Official listing of tracks from u2.com

[Chizip]

I guess the assumption then is that the album will sell more copies with Elevation and Walk On on it than any other singles U2 has ever had?

I don't see that as being probably...or even likely to be correct.

U2 is a HUGELY popular band. They have a lot of songs in the catalogue that people, even casual listeners love.

Yes, I really believe Elevation and Walk On are more popular with the general public than Please/Stay/Discotheque/Staring at the Sun/The Fly etc...

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

I think they'd much rather have the new album sell a lot more albums than older album sales picking up slightly. The new album is the most relevant one to the current music scene, and if it has huge sales then they can say, see, we still are the biggest band in the world.

I have to say that I agree with you Zip on this point.

However one would imagine that albums represented with singles on the new CD would see a slight bump in sales.

 

[popacrobat]

if the DVD is for the HARDCORE EXTREME FANS they did a lousy job of picking the tracklist as they picked the biggest hits rather than the best songs for that as well. (see no Electric Co, Zoo Station, or The Fly)

yeah im not really debating the tracklist on the dvd, just the cd.

 

[Niceman]

Yes, I really believe Elevation and Walk On are more popular with the general public than Please/Stay/Discotheque/Staring at the Sun/The Fly etc...

I don't agree with you, but putting that point aside for a moment, do you believe that either song would make someone buy this album WHO WOULD NOT have picked it up all other things being equal?

I don't.

And then there are the downsides of choosing 4 songs from ATYCLB:

1. A chance is missed to promote one or two other albums to casual fans who may not know about them.

2. Future sales of ATYCLB are LIKELY to be cut into, since there will be no singles on that album that aren't already on the singles collection. I love In a Little While, but I don't think too many casual fans will pick up the disc for it...

3. Aesthetic concerns, like the fact that 4 albums are not respresented at all, so many sides of U2 are not respresented on a disc that will be introducing new fans to the boys.

For business reasons, as much as taste, I have to say I don't think this release is all that it should be...IMHO.

 

[Chizip]

Well I think they are trying to maximize the sales of this current CD, and to do that they need to include all of their most "well known" hits

It's a status thing. The higher this album charts, the more it sells, the more they can say they are still relevant and the "biggest" band.

 

[ozeeko]

In a perfect world, run by me, I would have a disc that spans their whole career. now, only having 16 songs to represent their entire career is bullshit, so if anything I would choose a song or two off each album. Basically, show off U2's musical diversity. Sure, I understand U2 wants to reach casual fans, so that they may convert them, and the hardcore fans already have every CD so they need not bitch. But isn't U2 doing a disservice to the casual fans by not letting them in on the secret: that U2 can do anything! Imagine having Pride on the same album as Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me. Imagine a new fan hearing Sunday Bloody Sunday and Lemon, I Will Follow and The Fly, Please and Beautiful Day, all on the same damn album! I think that would open up peoples minds about U2, rather than releasing just another by-the-books all-too-obvious lame Greatest Hits CD that offers everything we already got in the first 2 best of's, the exception being a couple songs off their most recent album. What are they gonna do, release a new GH album everytime a new album is released? Obviously they are using the Green Day duet and the Window song as bait to get this. But for a measly two songs? Sorry, but I'd rather just download them.

 

[Niceman]

Well I think they are trying to maximize the sales of this current CD, and to do that they need to include all of their most "well known" hits

It's a status thing. The higher this album charts, the more it sells, the more they can say they are still relevant and the "biggest" band.

With respect, I don't feel that you answered my question.

Do you feel that there are any fans who will decide to buy this album who WOULD NOT if, say, All I want is You or Bad or Hold Me, Thrill me, Kiss me, Kill me, or Discotheque or even Gloria were substituted for Walk On?

I can't imagine that you will really honestly be able to say "Yes." What demographic will say "Well, I like Beautiful Day, Elevation and Stuck in a Moment, but I don't want to buy ATYCLB, but this album doesn't have Walk On, so no sale."

 

[bono_212]

There's not much more to say that hasn't already been said. This cd is to attract people, and so they're oging to put songs on it that the average person knows. I can tell you for fact (because I've tried it before out of boredom) my friends couldn't tell you who was singing the Fly, or Stay, or Please if you amde them, but if I played Stuck in a Moment, Vertigo, Sweetest Thing, or Elevation, they immediately knew what song it was.

However, I do believe that it is rather shocking that they left off I Will Follow. Otherwise, the rest of this album, kinda makes a lot of sense

and for the record, I will be purchasing it, giving the cd to my mom and keeping the dvds and such.

 

[Niceman]

In a perfect world, run by me, I would have a disc that spans their whole career. now, only having 16 songs to represent their entire career is bullshit, so if anything I would choose a song or two off each album. Basically, show off U2's musical diversity. Sure, I understand U2 wants to reach casual fans, so that they may convert them, and the hardcore fans already have every CD so they need not bitch. But isn't U2 doing a disservice to the casual fans by not letting them in on the secret: that U2 can do anything! Imagine having Pride on the same album as Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me. Imagine a new fan hearing Sunday Bloody Sunday and Lemon, I Will Follow and The Fly, Please and Beautiful Day, all on the same damn album! I think that would open up peoples minds about U2, rather than releasing just another by-the-books all-too-obvious lame Greatest Hits CD that offers everything we already got in the first 2 best of's, the exception being a couple songs off their most recent album. What are they gonna do, release a new GH album everytime a new album is released? Obviously they are using the Green Day duet and the Window song as bait to get this. But for a measly two songs? Sorry, but I'd rather just download them.

Yeah, I'd rather see a release that was a better historical record of the many different kinds of music they have made.

 

[doctorwho]

Yes, I really believe Elevation and Walk On are more popular with the general public than Please/Stay/Discotheque/Staring at the Sun/The Fly etc...

While I think "Staring at the Sun" was popular enough to replace one of the songs from ATYCLB, if, for no other reason, so have at least one song from "Pop", I full agree with your statement.

ATYCLB produced back-to-back "Record of the Year" songs! So it's difficult to remove BD or WO from that list. And "Elevation" seems to be a real crowd pleaser. Having 15-20,000 people all going "oooh-woo-ooh" as soon as Edge starts his guitar effects proved to me how well known that song is.

I also remember the Chicago Elevation show in '01. Everyone was bouncing like crazy to the song "Elevation". U2 later performed "Staring at the Sun". People knew the main chorus ("I'm staring at the sun, not the only one...") but got lost VERY quickly after that! LOL! Poor Bono wanted us to sing and 20,000 people screwed up the words! Hence, I think this is one big reason why "Staring" was excluded over songs like "Elevation".

In other words, Chizip, I feel you are fully correct. It would have been nice to see a token "Zooropa" or "Pop" song, but I feel the songs chosen are better known. One could argue for "Stay", but even then, is it as loved as other songs?

 

[Niceman]

While I think "Staring at the Sun" was popular enough to replace one of the songs from ATYCLB, if, for no other reason, so have at least one song from "Pop", I full agree with your statement.

ATYCLB produced back-to-back "Record of the Year" songs! So it's difficult to remove BD or WO from that list. And "Elevation" seems to be a real crowd pleaser. Having 15-20,000 people all going "oooh-woo-ooh" as soon as Edge starts his guitar effects proved to me how well known that song is.

I also remember the Chicago Elevation show in '01. Everyone was bouncing like crazy to the song "Elevation". U2 later performed "Staring at the Sun". People knew the main chorus ("I'm staring at the sun, not the only one...") but got lost VERY quickly after that! LOL! Poor Bono wanted us to sing and 20,000 people screwed up the words! Hence, I think this is one big reason why "Staring" was excluded over songs like "Elevation".

In other words, Chizip, I feel you are fully correct. It would have been nice to see a token "Zooropa" or "Pop" song, but I feel the songs chosen are better known. One could argue for "Stay", but even then, is it as loved as other songs?

But do YOU think Walk On will actually increase album sales over a big hit from another album? I haven't seen anyone posting yet that they actually think this......

 

[doctorwho]

In a perfect world, run by me, I would have a disc that spans their whole career. now, only having 16 songs to represent their entire career is bullshit, so if anything I would choose a song or two off each album. Basically, show off U2's musical diversity. Sure, I understand U2 wants to reach casual fans, so that they may convert them, and the hardcore fans already have every CD so they need not bitch. But isn't U2 doing a disservice to the casual fans by not letting them in on the secret: that U2 can do anything! Imagine having Pride on the same album as Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me. Imagine a new fan hearing Sunday Bloody Sunday and Lemon, I Will Follow and The Fly, Please and Beautiful Day, all on the same damn album! I think that would open up peoples minds about U2, rather than releasing just another by-the-books all-too-obvious lame Greatest Hits CD that offers everything we already got in the first 2 best of's, the exception being a couple songs off their most recent album. What are they gonna do, release a new GH album everytime a new album is released? Obviously they are using the Green Day duet and the Window song as bait to get this. But for a measly two songs? Sorry, but I'd rather just download them.

But even if U2 did all that you wrote, you'd still have all those old songs and there'd still just be two new songs. In other words, you still might want to download these new ones and forget the rest.

Admittedly, I like your idea. But unless U2 made this a 2-disc set, it's not possible on one CD. So U2 chose their most popular songs, based on chart performance, Grammy success and apparently concert adoration. In other words, these are songs fans really seemed to love. So here's a mini-U2 concert for any casual fan to hear. It doesn't have all that a real fan would love and it's shorter than an actual concert, but it gives the casual fan a good taste of old and new U2.

Just like the "Best Of" releases, this is clearly not for us. I'm not thrilled with this release either, but if it's for contract reasons or whatever, it's what's coming next. So I'll enjoy the new songs and hope there's at least one interesting b-side coming.

 

[chocky]

This disk is not particularly interesting to me as I have every single officially-released U2 album and single (and some that weren't released) and will buy both the new tracks when they are separately released.

But the CD is PERFECT for the audience it is intended for. EVERY track on this album is regularly played on your average middle-of-the-road rock/pop radio station world wide.

And to be honest, I can't think of any other U2 track (not included here) that gets more rotation than the tracks that are included.

Therefore it surely represents what Joe Public WANTS on a CD as these are the tracks Joe Public hears on his local radio station.

Anyone who questions the tracklisting or legitamacy of this release has surely missed the point. This is a CD of the best known & most played singles that U2 has released. End of story.



[PS: the last time I heard a song from Pop, Boy or October on any of the regular radio stations here in Sydney was the last time they had a U2 tribute day - and that was probably when U2 last toured here 8 years ago!)

 

[Screwtape2]

I would like to make an observation about aiming this towards all the people that know and like the "hits" off the band's last two albums. If they like those songs and considering that they are probably younger people, then wouldn't they have bought those songs on Itunes or some mp3 site, already? With that in mind, wouldn't you want to aim this toward older fans by putting more 80's and 90's songs? Agree or disagree? I mean I know a lot of people that remember U2 of those decades and aren't so high on U2 of the last few years.

 

[shortfuse]

I do not understand why so many of you are complaining about the inclusion of Walk On. It was a hit single, became very well known after 9-11, and it is a fucking brilliant song. Now if they were pciking songs that were not hits, like Bad or Until the end of the world, I would have no problem with Walk on being replaced. But to me Walk on is much more worthy of inclusion than the likes of please, gone, stay, ebttrt, AIWIY, lemon .......

 

[fna692002]

This needed to be a double disk. that way we could have had

1.I will follow
2.Gloria
3.NYD
4.SBS
5.Pride
6.Bad
7.UF
8.WOWY
9.Still havent found
10. Streets
11.Desire
12.Angel
13.AIWIY
14.The Fly
15.MW
16.EBTTRT
17.One

1.Lemon
2.STay
3.HMTMKMKM
4.Discotheque
5.SATS
6.LNOE
7.PLease
8. Sweetest Thing
9. BD
10.WO
11.Elevation
12.Stuck
13.Vertigo
14.ABOY
15.SYCMIOYO
16.COBL
17.Saints
18. Window.

mayby have to shorten some of the songs, but this would have been a better choice IMO. That way it is the career spanning set. One disk is just not enough with this band. They have too many hits

 

[TheBrazilianFly]

I just don't understand how can The Sweetest Thing be there and nothing from POP. If they wanted a happier more pop oriented song they could have gone with Angel Of Harlem and then replace Desire for a POP song, Gone or Discothèque. I'm impressed I Will Follow is not there, I would replace Elevation for it (even though personally I'm tired of I Will Follow and still loving Elevation). I already expected October to not be represented.


Overall, I think this best of is to get a fan started not to give a fair or real view of their catalogue likle the two others did (I mean no Bad and nothing from POP and their two first albums).

 

[2861U2]

If U2 wants to put out an all-singles album, I dont think we can complain. True, some of their best stuff (Bad, UTEOTW, Gone) werent singles, but people shouldnt whine if those songs arent on the album- its a SINGLES album. For the most part, the selection of songs is good, except the 4 ATYCLB songs.

No Zooropa songs is understandable.
I think the Sweetest Thing is a great choice, as it was a huge hit.
The only changes I would make would be to replace Walk On and Stuck with Angel Of Harlem and Discotheque.

Again, as far as singles go, they picked the right ones.

 

[fna692002]

You know everyone says the Sweetest Thing was a huge hit, but I remember nothing of it. Granted I was like 11 when it came out. HMTMKMKM would have been a better choice I think.

 

[U2freakboy]

I don't see why anyone would be surprised that the Sweetest Thing is on this album, as I and others have posted before it's the favorite song of many casual U2 fans. I am surprised by the ommision of I Will Follow and to some extent HMTMKMKM. I think they wanted to make this album as different as possible from the other Greatest Hits albums, and the inclusion of those two songs may have made it too similar.

 

[DaveC]

Besides, the greatest thing is, there is one new song on there, and I guarantee that is the main reason most of you will be up early on the 20th to go out and buy this record. A new U2 song, produced by Rick Rubin and recorded in Abbey Road studios!?!? Are you freakin' kidding me? That's worth the cost of a double-disc set right there!

Are you serious? You think one song is worth that much money? Must be nice to have that kind of cash.

This whole "Best Of" debacle has officially been the last straw. I am now fully ready to admit that U2 has sold out.

Pathetic as shit.

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

Are you serious? You think one song is worth that much money? Must be nice to have that kind of cash.

This whole "Best Of" debacle has officially been the last straw. I am now fully ready to admit that U2 has sold out.

Pathetic as shit.

 

[gherman]

I totaly agree with the track listing and would not change it.

 

[gherman]

Are you serious? You think one song is worth that much money? Must be nice to have that kind of cash.

This whole "Best Of" debacle has officially been the last straw. I am now fully ready to admit that U2 has sold out.

Pathetic as shit.

Your right. It is nice to have that kind of cash

 

[am22884]

Track list is about what I would have expected. At the end of the day it doesn't really effect any long term fans on the band as we already have most songs in one format or another. I think it's a good track list for anyone who only started listening to them after ATYCLB or Dismantle. Don't really get the "sold out" statement. If they want to release a best of and make some cash, then why not? They're not running a charity.

 

[BANZAI]

Two things bother me:

1. 4 songs from ATYCLB
2. Sweetest Thing


That could have been:

1. 2 songs from ATYCLB (Beautiful Day and Walk On/Elevation)
2. Stay
3. Discotheque
4. Even Better/HMTMKMKM/I Will Follow

 

[jacobus]

shame on U2 and their greedy management. this is just another shitty tracklist (like best of 2)...what the hell are they doing for the last 7 years?...is this still the same band that rocked the globe with a brave attitude...i doubt

BANZAI: Two things bother me:
1. 4 songs from ATYCLB
2. Sweetest Thing

That could have been:
1. 2 songs from ATYCLB (Beautiful Day and Walk On/Elevation)
2. Stay
3. Discotheque
4. Even Better/HMTMKMKM/I Will Follow

fully agree!

 

[BANZAI]

It's so very very strange they just act like NINE YEARS years of their career (the period between november 1991 and october 2000, not including 80's song The Sweetest Thing) never happened. And they also act like they started their career in 1983.

So we're not talking about a 30-year career (1976-2006), but actually a 14-year career (1983-1991 and 2000-2006).

 

[ElectricalVoice]

Nothing from POP? Don't like that. They shouldn't consider POP a failure, like they do. They should stand behind it and be proud of it. Whjo cares what other says about it. U2 is known for trusting in themselves. Eventually POP would become a classic.

But I won't buy it anyway, so ...

 

[vaz02]

This tracklist seems more of a best of 2000 + to me.

Im a huge fan of the 21st century u2 but this is overkill.

Replace this drap with real u2 classics.