Are U2 a "white man's" band?

[thelaj]

Whenever I am watching tour DVDs or looking at pictures I always notice the huge majority of fans are white - anyone else noticed this?

I realise this is in the European and US DVDs/bootlegs, and won't apply elsewhere necessarily.

Is this due to the style of music, U2 themselves - or is it common to many bands?

 

[BoMac]

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

Are U2 a "white man's" band?

Yes. I think Tiger Woods and Barack Obama are the only two black men to ever listen to U2.

 

[thelaj]

Hey, it's only a discussion topic... I'm not looking to offend or provoke.

 

[mikal]

i'm white, and for the most part, i listen to music made by white people.

 

[UAME]

Yes. I think Tiger Woods and Barack Obama are the only two black men to ever listen to U2.

...and both of them are no more than 50% black.


The premise of this thread is asinine. Whatever the reason, the demographics of U2's fanbase are no more/less skewed than any other rock band. The racial division (if you want to call it that) falls more between genres than specific bands. But as soon as you try to draw some absolutes, along comes someone like Charley Pride.

 

[Screwtape2]

I suppose I have to answer this question with another question. What bands are a "African American man's band?" I'm curious of a list.

 

[thelaj]

...and both of them are no more than 50% black.


The premise of this thread is asinine. Whatever the reason, the demographics of U2's fanbase are no more/less skewed than any other rock band. The racial division (if you want to call it that) falls more between genres than specific bands. But as soon as you try to draw some absolutes, along comes someone like Charley Pride.

I specifically questioned whether this was a U2 specific, or general issue - but considering this is a U2 forum, I focused on that.

Are we not allowed to talk about these things anymore?

 

[mikal]

yeah, i have no problem with this thread. but if it starts to get out of control on the "race" issue, i'm thinking it might be better to close it and move on.

i do believe that race can be discussed without it turning sour.

 

[RedRocksU2]

same
I don't think that thelaj meant anything bad by it.

move on

 

[AtomicBono]

Whatever the reason, the demographics of U2's fanbase are no more/less skewed than any other rock band. The racial division (if you want to call it that) falls more between genres than specific bands.

Exactly. What rock bands aren't "white man's" bands?

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

I suppose I have to answer this question with another question. What bands are a "African American man's band?" I'm curious of a list.

N.W.A., EPMD, Wu Tang Clan, N*SYNC?

 

[thelaj]

Maybe it would be better to ask whether U2 have more or less non-Caucasian fans than a comparable rock band.

The question was only one of curiosity, prompted by one of our black members pointing himself out in U2 crowd shots.

 

[Sicy]

yeah, i have no problem with this thread. but if it starts to get out of control on the "race" issue, i'm thinking it might be better to close it and move on.

i do believe that race can be discussed without it turning sour.

I agree. I dont think thelaj meant any disrespect with the thread and I dont think there is anything wrong with the question, per se. However if it doesnt stay nice, it will have to be closed.

It's true though, if you look into a U2 crowd the majority of people are usually white. But that doesnt mean they dont have fans of other race, just take interference for example. We have members and fans from all over the world and of many different ethnic backgrounds.

 

[RedRocksU2]

Now I understand why you asked that. That was Solacevip.

 

[If you shout...]

For whatever it's worth, I have been to something like 12 or 13 U2 shows, over the years. All of them in Chicago, too. I have seen one black woman at these shows. Total. I have seen Mexican people, a few times, because they came with me. Either ex-girlfriends or friends. That's it, as far as non-whites go. That's just anecdotal, of course, but I think it speaks volumes, even if it isn't, like, scientifically verified.

 

[popacrobat]

I've seen U2 31 times and very rarely do I see blacks. I do see quite a few Asians I will say... the majority is white. by a lot.

 

[ultraviolet7]

I have seen Mexican people, a few times, because they came with me. Either ex-girlfriends or friends. That's it, as far as non-whites go.

I thought Mexicans in their majority were white. Not Anglo Saxon, but white all the same.

 

[adypole]

I'd say they're practically a white mans band, then, rock 'n' roll is a white mans game, just as R&B, or rap, is a black mans buiseness. Sure, that sounds a little stereotypical but it's also, on most cases the truth. You can't deny that exceptions are made, take for example eminem, who was considered exceptional within his genre.

 

[Fullonedge3]

Are U2 a white man's band?

Well, U2 are white, and they are a band, so...

 

[gvox]

Now I understand why you asked that. That was Solacevip.

I still don't know why he asked that. Because Mark is black and at a U2 show? I think it's a stupid question, personally. I'd say U2 has a greater proportion of non-white fans than most "rock" bands.

Even on this board, and in the ellipse last tour, there are ALOT of non-white U2 fans.

 

[catlhere]

I've seen a couple comments on Youtube videos about U2 being "cracker music" so maybe other people think this as well? I don't see any more of a gap than one you would find in pretty much every other rock band.

 

[BVS]

I don't see any more of a gap than one you would find in pretty much every other rock band.

Exactly...

In fact I would even say that as far as rock bands go, U2 probably have a more diverse audience then most...

Certaintly Metallica and Radiohead are much much whiter...

 

[mikal]

I've seen a couple comments on Youtube videos about U2 being "cracker music" so maybe other people think this as well? I don't see any more of a gap than one you would find in pretty much every other rock band.

lol, that's weird!

 

[Sicy]

I still don't know why he asked that. Because Mark is black and at a U2 show?

See this post:

http://www.u2interference.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6045300&postcount=48

 

[mikal]

Exactly...

In fact I would even say that as far as rock bands go, U2 probably have a more diverse audience then most...

Certaintly Metallica and Radiohead are much much whiter...

this is true. i have an African American friend who doesn't like U2's music, but loves Bono for the song "Pride" and his work with Africa. i've tried to get him into my kind of music, but he simply jokes, "I'm black, I like rap", lol.

 

[gvox]

See this post:

http://www.u2interference.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6045300&postcount=48

I'm sorry, it strikes me as even dumber then. Person sees a picture with a black U2 fan and goes 'holy shit, what's that black dude doing there, U2 is a white man's band - wait - I should ask Interference'. Mark highlights it simply as a form of identification, or he might correct me, not as some sort of inference that he's the sole black person who likes U2. I only met Mark in 2001 but well over half my friends growing up were black, and they knew about U2, some even would have listed them as in their top 10 favorite artists. My best childhood friend, who is from Trinidad, calls New Years Day one of his favorite all time songs, and he's a hip hop head.

I say listen to the music. If you know black music, soul, rnb, etc, it's quite apparent that U2 has alot more soul influences in their work than most 'white bands' and to me it doesn't seem a stretch at all that their music appeals to a much wider demographic than most rock bands.

 

[popacrobat]

I'm sorry, it strikes me as even dumber then. Person sees a picture with a black U2 fan and goes 'holy shit, what's that black dude doing there, U2 is a white man's band - wait - I should ask Interference'.

what? really? that's what you get out of this thread? give everybody a break.

 

[GirlsAloudFan]

I'm sorry, it strikes me as even dumber then. Person sees a picture with a black U2 fan and goes 'holy shit, what's that black dude doing there, U2 is a white man's band - wait - I should ask Interference'.

Now you're just putting words into the OP's mouth. He said nothing of the sort. He was genuinely curious about this topic and wanted to start a discussion on it.

 

[UberBeaver]

Racism. Not cool, man. Not. Cool.