Should U2 Abandon HTDAAB And Record A New Album Immediately?

[Aardvark747]

HTDAAB is nowhere in the top 50.

Is that really true? It's not that I dont believe u Jick, i'm just interested to find out what shit the majority of America are listening to, to keep a band like U2's latest album out of the top 50! Anyone got a link for a list or something?

 

[miss becky]

Gee, I thought things had been too quiet around here lately. Thank goodness for Jick, come to save the day.

 

[Axver]

Re: Re: Should U2 Abandon HTDAAB And Record A New Album Immediately?

Is that really true? It's not that I dont believe u Jick, i'm just interested to find out what shit the majority of America are listening to, to keep a band like U2's latest album out of the top 50! Anyone got a link for a list or something?

We are yet to receive the official report of U2's chart performance from Billboard/Soundscan. That wil reveal U2's real chart position. HITS has placed U2 out of the top fifty but Billboard's charts have often shown U2 to be higher (both sales and position-wise). I think U2 might still be in the top fifty.

 

[doctorwho]

Is that really true? It's not that I dont believe u Jick, i'm just interested to find out what shit the majority of America are listening to, to keep a band like U2's latest album out of the top 50! Anyone got a link for a list or something?

Actually, we don't know that HTDAAB has fallen out of the U.S. Top 50 just yet. Per *one* album monitoring chart, it did drop out of the Top 50. However, Billboard uses SoundScan data, and on that chart, the album may very well still be in the Top 50.

Also, we all must remember that the album is certified as 3x Platinum already! Those are HUGE numbers - especially in the era of illegal downloads. Go through Billboard's album chart. The number of artists with 3x Platinum sales or more is about half of what there was 5 years ago and about a third of what there was 10 years ago! In other words, even if HTDAAB failed to sell another copy, it still has performed brilliantly.

However, HTDAAB is really just getting going. I disagree with the person who said "Vertigo" was a bad first single. This was an excellent first choice. It's a fun, rocking song that caught people's attention. More importantly, it is a GOOD song with a good video. "Discotheque" was a fun rocking song, but a little bit "too out there" for most U2 fans and it backfired on them. In contrast, "Vertigo" pushes the envelope (with its Spanish phrases) without going overboard. It attracted the younger crowd and garnered U2 a lot of attention.

The thing is, it behaved like a normal single - it rose the charts, peaked and then fell. Once it was gone, U2 didn't have a song to replace it. ABoY wasn't marketed at all, and while ABoY hit the Top 10 on the U.S. Modern Rock charts and the Top 20 on the Mainstream Rock charts, that wasn't enough to get it into the Hot 100. Funny thing is, now that the song is falling off the charts completely, I hear it on the radio more than ever! LOL!

"Sometimes..." now is taking its place - and this song has the potential to cross over. It's not my favorite song on HTDAAB at all, but it has that potential to do what "Beautiful Day" did or at least what "Stuck..." did.

If "Sometimes..." does its job and gives HTDAAB a boost, the tour will then kick it and keep HTDAAB at steady sales for a good chunk of the year.

In other words, abandoning a 3x Platinum album that may have JUST slipped out of the Top 50 now would be a ridiculous move - especially since the album is just barely 3 months old.

As I've hoped to illustrate, many times albums - even from big name aritsts - drop out of the Top 50 or even Top 100 only to rebound all the way back to the Top 20 or even Top 10 due to a hit song. Therefore, these comments of dropping HTDAAB are egregiously premature.

 

[Pero]

Re: Re: Should U2 Abandon HTDAAB And Record A New Album Immediately?

You know what, i don't post much. I've been a U2 fan for awhile,and I'm sorry. I'm all for discussion, difference of opinion and what not. But I have to say, and ban me from the forum if that's what's appropriate... (it's too easy as well) But Jick is a dick. My friend, if you had a clue what this band is about, you wouldn't have anything to say. No one has to like U2's music. It isn't for everyone, but for a so called fan? I just don't get you.

Apologies to those offended. I will take my medicine when administered by the intereference crew , but you my friend, are nothing but a ignorant moron.

You have GOOD GOOD POINT.
Jick has nothing to do in his life so he starts opening stupid threads like this one. Who cares if HUT DAB isn't N#1 for last 2 years???I don't and i won't!
But when u2 makes a record, i'll buy it and celebrate it. Discuss about it and all. I WON'T SAY THIS STUFF Just to get attention.
Jick, c'mon, it's just too early to tell.
I know that you like u2, but when you would rule the world, u2 would be gone.

 

[ponkine]

Re: Re: Re: Should U2 Abandon HTDAAB And Record A New Album Immediately?

I already abandoned HTDAAB so I really don´t care about new singles, Vertigo Tour, etc, after all, I don´t have to be polite with such mediocre, commercial, unoriginal, lame, boring, overhyped and recycled album . I can´t believe HTDAAB is a U2 album, after listening such brilliant musical statements as Achtung Baby, Pop, Joshua Tree, Zooropa, War, Boy, etc

I agree, they should leave HTDAAB behind.

Peace

 

[Aardvark747]

It's a shame u feel that way Ponkine - i'd hate to have those feelings. I for one get excited with each new single release, and the prospect of seeing them play in a few months.

As for 'Mediocre/Commercial/Unoriginal/Lame/Boring/Overhyped and Recycled - everyone is entitled to their own opinions.


And yours is shite.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

doctorwho is smarter than all of us and we should bow to his utter wisdom of all things chart related.



he's 100% right in every point he's made, and i just want to emphasize two of those points...

a) i played "sometimes..." at work the other day and a coworker, who is not a u2 fan and, heard it and said "hey i've heard that song" and was actually humming along to it at the end... it has the potential to be a huge cross-over hit
b) you're right... i've heard all because of you on the radio and seen it on tv more now that it's dropping from the charts then when it was first released.

Cheers,

H

 

[boystupidboy]

It's a shame u feel that way Ponkine - i'd hate to have those feelings. I for one get excited with each new single release, and the prospect of seeing them play in a few months.

As for 'Mediocre/Commercial/Unoriginal/Lame/Boring/Overhyped and Recycled - everyone is entitled to their own opinions.


And yours is shite.

LOL




"and yours is shite"
FUCK ME THAT WAS FUNNY

Can i nominate a single quote for any stars?Cos if i can this one surely deserves stars galore!!!

 

[Popmartijn]

doctorwho is smarter than all of us and we should bow to his utter wisdom of all things chart related.



Cheers,

H

Not to comment on anything you said, but it seems you are expecting a new U2 album soon, very soon.
At least, the advisory system in your sig is set to severe.

Care to share any details...?

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Not to comment on anything you said, but it seems you are expecting a new U2 album soon, very soon.
At least, the advisory system in your sig is set to severe.

Care to share any details...?

when the album and tour dies down, so too will the album advisory system. stop getting technical

 

[Popmartijn]

 

[boystupidboy]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Should U2 Abandon HTDAAB And Record A New Album Immediately?

I already abandoned HTDAAB so I really don´t care about new singles, Vertigo Tour, etc, after all, I don´t have to be polite with such mediocre, commercial, unoriginal, lame, boring, overhyped and recycled album . I can´t believe HTDAAB is a U2 album, after listening such brilliant musical statements as Achtung Baby, Pop, Joshua Tree, Zooropa, War, Boy, etc

I agree, they should leave HTDAAB behind.

Peace

At the risk of getting personal ponkine maybe you should'nt sign off as 'peace'and use the more acurate 'i'm a knobjockey(followed by a wanker smiley)


peace

 

[*sofia*]

htdaab is a great album, and everytime I listen to it I feel like I´m gonna fly, thinking about the gig ahead. if there´s something negative about it then it´s some of the lyrics that are not so great as previous ones. please note SOME.

 

[jick]

Don't get me wrong. I personally like HTDAAB a lot. I honestly think it is U2's best album since ATYCLB. It's just like the consumers don't agree with me. On the other hand, I disliked POP as a U2 album and the consumers agreed and POP sold poorly.

So I am trying to be objective here. On the one hand there is an album I love a lot but it also is going poorly in terms of sales. So I am trying to be realistic and see if U2 may be considering other options, especially since they have already been in panic mode and employing desperation tactics through dubious single release choices and close proximity of single release dates just to "save" the album.

I ask you all not to interpret this post as slagging the quality of HTDAAB. My personal view is that it has great music but I am just trying to write from the point of view of a detached impartial observer who is just analyzing U2's moves and their chart freefall.

A think a follow up album should be among U2's possible options.

Cheers,

J

 

[phanan]

There are a few things with your post Jick that are worth mentioning...

You talk about how HTDAAB has seen its sales fall off, and that ABOY failed as a second single here. The truth is, the album has (so far) been very similiar to how ATYCLB performed here in the U.S.

Both albums had strong first radio hits, and then, both had follow-up songs that performed weakly. Walk On didn't really do much of anything here. Hell, I hardly saw the video, and VH1 was still doing videos at that time. All Because Of You is going the same way, IMO. Even the time of year is the same (winter/spring).

Then, when the summer of 2001 began, Elevation was released. Granted, it didn't do anything on the Hot 100 charts, but most rock acts don't do well on that chart anymore anyway. It did, however, receive tons of radio airplay in its Tomb Raider remix form, and the video did very well as it was tied in to the movie. In addition, the Elevation tour was in full swing at that point in the U.S. The album performed consistently each week at the time. Was it back in the Top 10? Of course not, but it remained on the chart the whole time.

What happens this summer will depend if things change at all. The third single will need to do well, and with the tour about to begin, I think it will (although I personally think the next single should be City Of Blinding Lights, which a lot of stations play on their own already, but that's just me).

As for the post-Grammy bump, the reason U2 didn't jump back into the Top 10 was because they were farther down the charts than others, but their percentage jump was nearly the same as others. Take Green Day, for example. American Idiot saw a 49% sales jump, and rose to #2 on the charts. However, it was already in the Top 10. U2, in comparison, had a 42% sales jump. Seeing as how Green Day is doing very well these days, I'd say that comparison speaks for itself.

I want to see another U2 album as quickly as the next person, especially if it has Mercy on it. And who knows? Maybe they'll pull a Zooropa and release one while they are still touring. But don't expect anything this year, that's for sure. Albums do well here in the summer if the artist is touring and the current radio single is doing well, and I expect that to be the case, just like it was in 2001.

 

[allbecauseofu2]

jick said that HTDAAB is the best album since ATYCLB. i goota agree, those albums inbetween stunk. i;'d love to see jick on a message board of a band that actuly dosn;t seel records now. like rem. thier last album flopped. they better put out a album in may. and about 70 other bands should do the same thing. what the hell do you get this warped logic? do you know what a flop is? its not HTDAAB

 

[jick]

After a glimpse of the Billboard charts, I have more tidbits to add to show U2's disappointing chart movement:

-American Idols who were released the same week and one week before U2, respectively, are still maintaining a decent chart position after all those weeks with Kelly Clarkson at #10 and Fantasia at #14. U2 are #41. None of the idols got any Grammy.

-U2's current archrival, Green Day, have been out 23 weeks and have won less Grammies than U2 - yet they are still a fixture in the top 3. U2 are #41.

-Eminem, who U2 pipped for #1, is still in the top 10 and is already certified 4x platinum - while U2 are out of the top 40 and only 3X platinum.

So it is clear U2 are failing and falling fast when compared to their peers. Let's not even get to the discussion about music downloads taking album sales because you'd have to be left asking why U2's rivals have managed to stay afloat in the charts while U2 are gone.

Without a doubt, the album is a commercial failure of sorts. To all those who say the pace is similar to ATYCLB, I seriously challenge your statements. I'd bet it won't even hit 4 million by the middle of next year.

Cheers,

J

 

[nathan1977]

At the rate the album is selling (or not selling, however you'd want to put it) in America, U2 will be playing to a lot of half-empty arenas come the third leg. If Americans don't want to spend $12 on the U2 cd, why would they even bother spending $80 for a concert?

I wonder who will be laughing at who come Sunday?

I think U2 should consider the option of abandoning all promotions for HTDAAB and record a new album instead. U2 did it during Zooropa, planing it to the studios after every gig. When Bono's dad was sick, Bono would plane in to Dublin after every gig. So it is a possible option for U2 to plane in to a US studio after every gig to work on a follow-up to HTDAAB.

Considering everything else the boys are doing -- Bono's debt relief campaign, Edge's daughter -- plus the fact that they are TWELVE YEARS OLDER, I would say this is somewhat less than likely.

While I love HTDAAB very much, the other music-buying audience has spoken.

Yes, your love for U2 borders on lavish.

Honestly, Jick....

 

[plot180]

Ugh, so predictable. All I did was read the subject and I knew it was from J. He's not even antagonizing anymore, just bland.

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

These are the kind of jick posts I both love and despise.

This is clearly overblown rhetoric, but he always makes interesting points and uses some facts, whether or not he misuses them.

HTDAAB will move back up the charts starting in April...

 

[ZeroDude]

^
Did you steal Jick's old crystal ball seeing as his is now defunct

 

[RobH]

Let's face it, U2 just doesn't have the clout with record buying deomoraphics it used to....longtime fans like myself didn't rush out to get it; I just let someone get it for me for Christmas. Then I let some people borrow it. Times have changed. U2 will never have the cache they once did, and as far as playing to half empty arenas, that could happen---probably won't---but could. But this album doesn't suck like POP did, so attendance will probably be strong. Hell, I hope the third leg is easier to get tickets to 'cause this one's all F'd up.

 

[ZeroDude]

^POP doesn't suck ok I will attack you my good man if you persist with this opinion no U2 album sucks it just depends on the person involved

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Should U2 Abandon HTDAAB And Record A New Album Immediately?

I already abandoned HTDAAB so I really don´t care about new singles, Vertigo Tour, etc, after all, I don´t have to be polite with such mediocre, commercial, unoriginal, lame, boring, overhyped and recycled album . I can´t believe HTDAAB is a U2 album, after listening such brilliant musical statements as Achtung Baby, Pop, Joshua Tree, Zooropa, War, Boy, etc

I agree, they should leave HTDAAB behind.

Peace

Shut up.

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

everyone is entitled to their own opinions.


And yours is shite.

 

[phanan]

Without a doubt, the album is a commercial failure of sorts. To all those who say the pace is similar to ATYCLB, I seriously challenge your statements. I'd bet it won't even hit 4 million by the middle of next year.

Challenge accepted.

The facts that I am about to give you come directly from www.riaa.com, the Recording Industry of America's web site. So if you don't believe me, check it out for yourself.

Here I was thinking the pace between HTDAAB and ATYCLB were about the same. Imagine my surprise when I find out that HTDAAB is way ahead of ATYCLB so far. Note to non-U.S. readers: platinum in the U.S. is for a million copies.

ATYCLB was released in the U.S. on 10/31/00, and has gone on to sell like this:

12/18/00 - platinum
1/23/01 - 2x platinum
10/25/01 - 3x platinum
2/12/04 - 4x platinum

HTDAAB was released in the U.S. on 11/23/04, and has gone on to sell like this:

12/17/04 - 3x platinum

Now let's look at that real closely. Hmmm. HTDAAB is already certified 3x platinum (and it wasn't even out a month). As for ATYCLB, it took nearly a year for it to reach the same status.

This explains HTDAAB's performance on the charts. Since so many people purchased the album within the first few weeks, it naturally has slid down the Billboard 200. With ATYCLB, the slide was much more gradual, but it certainly didn't sell out of the box as fast.

Does this mean that HTDAAB is a failure? Because its life on the charts might not be as long? Not if you go by actual sales numbers it doesn't, IMO.

It took over 3 years for ATYCLB to be certified 4x platinum. I'll bet HTDAAB can make it to 4x platinum earlier than that. And with the tour still to come, and possibly more singles, I think it's easy to say that HTDAAB will eventually eclipse ATYCLB's numbers by the end of the year.

Thanks for playing...

 

[Convoy]

All I can say is wait till Miracle Drug becomes a single.

 

[bathiu]

...and as far as playing to half empty arenas, that could happen---probably won't---but could. But this album doesn't suck like POP did, so attendance will probably be strong.

What's the diference between U2 playing to 60'000 people on a STADIUM (even if there is room for 80'000) and U2 playing 3 times to 20'000 (that's also 60'000 BTW) people on an ARENA?

 

[Sleep Over Jack]

Let's face it, U2 just doesn't have the clout with record buying deomoraphics it used to

Uh, ATYCLB is one of their best sellers, and the new album will at least equal its sales, IMO.