There was a difference in the perceived "failures" of R&H and Pop.
R&H sold 13 million records...not up to JT standards, but it was after all just a collection of hasitly recorded songs and live cuts. I don't think they expected it to sell nearly as well as JT just as they probably knew Zooropa wouldn't do as well as AB. Nonetheless, U2 has never distanced themselves from the music in R&H...only the image they boxed themselves into at that time (hence AB). And most of the so-called backlash at the time was directed towards that image, not so much the music. Indeed, R&H songs have been in continuous rotation live since its release, and to my knowledge U2 has never said anything disparaging about those songs. The critical backlash was largely in the press, not from the fans, and was directed more at the self-importance of the movie than the music.
Pop, on the other hand, was a major studio release they worked on for quite some time, and "only" sold 8 million records, a disappointment by U2 standards at the time. And those songs have only appeared sporadically, and in snippets, in subsequent tours. Their comments on Pop since its release show U2 distancing themselves from the music on that record...which is very different than what happened with R&H. Ironically, most of the press of the day loved Pop. It was the fans (no, not all of them) who ultimately left them on that record.
I do think, to a lesser extent, U2 now regards NLOTH much as they did Pop...which is a pity, and it makes me wonder which, if any of those songs we'll hear on the next tour.
..I kid...I know Eno and Lanois weren't involved...
