Has the Internet ruined U2 album releases?

[Yahweh]

All this negativity makes me wonder about something.

1. What if the Internet had been widely available at the release of Achtung Baby or Joshua Tree would they have been slammed much like the new album has been for not having any "classic songs"?

2. Has reading forum postings influenced peoples ability to make an objective opinion about a piece of work on their own? I see a lot of people that really are looking for a validation that their opinion is the one to have.

3. Has hearing albums well in advance of the release date slanted peoples opinion one way or the other about an album? Does an album really mean what it used to, to people....what I mean by that is everybody remembers the names of classic albums but in the last number of years after the Internet has evolved commercially has it made it more difficult for a band or artist to make a truely memorable album as a whole?

Any opinions are welcome on this I just thought I would throw some questions out to you.

 

[Oregoropa]

I know I am a victim of snippet abuse syndrom.

S.A.S.

When all the 30 second clips of ATYCLB came out I listened to them too much and as a result I can't listen to those songs without recognizing the snippet. I'm glad there weren't too many snippets this time around. I listened to the ABOY clip on the internet too much and I think it affected my opinion of the finished product.

 

[indra]

I know I am a victim of snippet abuse syndrom.

S.A.S.

When all the 30 second clips of ATYCLB came out I listened to them too much and as a result I can't listen to those songs without recognizing the snippet. I'm glad there weren't too many snippets this time around. I listened to the ABOY clip on the internet too much and I think it affected my opinion of the finished product.

I think after a few years you learn what work best for you. I don't really like to hear an album before I have the whole thing actually in my hands. I might listen to one or possibly two songs, but really the best listening experiences I've had have been when I hear the whole thing completely fresh. So I try to make sure I don't listen to much from a cd before I actually have it. Not all that hard to do with dial up.

I don't find that reading about an album affects my enjoyment of it that much, so the overly negative or positive posts of the internet don't bug me that much.

 

[Bunbury]

I liked ATYCLB when I downloaded it before it was first released,
unlike HTDAATB.

 

[david]

I think the internet has allowed for people to come together as a community to celebrate an album upon its release. It just brought people together, closer maybe. When it was leaked there was an overwhelming feeling of everyone liking the album.

And 900,000 thousand in US sales later, I guess that just speaks for itself really.

 

[Aardvark747]

Hearing the album - after buying the cd - for the first time is all I look forward too. You can hear the odd clip or even song off the net, but for me, the first play of the offical cd is the best.