U2 'Songs of Innocence' Album // iNNOCENCE + eXPERIENCE Tour 2015 Discussion

[Black Sabbath]

People just want something to bitch about.

[ChineseIRS]

First listen and its great. Inspiring as usual. U2 is always otherworldly vibes. I love all their albums and this one is no different so far.

[Bono]

U2 to be featured on the cover of the upcoming issue of TIME magazine and apparently U2 and Apple have more in the works. If TIME is promoting a new album I'm more likely to actually start believing it this time. I don't think this will be like Bono's little promise about Songs of Ascent when they released No Line On The Horizon. I wouldn't be surprised if we get Songs of Experience before Christmas and maybe even a third album(maybe Songs of Ascent) before they tour. Here's a preview of the article

http://time.com/3393297/u2-apple-new-digital-format/

[wasted]

100 mil to spend on promo gets you the cover of Time magazine. Hopefully they will play the Superbowl this year. Ariana Grande dueling on Streets Have No Name. I can see it, I see the future!

[Cosmo]

That's a cool picture. Looks much less "messiah" than U2's last band pictures from the 2000's.

[Bono]

100 mil to spend on promo gets you the cover of Time magazine. Hopefully they will play the Superbowl this year. Ariana Grande dueling on Streets Have No Name. I can see it, I see the future!

NO. Being U2 gets you the cover of TIME magazine. They've been there done that before so this is par for the course and they'd get this regardless of how much Apple paid them or what they were investing in promo.

I'd have no problem with U2 performing with a newer artist in that setting but not her. It would be too much of a mismatch. I thought what they did last year was a cool move. Established classic act (RHCP) with an up and coming popular act (Bruno Mars). Still I think the Foo Fighters should be playing the Super Bowl. They've been my pick for about 10 years now. American. Rock. Massively popular. Killer live. It's so painfully obvious it should be them, plus they have a new album coming out in November. Maybe a U2 / Foo Fighters shared performance would be alright. Still my vote goes to Foo Fighters. It's their time in my opinion.

Edited September 18, 2014 by Bono

[wasted]

I read that they got 100 mil for promo?

I think they got Time cover in the 90s for Achtung Baby.

I read Time in the dentist once a year. Maybe next I go in for a polish I'll read the article.

When is the Superbowl? Songs for Deletion should sell a shit load over the Xmas period.

Edited September 18, 2014 by wasted

[Bono]

I read that they got 100 mil for promo?

I think they got Time cover in the 90s for Achtung Baby.

I read Time in the dentist once a year. Maybe next I go in for a polish I'll read the article.

They do have 100 million set aside for promo. I don't understand how promotion costs that much. Regardless though U2 has been on the cover of TIME once(in the 80s for Joshua Tree) and Bono himself twice since 2001. I think given what they just did with Apple and being who they are they could've had this cover even without 100 million for promo haha. I gotta admit $100 million for promotion is pretty ridiculous but it sounds like they have a LOT planned over the next while so who knows. Gotta read the article I think. I think it will change a lot of people's perception of the "free" itunes release.

I hope they're playing SNL in November when I'm in New York. I'll kill to get in especially since I was there in 2009 when they played SNL and I couldn't get tickets.

[wasted]

They did a residency on Lstterman?

I think if they got Axl to direct a video for California it might cost 50 mil.

I just assume that everything they do is coming out of the promo money. A U2 reality show flowing them on tour. 100 mil is a lot to blow on a record that is free.

[Bono]

The record wasn't free. Apple paid them for it. They have a physical release coming out on October 13th. They'll still do promotion and want to sell that. It's going to come with 4 extra songs plus acoustic versions.

Yeah they played Letterman for 5 nights in a row during the week of NLOTH's release.

I'd totally watch a U2 "reality" show if it was done more in a documentary style. I don't want some shit Osbornes type thing though haha.

[Bono]

Bono and The Edge did a bunch of interviews today. These guys rule. I thin if the people who hate stopped and took 5 seconds to listen to them they might not hate them so much haha.

Bono with Kevin Klien

http://live105.cbslocal.com/video/10598280-bono-talks-apple-the-new-album-the-edges-nickname-and-more-with-kevin-klein-live/

Bono with Jo Whiley

The Edge with Alan Cross

http://www.edge.ca/2014/09/18/alan-cross-chats-with-the-edge-of-u2/

Edited September 18, 2014 by Bono

[wasted]

No maybe some behind the scenes stuff. Before and after show. Maybe even live. Like celebrity rehab.

Well they gave to 500 mil for free. Only real hardcore U2ologists will buy the physical. Maybe they need to 100 mil for the visuals. But what do they do 3 big videos and put th on Facebook?

That money is just for fun really. Maybe they generated 500 mil for iTunes and 100 mil is spare. iTunes is huge deal.

I don't think anyone hates them. They are a little overexposed. So they are easy targets. Also they are called The Edge and Bono. Slash and Axl. Get real names!

There's nobody more full of shit than Bono, other than a cop.

[Bono]

Bono with Marty Lennartz

http://wxrt.cbslocal.com/2014/09/18/in-the-end-radio-is-everything-bono-chats-with-marty-lennartz-listen/

[ChineseIRS]

Im outta likes, but Bono, your seriously right. No one takes the time though.

[Use Your Delusion 1]

whats will also this post Zooropa rubbish? Not heard of Pop? Miami aside its an epic album, not to mention the Passengers project, Your Blue Room is their best song imo. Yeah ATYCLB was fucking awful and HTDAAB was vomit inducing but No Line wasn't that bad Moment of Surrender and Ciders of Lebanon were both beautiful, Fez Being Born etc all good

Still haven't listened to this but will be interested to hear

[wasted]

Bono is trending on yahoo.

[Black Sabbath]

Official artwork is WOAT

[Bono]

According to Dave Fanning 8 days ago the album had been downloaded 77 million times. It's free to itunes users for another 2 weeks. If that number is true by the time the physical release is available 100 million+ people will have chosen to download the album. People can say what they want and hate the way U2 did this by delivering it right into people accounts but the numbers prove it's been a success despite the backlash, which the media blew way out of proportion but thanks to that backlash it drummed up way more interest in the album.

Official artwork is WOAT

I wouldn't call it the worst but it definitely looks dumb. Worst U2 album cover for sure. I get what they were going for but why did they make it so oddly provocative? It's a picture of father and son. What father hugs his son that way? If it wasn't father and son fine ok it's a picture but because it's father and son I find it pretty odd. But hey just one more thing for people to talk about regarding U2 .

Edited September 29, 2014 by Bono

[ZoSoRose]

That is pretty shit

[eye2eye]

simply the worst U2 ever....uninspired,tired,poppy songs range from skippable to passable. What a huge letdown and I am huge u2 fan and this maybe the album I will give up on them.

[Bono]

simply the worst U2 ever....uninspired,tired,poppy songs range from skippable to passable. What a huge letdown and I am huge u2 fan and this maybe the album I will give up on them.

Did you even listen to the album before making thsi post? How on earth can you say, Raised By Wolves, The Troubles, Sleep Like a Baby Tonight, Volcano, are anything but tired, uninspired poppy songs. They are reminiscent of U2 trying something ala the way they did in the 90s. Every Breaking wave and Song for Someone are classic U2 type ballads. Iris is a song in a simliar vain as Where the Streets Have No Name(though not as great). honestly don't know what the hell people expect from U2. It's like they have these insane unrealistic expectations for them to reinvent music or something.

[WhazUp]

simply the worst U2 ever....uninspired,tired,poppy songs range from skippable to passable. What a huge letdown and I am huge u2 fan and this maybe the album I will give up on them.

If you were talking about Atomic Bomb or even No Line I would agree. But if anything I think this is U2's strongest effort since ATYCLB, I think that the songwriting is focused, consistently good, and sonically interesting

[gunsfanoldie]

I just heard it for about the 6th time or so. Its pretty good. Better than my first listen.

I have to agree with the uninspired posts. It sounds less "vanilla" than when I first heard it, but it hasn't grown on me thinking any of the songs are incredible. They are just passably good and I still think they sound like songs U2 could bang out in a second. My favorites are The Miracle, California, Iris, and Raised By Wolves. Its a fine album, although I do think its their worst since 2000. Which isn't really a knock to them, and isn't surprising, but I wouldn't say this is anything amazing and I certainly wouldn't compare it to classic stuff.

Here's the thing though: I've liked most of U2's recent output. ATYCLB is a blockbuster, and I guess to some a "sell out". But the songs are strong and they probably wouldn't be here without it, at least not at this level. I still think the opening 4 run on that album is comparable to the opening run on The Joshua Tree, and there really isn't a bad song on the bunch. It was just really popular and mainstream so I feel people try to distance themselves from it (like a Springsteen "Born In The USA" thing. Its a GREAT record, just overplayed). I also LOVE HTDAAB. Like, its in my top 3 favorite albums from them. But then again its exactly what I want. U2 doing straight ahead rock, which they never quite ever did. Amazing record that I admit is a personal favorite of mine. And NLOTH is a very solid record. A 7 or 8 out of 10 IMO. Some really quality songs, and although its the start of them starting to sound like they are really trying too hard (Moment Of Surrender, Get On Your Boots, Magnificent), I do think the album is good and worked for what it was.

So in conclusion, I think this album is fine, not great. I think I've given it a fair shot, and to me it does sound like U2 on autopilot. Maybe it was the fact that it was a surprise and to digest all of it with no warning was kind of a "this is it?" feeling, or the fact that U2 is a little tired at the moment after 30+ years (completely understandable). But I'd say its a 5 or 6, MAYBE a 7 if I'm feeling generous, out of 10. They can't all be winners. I will say my main problem from a press side is everyone is so overly praiseworthy or overly negative. It doesn't have to be one or the other. I do think most people saying it sucks aren't even giving it a chance, while simultaneously I think the praisers (people like Rolling Stone) aren't even open to any faults and are just saying "this is U2. Its automatically amazing."

Bono (user, not Hewson), its very possible you truly love this album. Thats fine. Coming from an Atomic Bomb guy, I completely get being against the bunch! But I do think you shouldn't be so quick to come off sounding like people "don't get it". Everyone has different tastes, and its completely fair if you really like it, but I do think it wouldn't hurt to throw in maybe some constructive criticism (I mean, you must have something that feels off about the record) and maybe don't compare it to The Joshua Tree or anything on it, because IMO that just comes off as silly. The key is just sounding balanced in your reasoning, or else you end up like everyone else that is drastically on one side or the other.

[wasted]

I like California. There's some cool lyrics there.

[Cosmo]

Wow that artwork is shitty. Loved the simple white cover they had. Why didn't they keep it? The album is AWESOME, though. Best U2 album in ages.