I don't understand the U.S.

[LeafsNation]

There's no doubt that HTTAAB has done well in the U.S. The album has been certified triple platinum and it went to #1, ATYCLB sold 4 million in the US which is respectable in today's music climate.

Yet as I looked at the charts, only 7 weeks from release, I see it's dropped from 13 out of the top 20 to #22. Meanwhile in Canada, their northern neighbour, HTTAAB is holding strong at #5 7 weeks later, and my understanding is that it remains strong in Europe and the rest of the world.

I just can't understand why U2 continues to be such a huge success in Canada and the rest of the world as sales demonstrate this album and last. I would call them only a moderate success in the US right now.

Why is this happening?
Is it because Americans just like U2 less than in the late 80s and early 90s? Or is it just a sign that rock is essentially dead in the US, and U2 is just suffering from the domination of Hip Hop (Green Day is the only other rock act achieving any success at the moment)

Even if only one American had bought the album , I would still think it's spectacular and some of their best work. Sales should be irrelevant to the fan. Nevertheless, the rest of the world evidently loves it this album...why has the US lots ?

Regards,

JD

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

it's because we don't like hockey, ya hoser eh

 

[WinnieThePoo]

baseball loosers are even worse

 

[Halup]

I read Billboard magazine on a weekly basis and they have a section that shows the top 10 (in some cases top 5) albums and singles in roughly 25 countries around the world. In almost all these, Atomic Bomb is no longer listed, so Canada is actually the exception for having the album still so high. Canada also has both singles for Vertigo ranked in the top 10, many weeks after they have dropped out of the top 10 in most countries. So you do have a point about U2 continuing to chart high in Canada, but the dropping in the US vs Europe is not quite correct.

I think the reason for the big drop is 2 fold. The album sold so many copied early on that a large percentage of the people who would normally buy a U2 album already have it. The second part is that I don't think All Because Of You has done a lot to reignite interest in the album. By releasing Vertigo to radio and the tv commercials 2 months before anyone could buy it in the US (as U2 singles are no longer commercially released in the US) they built up demand to own the album, but perhaps All Because Of You was the wrong choice to go with for a second radio single. It doesn't seem to be doing much for sales compared to the way that Green Day reignited their album when they chose Boulevard of Broken Dreams as their second single and tapped into a different set of people than the Ameircan Idiot single may have.

Atomic Bomb's US sales are close to 2,300,000, which is substantially ahead of where Leave Behind was at the same point. Leave Behind was around the 3,000,000 mark after a bout 1 year, when the Elevation tour was ending. It has sold a little over 1,000,000 over the past 3 years since, due in part to their strategy of leaving Walk On and Elevation off The Best Of 1990-2000, as people wanting these songs have to buy Leave Behind.

Going forward, if U2 chooses the right songs for singles, this album could outsell Leave Behind down the road. I think at least another 1,000,000+ is realistic before the Vertigo tour ends and additonal catalog sales in the following years could push it well past Leave Behind.

 

[Mac Phisto]

...but perhaps All Because Of You was the wrong choice to go with for a second radio single. It doesn't seem to be doing much for sales compared to the way that Green Day reignited their album when they chose Boulevard of Broken Dreams as their second single and tapped into a different set of people than the Ameircan Idiot single may have.

Great point Halup. I agree 100 percent. Sometimes or COBL may have been a better choice for a followup single.

 

[dabiggestu2fan]

to headache in a suitcase.... was that response necessary? did you have to call him a looser because he is from canada? He was just making an observation about how sales are far greater in other parts then in US. This is EXACTLY why alot of people don't like americans! Cos you know why? You americans have this type of attitude that is like oh your not an american??? then you must be inferior and worthles and a "looser eh?". I've seen your posts in here before and i expected more from you i guess your just another typical american with the ignorance and arrogance which shows in your response!

Shamefull truly shamefull!

 

[phanan]

I think the reason for the big drop is 2 fold. The album sold so many copied early on that a large percentage of the people who would normally buy a U2 album already have it. The second part is that I don't think All Because Of You has done a lot to reignite interest in the album. By releasing Vertigo to radio and the tv commercials 2 months before anyone could buy it in the US (as U2 singles are no longer commercially released in the US) they built up demand to own the album, but perhaps All Because Of You was the wrong choice to go with for a second radio single. It doesn't seem to be doing much for sales compared to the way that Green Day reignited their album when they chose Boulevard of Broken Dreams as their second single and tapped into a different set of people than the Ameircan Idiot single may have.

This is very true. Sometimes with the second single, an artist should go with a song that is much different from the first one. Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own would have been a good choice.

 

[phanan]

to headache in a suitcase.... was that response necessary? did you have to call him a looser because he is from canada? He was just making an observation about how sales are far greater in other parts then in US. This is EXACTLY why alot of people don't like americans! Cos you know why? You americans have this type of attitude that is like oh your not an american??? then you must be inferior and worthles and a "looser eh?". I've seen your posts in here before and i expected more from you i guess your just another typical american with the ignorance and arrogance which shows in your response!

Shamefull truly shamefull!

If you've seen Headache's other posts, then you'd probably realize that a lot of them are in jest and not to be taken seriously.

 

[ImOuttaControl]

I agree that ABOY wasn't a great choice for a 2nd single. Vertigo did it's job by bringing in the younger, more rock-n-roll crowd.

Second single should have been a little slower song, something that would be more of a crossover hit. Perhaps COBL or Miracle Drug, then as a 3rd single release "sometimes"

 

[mjaeky]

"Why is this album not selling in the US?" Well, in my opinion, it's a retread of ATYCLB. There are some great songs but overall, it's the same stuff as last time out.

Now, I know that it's "real" music compared to the teen popsters dominating the scene and I can't account for that.

 

[Flying FuManchu]

ABOY is a mediocre single. I like the song, but for radio... medicocre way to gain appeal. I thing Staring at the Sun was the same. I knew people were excited about Discotheque but totally cooled on SATS.

 

[indra]

I think most people in the US who wanted the new album have purchased it already...probably within the first few weeks it was released. Plus there is the normal post Christmas comedown. I'm not sure about other countries, but many people go on mad spending sprees during the Christmas rush and then are shell shocked by the bills when the season is over. So buying plummets. I'd look at overall US sales after the tours have gone through before I'd be too worried/disgusted.

 

[Chizip]

to headache in a suitcase.... was that response necessary? did you have to call him a looser because he is from canada? He was just making an observation about how sales are far greater in other parts then in US. This is EXACTLY why alot of people don't like americans! Cos you know why? You americans have this type of attitude that is like oh your not an american??? then you must be inferior and worthles and a "looser eh?". I've seen your posts in here before and i expected more from you i guess your just another typical american with the ignorance and arrogance which shows in your response!

Shamefull truly shamefull!

i agree, he has also lost all of my respect

id like to apologize for all americans, we arent all like this jackass

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

he typed "hoser" not "loser"

 

[Chizip]

ho·ser ( P ) Pronunciation Key (hzr)
n. Canadian Slang
A clumsy, boorish person, especially an uncouth, beer-drinking man.

its still unacceptable

 

[MissVelvetDress_75]

 

[Chizip]

 

[Aygo]

I don't think that ABOY was a bad choice. I think that the question is the kind of promotion you make to the album. It seems that after the initial boom in November, they have let it go... Actually, I think that the idea of a single each 3/4 months is wrong. It worked 4 years ago, but the industry of records has changed a lot since 2000. In my opinion ABOY should be the 2nd single in both sides of Atlantic, but it should have been released now, and Sometimes as the third single in April. Then, when the tour was "on fire" the band could make a surprise single(s) like COBL, Miracle Drug or even Yahweh. I hope too, that the singles bring original videos, because that's another big way of promoting an album, people watch it all the time on MTV's and that kind of TVshit...

 

[david]

I think it will go back up in the charts after the Grammys and once the tour gets started.

But in a few short months it sold well, much more rapidly than ATYCLB..

Once you go up you must go down anyway.

 

[Pero]

That's because they're FAT

 

[BigMacPhisto]

It's the American rock audience......we have a huge split.............indie rock fans (usually high school/college kids), metal fans, and then people that would buy the U2 album (mostly nostalgists or U2 freaks like us).......because of this fragmented sort of culture within rock music here, U2 really only can sell the album to the same people that bought a previous effort......

 

[LeafsNation]

i agree, he has also lost all of my respect

id like to apologize for all americans, we arent all like this jackass

...thanks for defending the Great White North everyone...but his post didn't offend me. It actually made me crack up. For those of you who didn't know the "hosers " term, it was popularized in the Canadian self-parody "Bob and Doug Mackenzie" on SCTV in the early 80s.

Cheers, LN

PS. Molson and Labatt beer kick Bud and Miller butt!

 

[speedracer]

...thanks for defending the Great White North everyone...but his post didn't offend me. It actually made me crack up. For those of you who didn't know the "hosers " term, it was popularized in the Canadian self-parody "Bob and Doug Mackenzie" on SCTV in the early 80s.

Cheers, LN

PS. Molson and Labatt beer kick Bud and Miller butt!

Not after the merger with Coors. My God, can you imagine having to watch those Coors ads on Hockey Night in Canada?

Oh, wait a second...

 

[szuchy]

Perhaps because there was a huge marketing blitz at the beginning, SNL/Ipod/Driving Around NYC. That has worn off by now.