second least influential person? I'm not a fan of this corporate stooge, but his CO2 deal with China was great because it removes excuses for nations like Canada to remain inactive on emissions. And the immigration thing is pretty fucking substantial.

Hold on, this guy thinks Putin is conquering Europe? Jesus Christ, GQ needs to raise its hiring standards.

 

[Hollow Island]

Right now Taylor Swift can do no wrong but trust me, her time will come when she will be considered irrelevant too. Probably this will happen when she begins to age as our society of ageism decrees!

Considered irrelevant... Marc Maron and Bret Easton Ellis were talking about relevancy on the last WTF. It was a great episode, but the gist of their relevance discussion was basically "what the fuck does that even mean? you're relevant to your people, and that's all that matters." U2 should listen to WTF.

WTF with Marc Maron Podcast - Episode 552 - Bret Easton Ellis

 

[ImNotSleeping]

Right now Taylor Swift can do no wrong but trust me, her time will come when she will be considered irrelevant too. Probably this will happen when she begins to age as our society of ageism decrees!

Definitely ageist and that's the issue.

 

[Registered Dude]

hay gaiz, omg, some music has shown up on my computer without my permission!
damn you M$$$$ damn you mr scruff!
oh the humanity. how to delete???? my life is ruined.

hey this Mr Scruff ain't bad

 

[Arcadion]

hey this Mr Scruff ain't bad

I'm assuming he was on the least influential list of 2009?