New album talk - Album coming SOON to a galaxy near you!!!

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U2DMfan said:
You're replying to a guy that told me albums were dying several years ago.
Sorry, BVS, still not dead.

Leaving the digital albums aside, according to Billboard, 50% of the music industries revenues in 2012 still came from physical copies.

People still buy CD's. And as long as there is money to be made, they'll still make them and place emphasis on them. And considering the general format of everything else from DVD to Video Games to general storage of pictures and all the rest, is still the CD, it's not going anywhere. But especially with more universal-type players.

It's just that the people that don't buy CD's anymore or don't listen to albums anymore believe everyone must be like them. But especially those 30 and 40 somethings that are so eager to show how modern and totally 'not old' they are. "Nobody buys CD's anymore". Yeah, except that they do. And certainly they still buy and listen to albums digitally or otherwise. But especially serious music listeners and we are never going away.

I'll stand up for the album, always.
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Dying and dead are two different things. I still buy albums, but the focus on albums as an artform is slowly dying.
 
BVS said:
No one here is arguing that U2 fans don't essentially know their work, I don't know why you have to take every comment and argue the extreme.

But U2 is one of those bands, like it or not, that have a lot of casual fans. Period. They exist, and a lot of them. Today's casual fan will not know the whole AB album.

I would go to a Rolling Stones concert in a heartbeat, but I would definitely be a casual fan.

I consider myself a one-step above casual Bruce Springsteen fan, can't wait to see him some day, but there's a lot of material that I wouldn't know. I know maybe two of his albums all the way through, the rest I know are his "hits". I found his material post Human Touch difficult to get into and too much to try. Yes, we exist.
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I think today's casual fan would know Achtung Baby. And Joshua Tree. They are absolute classic albums that everyone knows. If they don't know those two albums then they can't even be considered casual fans. Those people aren't fans at all, they're just somewhat culturally aware.

You know maybe two Springsteen albums, and I'd hazard a guess that one of them is Born in the USA or Born To Run, both of which occupy the same space as Achtung Baby.

Anyway, I don't see why Depeche Mode can play a song but U2 cannot play the equivalent from their catalog. Both bands are of the same vintage, both had their commercial peaks at the same time, and both have a lot of hits and casual fans as well as a sizable contingent of die-hard fans. I find it really hard to believe that Depeche Mode or the Cure have fanbases that differ significantly from U2, yet they play so-called deep cuts and not only do the fans know them, they love them. U2 could do the same thing, and nothing from Achtung Baby would qualify as a deep cut, just as nothing from Disintegration or Violator would. Those are albums that casual fans have, just as casual Beatles fans have Sgt Pepper or White Album.

And yes, people still have albums. They buy them. They steal them. They listen to them. And never mind how many people have Achtung Baby in some form, Love Is Blindess has well over a million views on youtube. How many spotify streams? Last fm? It's not exactly Whatever Happened to Pete the Chop.

BVS said:
Dying and dead are two different things. I still buy albums, but the focus on albums as an artform is slowly dying.
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Maybe, but my local record stores are all thriving. HMV not so much, but the indies are always packed. With young people.
 
Hollow Island said:
I think today's casual fan would know Achtung Baby. And Joshua Tree. They are absolute classic albums that everyone knows. If they don't know those two albums then they can't even be considered casual fans. Those people aren't fans at all, they're just somewhat culturally aware.

You know maybe two Springsteen albums, and I'd hazard a guess that one of them is Born in the USA or Born To Run, both of which occupy the same space as Achtung Baby.

Anyway, I don't see why Depeche Mode can play a song but U2 cannot play the equivalent from their catalog. Both bands are of the same vintage, both had their commercial peaks at the same time, and both have a lot of hits and casual fans as well as a sizable contingent of die-hard fans. I find it really hard to believe that Depeche Mode or the Cure have fanbases that differ significantly from U2, yet they play so-called deep cuts and not only do the fans know them, they love them. U2 could do the same thing, and nothing from Achtung Baby would qualify as a deep cut, just as nothing from Disintegration or Violator would. Those are albums that casual fans have, just as casual Beatles fans have Sgt Pepper or White Album.

And yes, people still have albums. They buy them. They steal them. They listen to them. And never mind how many people have Achtung Baby in some form, Love Is Blindess has well over a million views on youtube. How many spotify streams? Last fm? It's not exactly Whatever Happened to Pete the Chop.

Maybe, but my local record stores are all thriving. HMV not so much, but the indies are always packed. With young people.
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You'd be quite surprised how many casual fans became casual fans because of All That You Can't Leave Behind and How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, and likely don't own anything else other than the greatest hits albums.

When I first went to a Springsteen concert as a casual fan, the only album I owned was the Greatest Hits album and The Rising. It's seeing him live that inspired me to explore the rest of his catalog, and what turned me into the huge fan I am today.
 
Reg McGowan said:
You got an interesting point there...but then again U2 can go wherever they please and under the radar. They can hop in a rented car and drive anywhere. Maybe a place that was recommended to them, who knows...

If some Die-Hard fan happens to be walking by and witnessing the foursome then they would snap a picture and post it on the net. Which is what the dude did with that picture of Milanos.
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But the place is a trashy hole in the wall dive bar. Not really some place that would be recommended. Only reason why I know about it is because my wife used to work near by and I happened to stop in once while waiting.

It is the kind of place that would look pretty cool on an album cover though...
 
Hollow Island said:
I think today's casual fan would know Achtung Baby. And Joshua Tree. They are absolute classic albums that everyone knows. If they don't know those two albums then they can't even be considered casual fans. Those people aren't fans at all, they're just somewhat culturally aware.
Click to expand...

I love your optimism and passion, I truly wish your view on music fans was accurate. But the truth is its not.

And honestly, I think if you were honest with yourself, you would know that.
 
allbecauseofu2 said:
What's the definition of a casual u2 fan in your estimation?
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It goes like this:

Jeff hears U2 song on radio. Likes U2 song. Buys record containing said song. Likes record. Sees that U2 are touring. Goes to see show.

The idea that someone hears "Beautiful Day" on the radio, or friend's house, or whatever, then goes out to study ENTIRE catalog prior to concert is kinda insane.

Also, when The Cure & Depeche Mode play, crowd makes the most noise for the "hits." Crowd at every show makes the most noise for the "hits."
 
I would think a casual fan has best of 80-90. At least. You can have some different versions of a less then hardcore fan. Someone who grew up in the 80s and has war through rattle. Didn't get into AB and left it at that. That's one.
 
allbecauseofu2 said:
I would think a casual fan has best of 80-90. At least. You can have some different versions of a less then hardcore fan. Someone who grew up in the 80s and has war through rattle. Didn't get into AB and left it at that. That's one.
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I'm sure every permutation exists.

I'd think the version I described applies to most concert goers of most bands. Ever.
 
Indeed.

You couldn't fault them for attending a U2 concert and not know "Love Is Blindness."

I owned 2 Rush albums the first time I saw them. Had a blast.
 
The other friend I attend shows with has all albums except rattle, zoo, and pop. And has 80-90 and 90-00. Best of.
 
digitize said:
If I were out to convince someone who likes artsy or indie music that U2 are worth listening to, I would start with Achtung and Zooropa.
Click to expand...

If someone told me they were into "indie or artsy" music I think my reply would be: "What the hell is indie or artsy music?"

Then I'd play them "Romeo & Juliet" by Dire Straits and watch their face.
 
U2DMfan said:
You're replying to a guy that told me albums were dying several years ago.
Sorry, BVS, still not dead.

Leaving the digital albums aside, according to Billboard, 50% of the music industries revenues in 2012 still came from physical copies.

People still buy CD's. And as long as there is money to be made, they'll still make them and place emphasis on them. And considering the general format of everything else from DVD to Video Games to general storage of pictures and all the rest, is still the CD, it's not going anywhere. But especially with more universal-type players.

It's just that the people that don't buy CD's anymore or don't listen to albums anymore believe everyone must be like them. But especially those 30 and 40 somethings that are so eager to show how modern and totally 'not old' they are. "Nobody buys CD's anymore". Yeah, except that they do. And certainly they still buy and listen to albums digitally or otherwise. But especially serious music listeners and we are never going away.

I'll stand up for the album, always.
Click to expand...

http://www.analogplanet.com/content/gz-media-claims-it-pressed-seven-million-records-last-year

I pressing plant in the Czech replica supposedly pressed 7 million copies of records last year. Records as in vinyl. Record companies are once again embracing the record.
 
For those who like to make predictions by this type of thing... :shifty: I have some new pics of the full band in a photoshoot, and Bono has new shades I've not seen him wear before. :hmm::hmm::hmm:


:ohmy: He's also dressed like Han Solo.
 
Hmmm could this be for a magazine? Q? I seem to remember pre nloth the photo shoot they done for them, and the article basically giving a run down on the songs etc
 
Yup, methinks it be a magazine shoot. The photographer doesn't look to be a well-known one who would be doing album shots, so I'm guessing RS or Q. Plus, Bono exercising his "rock star" facial expressions is a dead giveaway :wink:
 
Okay, I'm still thinking 2013. I know it might sound mad, but I've lived every release since 1987 and things seem odd. In a good way.

That is definitely some kind of posed "press" shot. Full band.
 
All right!!! This is encouraging!
Does anyone remember what month that Q photoshoot for No Line took place? The one with the eyeliner.
 
ChargedVT said:
All right!!! This is encouraging!
Does anyone remember what month that Q photoshoot for No Line took place? The one with the eyeliner.
Click to expand...

February 2009 methinks ...the one which said 'if we get this right 2009 will be ours'???

...Oh the benefit of hindsight....

...Dec 2013 release?????
 
Hey, I'm going to go go crazy and say something will drop this weekend. Just a feeling.
 
I'm not getting too excited just yet. We all thought we were at this stage a few months ago with the 'wrap up party' and rooftop performances. Maybe this time of year provides great backdrops and we wont see these pictures till spring?
 
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