What I don't understand is why so many people seemed to love that new version of Stay they did. THAT was adult contemporary. Zooropa is my least favourite U2 album, but I vastly prefer the original Stay (which I have always liked.) So far, I've only heard the original clip of them working on Hands that Built America, so I can't really judge. I liked what I heard. I just wish they would get off the America obsession.
In most cases, you have to expect that bands are going to get a little bit softer, musically, when they get older. They're in their 40s, they have families, they're all happy...what do you expect? It's not always bad. In fact, it can start to look stupid if a band rocks with the same angst they had at 20. Of course, as you know, I'm not craving a return to Pop, but that's another story.