Is U2 really this big?

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

They're definatly the biggest band in the world, I can't really see any argument against that, but there's not exactly much stern competition these days though.

 

But they, and no one else, can touch the Beatles in terms of global "bigness".

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Last time I checked there was still a band called the Rolling Stones that were kicking around.

[haVoc 0]

That bugs me when MTV and others in the media call a current artist and/or band "one of the biggest in the world" just because they have hits at the moment when established bands like the Stones, U2, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi or Metallica can go out on tour just for the Hell of it and still sell out arena's, sheds and stadiums.

 

I usually judge an artist by how big they are live more so then album sales. But that's just me.

[Dobbs 3K 0]

In reference to Miss Sarajevo, they did that song at the Milwaukee show, and Bono absolutely nailed Pavarotti's vocal parts in that song. It was pretty awesome.

 

My favorite U2 album is Achtung Baby...that was actually one of the very first CDs I bought. Joshua Tree is of course great, though I think I like Rattle & Hum a little better. Pop and ATYCLB didn't do a lot for me, but I think HTDAAB is very very good...easily their best album since Achtung Baby (although Zooropa is very strong as well...so many gems that should've gotten more play than they did on that album).

 

As far as Bono getting mainstream publicity, I really don't think he's doing all his political work for personal pub...I think he really is trying to help people. If the media covers it, so be it. I think he comes off as someone who cares very deeply about helping the poor and less fortunate, though.

[The Decemberists 0]

They're definatly the biggest band in the world, I can't really see any argument against that, but there's not exactly much stern competition these days though.

 

But they, and no one else, can touch the Beatles in terms of global "bigness".

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Last time I checked there was still a band called the Rolling Stones that were kicking around.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I'd say the Beatles were/are bigger than the Stones, and a big part of that is the fact the Beatles split. The Stones only became the biggest band in world in 1970 because when the Beatles were about no one else stood a chance. Plus they've released nothing of worth for the last thirty years. They're a nostalgia band now, nothing more, nothing less.

[Cheech Tremendous 0]

They're definatly the biggest band in the world, I can't really see any argument against that, but there's not exactly much stern competition these days though.

 

But they, and no one else, can touch the Beatles in terms of global "bigness".

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Last time I checked there was still a band called the Rolling Stones that were kicking around.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I'd say the Beatles were/are bigger than the Stones, and a big part of that is the fact the Beatles split. The Stones only became the biggest band in world in 1970 because when the Beatles were about no one else stood a chance. Plus they've released nothing of worth for the last thirty years. They're a nostalgia band now, nothing more, nothing less.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I was not implying that the Stones were bigger than the Beatles, just that they were bigger than U2. And the Stones newest album is getting rave reviews. Sure, they play to nostalgia, but that doesn't mean they aren't still a kick-ass rock and roll band.

 

Frankly, I think U2 is big time overrated. While not a gauge of their overally popularity, I'm not sure I've ever personally known a U2 fan.

[Annabelle 0]

who are we kidding? u2 are like on the same plateau as bon jovi. they just got this stupid dumb popularity in the 21st century. they were a laughing stock in the mid to late 90's. 6-7 most famous band in the world? get outta here. seriously.

[haVoc 0]

They are one of the most famous. One of the best? That's very debatable.

[Annabelle 0]

They are one of the most famous. One of the best? That's very debatable.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

anyone who debates PRO in that argument is an idiot.

[Special K 0]

U2 is, of course pretty big, but their last album sucked a big old fat wang-dang-doodle. It was a musical abortion. And Bono's a self-important twat.

U2's claim to fame is sounding OK, and being mostly innoffensive, much like Coldplay. They are vastly, vastly overrated. Comparing them to the Beatles and Stones may not be too far of a stretch, success-wise (and total album sales are probably way higher now than they were in the 60's), but anyone with ears and something between them is going to think it's a fucking travesty to compare those bands.

 

Keane is almost the shittiest band I've seen live (not my fault, the show had a ton of other great bands.) They were an atrocity. The piano player is fucking terrible. (ooh chords! plunkplunkplunkplunkplunk) the guy has a generic, boring voice. The songs have no interesting or original structures or melodies. They are a terrible, terrible band. The worst since Nickelback to get airplay over here. And while Nickelback wrote the worst songs I've ever heard, I think they were more musically talented than Keane. Just fucking terrible.

 

Good article!

http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/c.cgi?u=11worst

[bob_barron 0]

I'm listening to HTD write now and I just love it. I'd rank it #2 or #3, behind Joshua Tree and Pop.

 

But yea, to each their own I guess.

 

I think had U2 put a finished version of "Mercy" on the album, instead of say Crumbs or A Man and a Woman, I'd love the album that much more.

 

They were pretty good on Conan last night. All Because Of You didn't work b/c of Bono's voice but I loved Original of the Species. I don't like the song, but Stuck in a Moment was fine, and Vertigo was good live as always.

[Annabelle 0]

u2 is offensive whenever bono opens his fucking yapper.

 

and barron is right about zooropa, its one of their best. i'd listen to it before achtung baby! or maybe even joshua tree. although u2's finest moment, with or without you, is on it.

 

edit: come to think of it, i like several u2 singles from the 80's. but i'll never actually listen to any of their earliest albums.

[Darthtiki 0]

They did well on Conan last night, though I would have marked had they done I Will Follow, considering that was the song they did on that same stage in their first US appearance on Tom Snyder as Conan alluded to.

[Annabelle 0]

i just dusted off my zooropa & it sounds like a record that people would be falling over themselves if it was released today. this is synth pop that the bravery & even franz ferdinand are trying to make. its really impressive. i'll be more impressed if its greatness continues throughout the course of the album. but i have a hunch its gonna fall off. download zooropa. or buy it?

[Nighthawk 0]

War is the best U2 album.

[Annabelle 0]

never listened to it.

[Nighthawk 0]

It's actually the only one I've listened to all the way through.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

I like War, Joshua Tree, Achtung Baby, and Zooropa unapologetically. Zooropa is pretty much great through the first five tracks, then falls off a bit, and then makes you say wtf with the Johnny Cash vocal that ends it. The rest of their 80s albums tend to have 3-4 remarkable songs each and lot of inoffensive decent stuff around them.

[pochorenella 0]

For me it's Achtung Baby!, Joshua Tree, War, Unforgettable Fire, and HTDAAB.

 

ONE OF the biggest bands in the world? I can buy that. Someone mentioned that he regards ticket sales over album sales. That's certainly debatable but interesting. Rolling Stone's album sales are in the crapper and have been for a LOOOONG time, but their concerts sell out all over the place. Bon Jovi's sales have seen a little resurgence but not "Slippery When Wet" levels, of course, not even close. Not sure how the tour is doing. U2 saw a big comeback in album sales after the absolutely sucky "Pop" numbers, and now they're playing 7 consecutive sold-out MSG concerts in NYC. Kiss perform a bunch of sold-out concerts around the world but their last studio album barely cracked Gold status and all subsequent releases (all greatest hits packages) have merely done Ok, not reaching Gold plateau. Metallica is Metallica, and I have no idea what they're doing right now, but their last release was shitty both quality and sales-wise.

[Black Lushus 0]

which album has "Even Better Than The Real Thing"? is it Achtung Baby!? I like that song..."Disco Teque" is catchy and they have other singles that i don't mind, but I'm not the bgigest fan of theres...

[TheBostonStrangler 0]

Actually, while St. Anger was a complete garbage album, it sold really really well. They went double platinum with it, and while 2,000,000 copies might be a little low by Metallica standards, it's still amazingly good sales.

 

As for U2, I'm a huge fan. I'd rank the albums as such:

 

- Joshua Tree

- Achtung Baby

- Unforgettable Fire

- All That You Can't Leave Behind

- War

- Zooropa

- How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb

- Boy

- Rattle and Hum

- October

- Pop

 

Where The Streets Have No Name is my favorite song of all-time, and the Joshua Tree has (in my opinion) the best 1-2-3 punch to start off an album forever, with Where The Streets Have No Name, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For, and With or Without You starting it up (and immediately followed by Bullet the Blue Sky). Overall, I'd agree with Edwin's assessment of U2: They always have a few stellar tracks on every disc, with non-offensive filler surrounding it. Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby are their most solid albums, in my opinion, so they get the nod over the otheres. Less filler, and more badassitude throughout. The real problem becomes ranking the albums after that, as Unforgettable Fire, War, ATYCLB, and Zooropa are all equals in my eyes, and ranking one of them as the 6th-best U2 album seems way too harsh.

 

And bands are almost always as big as their tours. There are some exceptions, I suppose, when the Beatles and Nirvanas of the world come out of nowhere and just capture the mainstream's imagination, but if you were asked to come up with the biggest acts in the world right now, I'd probably go with U2, Metallica, and Springsteen. They've been around for 20 years at least, can sell out any show they put on, and have enough music to surprise their fans with. That's what differentiates them from a Coldplay, who have to play the same set every night because they've got three albums to choose from.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Not sure how the tour is doing. U2 saw a big comeback in album sales after the absolutely sucky "Pop" numbers, and now they're playing 7 consecutive sold-out MSG concerts in NYC.

This guy's got a good point. None of the "biggest bands in the world" right now actually move a ton albums, except for U2. I think the new album has sold something retarded like 4 million copies in a year, and the album before sold another 4 million. And they weren't very good! Look at those guys go.

[bob_barron 0]

The MSG shows aren't 7 consecutive.

 

They're doing a 5 show run now, and then doing two in November.

 

I went to Saturday's concert and it was amazing. I got to hear All I Want Is You, Mary J. Blige sing with them on One, The First Time, Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses, Fast Cars and Original of the Species. Just a great show all around, except for putting I Will Follow over Electric Co.

[bob_barron 0]

I'd rank them-

 

Joshua Tree

Pop

HTDAAB

Unforgettable Fire

Achtung Baby

Zooropa

War

ATYCLB

Rattle and Hum

Boy

October

Passengers

 

2 and 3 differ depending on my mood. 4-6 are all awesome and is basically a tie.

 

ATYCLB has way too much filler, and Rattle and Hum is too long. Boy is good but too plain.

 

October and Passengers suck.

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Bob, you're a nut. Passengers is great.

[bob_barron 0]

I love Miss Sarajevo, Elvis Ate America is funny and I like Your Blue Room.

 

The rest is a chore to listen to.

[PLAGIARISM! 0]

I can't listen to them. But they are the biggest band in the world, I'd say. As long as Coldplay don't usurp them anytime soon, I can happily not care.