The Commercial U2 - Who saw it happen?

Originally posted by Alex:U2 is probably the biggest band in the world.

.......edited just to keep it smaller, but i like every word

Are U2 commercial? Yes, of course - everybody knows that they plan and hope for selling 10 million copies of the new album. Have they become a little too commercial recently? Probably yes, probably not. I think the last two albums could have been a little less polished, but we can disagree on that one. I'd suggest to wait until we have the new album, then we'll know more.

Peace and Love

Alex

Originally posted by vanquish:[..]

That is my point, what changed with Viva La Vida? the band? or the producer?

I thought Viva La Vida was the best album I heard in 2008, so Day & Age isn't better IMO as some thought I meant.

And I don't mean that the Killers are 'innovative' as such, it's the wrong word. I mean they like reinventing themselves (every album of theirs has a different sound), which sets them apart from other bands like Kings of Leon, and Coldplay. Which is commendable, seeing as Hot Fuss was a huge success and they could have easily churned out another album from the same mould and sold millions, but they took a risk, and instead made Sam's Town. So in that respect, they are not that 'commercial'.

Originally posted by Stu:[..]

What changed with Viva? The songs perhaps? maybe a combination of everything, I couldn't tell you as i haven't heard their other albums, only the singles i've heard on radio and video clips.

When i first heard the first single off Viva, i instantly thought Pink Floyd, not that i'm a huge PF fan either, but to me, you could tell it has elements of their innfluence throughout that song,

To Tell you the truth, the other songs i like from that album sound very U2 to me, and i haven't heard that before from Coldplay, i really like Lovers in Japan, reminds me of songs from The Unforgettable Fire for whatever reason, and the new version of Life In Technicolor is also very good.

With the Killers, yes they have slightly changed their sounds between albums, there's no doubt about that, but with each album, there are a handful of very good songs, very strong songs, but with each album, they can lose it somewhat, each album has some mediocre moments as well, although Sam's Town is probably their most consistant.

If i was to make up my Killers top 10, it would no doubt feature tracks from each album [including Sawdust], Spaceman, STM, Mr Brightside, Read My Mind, SLYMI, WYWY, TIYL right up there.

Originally posted by vanquish:[..]

It was a rhetorical question that one, Brian Eno is also the reason that many of the songs have a U2 vibe.

And the Killers are still new. So although they do have mediocre songs, if you compare of Day & Age and Sam's Town with War and October their albums seem much more favourable..

Originally posted by Stu:[..]


It's lmost impossible to compare The Killers first 2 releases & U2's first 2, decades apart and worlds apart really, at that stage, U2 were really just a live band playing smallish gigs, where's if The Killers released a poor album, it could almost send them packing.

October was a very poor follow up to Boy, i don;'t think The Killers had that luxury, plus U2 being an Irish band, in those days, did they really have the pressures to succeed on acts today?

I actually think Day & Age has more mediocre tracks that the first 2 albums, but the stronger songs stand up against anything they have released, imo, the lesser songs are Joy Ride, I Can't Stay, World We Live In, Goodnight, even the bonus track Crippling Blow is below par, perhaps they should have added Tidal Wave [Japan itunes bonus track as an album track].

Originally posted by NeverTrustACowgirl:This is sooo painful to say..but..I think that U2's best times are over...I think it was Zootv...
Im not a pessimist...not at all..but still..no they are the best band and they will be until the end of the world..and boots are great and Im sure that NLOTH is gonna be awsome...
but still its my opinion...

Originally posted by NeverTrustACowgirl:This is sooo painful to say..but..I think that U2's best times are over...I think it was Zootv...
Im not a pessimist...not at all..but still..no they are the best band and they will be until the end of the world..and boots are great and Im sure that NLOTH is gonna be awsome...
but still its my opinion...