So This new U2 Album...

[Dom Heffner]

Is pretty excellent, no?

I'm really enjoying it so far, can't believe we all get it for free.

[Joseph]

I wish I could listen to U2 strictly for the music, but I have such a hard time with all the BS that goes along with Bono. I loved, LOVED some of those early albums. I sincerely wish I was capable of separating the two aspects of the artist.

[improbus]

I wish I could listen to U2 strictly for the music, but I have such a hard time with all the BS that goes along with Bono. I loved, LOVED some of those early albums. I sincerely wish I was capable of separating the two aspects of the artist.
I too hate guys who spend significant amounts of time both helping the disadvantaged around the world and keeping the ridiculous glasses industry going. He certainly isn't perfect (and I'm not even really much of a U2 fan), but the dislike of him strikes me as kind of strange.

[KronoRed]

I haven't been able to stand a U2 album since Zooropa.

[bucksfan2]

I haven't been able to stand a U2 album since Zooropa.

I never was a huge U2 fan. Their early stuff was great, their recent stuff not so much. The 1980-1990 greatest hits album was something that I could listen straight through over and over again. Don't really care for much after that.

[dougdirt]

If it were so good they wouldn't be giving it away for free, would they?

[Redsfaithful]

I'm enjoying it.

[BuckeyeRed27]

If it were so good they wouldn't be giving it away for free, would they?

I think you might see this more and more going forward.

[klw]

If it were so good they wouldn't be giving it away for free, would they?

I am not sure if you are trolling so I will assume not and reply seriously. U2 are not giving away the album for free- Apple is. Apple apparently paid U2 a hefty sum for the album. U2 will make out well too as they make money from back catalog sales and concert ticket sales by people reenergized about or introduce to the band by getting this album. (Unexpected backlash may counter this but hey)

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/u2-back-catalog-sees-massive-sales-bump-after-songs-of-innocence-launch-20140914

An unprecedented number of U2's previous albums have now entered iTunes' album chart since the new record's launch. Earlier this week, 24 of the band's titles had reached the top 200, and the U218 singles album struck the top 10 in 46 countries. The Joshua Tree from 1987, 1991's Achtung Baby, 1983's War and two versions of the singles collection are currently in the U.S. top 50, with 1988's Rattle and Hum and 1984's The Unforgettable Fire following close behind.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/u2s-surprise-itunes-strategy-the-industry-reacts-20140912

Apple paid the superstar band and its record label, Interscope, an undisclosed, but hefty, check, and committed a nine-figure marketing budget to promoting the album, say sources close to the negotiations.

[dougdirt]

Sorry klw, I was totally trolling for a laugh.

I don't like U2, but yeah, total troll post. Sorry you had to waste a few minutes there.

[The DARK]

I rather like it. They sound comfortable again, and the songwriting is much better on the whole. Then again, I was really fairly hyped about the last two, and neither have aged well at all.

I do think the method of release was questionable by Apple, what with all the disputes over cloud computing lately. Those who hadn't been following the news were going to always going to be a little bit confused when a random album showed up in the library, and most people aren't generally pleased to find that someone's smuggled a glorified ad amongst their stuff.

[Stray]

Apple eh :thumbdown:

[757690]

I heard it. It's okay, but overpriced.

[klw]

Sorry klw, I was totally trolling for a laugh.

I don't like U2, but yeah, total troll post. Sorry you had to waste a few minutes there.

No worries I needed a break from my project.

[nmculbreth]

I enjoyed the album. It's no Joshua Tree or Achtung Baby but it's still a pretty solid effort.

[NebraskaRed]

It's better than their last 3 albums, which have been really mediocre, in my opinion.

They had quite a run from Unforgettable Fire through Zooropa. And that's including Rattle and Hum, which I listened to the other day and liked way more than I did when I was younger.

[Joseph]

I too hate guys who spend significant amounts of time both helping the disadvantaged around the world and keeping the ridiculous glasses industry going. He certainly isn't perfect (and I'm not even really much of a U2 fan), but the dislike of him strikes me as kind of strange.

Tax evasion, his charity work comes off as entirely self serving [hey look at all the good work I do!] he wears those god forsaken sunglasses even when meeting with world leaders [why is he meeting them anyway?].

Hey I'm not disputing he donates to charity, but so do lots of people. My dislike of an arrogant guy isn't strange at all, and in fact its fairly common when it comes to this particular guy.

[Redsfaithful]

Rock stars are such humble people, normally, that I certainly see why Bono bothers ... wait

[Larry Schuler]

I can put up with an arrogant front man. But an arrogant front man who is a humanitarian? Who is he trying to impress?

[mdccclxix]

I heard the Joey Ramone song on the radio and it struck me as much better than the new folk rock stuff that gets all the air play on this particular station I was listening to. Then I realized it was U2 and was mildly impressed with the effort. On my iphone I couldn't get through the whole album though, as I'm not a big enough U2 fan. I'm an Achtung Baby fan and that about covers it. Their career is so huge, I may never dig in much further.

[Raisor]

Bono wears the glasses because he has an extreme sensitivity to light.

He wears the glasses he wears because he's freaking Bono.

[RedTeamGo!]

Bono also sported one of the great mullets of all time.

7943

Legendary

[Always Red]

I really like the new album, but there's nothing on there anywhere near as good as "Moment of Surrender" which is one of my favorite U2 songs ever, and I've been a fan since the beginning.

Moment of Surrender is a great rock/pop tune.

In fact, after thinking about it, I think it's their best song ever. And I know them all,
those dudes are my age.

[improbus]

Tax evasion, his charity work comes off as entirely self serving [hey look at all the good work I do!] he wears those god forsaken sunglasses even when meeting with world leaders [why is he meeting them anyway?].

Hey I'm not disputing he donates to charity, but so do lots of people. My dislike of an arrogant guy isn't strange at all, and in fact its fairly common when it comes to this particular guy.
I'm fine with arrogance when it is earned. He is the front man for one of the greatest rock bands of all time and he may be the last true rock star.

[klw]

Bono also sported one of the great mullets of all time.

7943

Legendary

Adam Clayton says "my hair was cool too"
http://cdn2.independent.ie/migration_catalog/article28932884.ece/616e0/ALTERNATES/h342/adam-clayton-2

[Always Red]

Adam Clayton says "my hair was cool too"
http://cdn2.independent.ie/migration_catalog/article28932884.ece/616e0/ALTERNATES/h342/adam-clayton-2

Adam Clayton is way cooler than Bono.

And Bono knows it, too

[klw]

I spent a lot of time listening to U2 back in the 80's and have drifted away from them over the past decade. My favorite stuff was always on a couple of live shows I had recorded off the radio around 83 or so. This thread inspired me to do a U2 search on You Tube. At the moment I have this cranked:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbfjoOxwA1I

[Dom Heffner]

I think it's pretty unfair to compare a recording that's been out 21 days or so with work that's been in our consciousness for thirty years....

Rolling Stone gave it four stars or so, and I would agree- it's a great effort given how far they are in their career.

[Dom Heffner]

I really like the new album, but there's nothing on there anywhere near as good as "Moment of Surrender" which is one of my favorite U2 songs ever, and I've been a fan since the beginning.

Moment of Surrender is a great rock/pop tune.

In fact, after thinking about it, I think it's their best song ever. And I know them all,
those dudes are my age.

I just listened to "Moment of Surrender" and I'm not hearing that at all...

Music is so subjective....

[Always Red]

Music is so subjective....

It is that.

Rolling Stone ranked it #160 out of top 500 ever, for whatever that's worth.

Music is like wine. Whatever tastes good to you is fine wine; whatever sounds good to your ear is good music. I constantly have music on around me, I can't imagine life without music. I have friends who never listen to music, and I don't get it.

[Dom Heffner]

It is that.

Rolling Stone ranked it #160 out of top 500 ever, for whatever that's worth.

Music is like wine. Whatever tastes good to you is fine wine; whatever sounds good to your ear is good music. I constantly have music on around me, I can't imagine life without music. I have friends who never listen to music, and I don't get it.

Pretty much 12 hours a day for me. I've caught up on a lot of music I missed out on. I've even changed my mind on certain bands.

When I was a disc jockey back in the 1990s the fans ruined- I mean totally ruined- Nirvana for me. I'd get the 14 year old sweaty kids calling in for deep album cuts...it was like, dude, you have the CD, put it on....I can't play this anymore lol...

Now? Oh gosh, Kurt Cobain is the best songwriter ever for me.

I couldn't live without music.

[MilotheMayor]

Grew up with U2 as my father is a rather obsessive fan. I gave the new one a cursory listen, but it's just as stale as any of their newer releases. I would rank their catalog as such.

1. The Joshua Tree
2. Achtung Baby
3. The Unforgettable Fire
4. Boy
5. Zooropa
6. Pop
7. All That You Can't Leave Behind
8. War
9. Rattle and Hum
10. No Line on the Horizon
11. Songs of Innocence
12. October
13. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb

Still a lot of legitimate love for the top 5, although ATYCLB is probably the theoretically perfect dad-rock album. Knock it up a few pegs for me when I'm 50.

[NebraskaRed]

Grew up with U2 as my father is a rather obsessive fan. I gave the new one a cursory listen, but it's just as stale as any of their newer releases. I would rank their catalog as such.

1. The Joshua Tree
2. Achtung Baby
3. The Unforgettable Fire
4. Boy
5. Zooropa
6. Pop
7. All That You Can't Leave Behind
8. War
9. Rattle and Hum
10. No Line on the Horizon
11. Songs of Innocence
12. October
13. How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb

Still a lot of legitimate love for the top 5, although ATYCLB is probably the theoretically perfect dad-rock album. Knock it up a few pegs for me when I'm 50.

Pretty solid ranking. Although, I'd move War up higher and Pop lower. Not sure where I'd place the new one yet.

[Redsfaithful]

Pop was really good. Underrated.

[jojo]

Is pretty excellent, no?

I'm really enjoying it so far, can't believe we all get it for free.

Not a fan of this album at all. Then again, I haven't enjoyed any of their albums since the early 90's.

[MilotheMayor]

So the B-sides from the Deluxe Edition are out there. I feel like this is a stronger alternate tracklist. Removed the generic rockers. 'The Crystal Ballroom' really should have been included on the official release.

1. Invisible
2. EBW
3. California
4. SFS
5. Iris
6. The Crystal Ballroom
7. RBW
8. Cedarwood
9. Sleep Like a Baby
10. Ordinary Love
11. The Troubles