ADVERTISEMENT

OT: New Music (Released January 2020 or Later)

Has any other group lost their popularity as much as U2

Might be a controversial take but heard others say this as well.
That's difficult to say, with many bands being on a 3 year layoff during the pandemic. But if popularity is measured by record "sales" (including downloads) and concert ticket sales, they seem to still be popularity. From Wikipedia, their last major tour: "The 2017 tour grossed $317 million, making it the year's highest-grossing tour globally, and it sold more than 2.71 million tickets to its 51 shows. In 2019, the band grossed $73.8 million and sold 567,000 tickets from 15 shows, bringing the two tours' cumulative gross to $390.8 million from 3.3 million tickets sold."

We shall see how their upcoming tour sells. With Larry Mullen, Jr out of the touring lineup, that may/may not impact ticket sales. Springsteen seems to have done fine filling in his band has members have passed away, but he is on another level, with U2 not far behind. Their last two albums (2017 and 2014 (long time ago)) were top selling.

Their latest album, Songs of Surrender, was just released, however, it is comprises 40 re-recorded and reinterpreted songs.

With all that said, it's been quite a while since they have released anything really fresh and new. Maybe they are out of ideas, or just enjoying their past success. But with no "new" music,
 
Bono has a few weeks of shows at Beacon theater and tickets are $300-400 and above.
U2 has a residency gig in Vegas coming-up (20K person space being built) . There will be a new Dutch drummer.

The rock genre in general is pretty retro.
Its harder to make money writing/recording and live tours are where the money is
But not all want to tour into their 60s
Bono had a bad bicycle crash in 2014 and he's had open heart surgery.
He's also married to the same woman since 1982 and has kids.
The is wife a beaut and he likes her ( and the kids look like models)
Some guys like a tour to party but not sure Bono is one.

One reason I'll go to MSG for The Cure is that they tour thew world all year and really like to play.
They sell arenas and the fans are very chill - wont see any fight gifs from a Cure gig


Bono adds shows to ‘Stories of Surrender’ run at Beacon Theatre​

U2's The Edge speaks about Las Vegas residency​

https://www.ktnv.com/news/u2s-the-edge-speaks-about-las-vegas-residency
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Knight Shift
Bono has a few weeks of shows at Beacon theater and tickets are $300-400 and above.
U2 has a residency gig in Vegas coming-up (20K person space being built) . There will be a new Dutch drummer.

The rock genre in general is pretty retro.
Its harder to make money writing/recording and live tours are where the money is
But not all want to tour into their 60s
Bono had a bad bicycle crash in 2014 and he's had open heart surgery.
He's also married to the same woman since 1982 and has kids.
The is wife a beaut and he likes her ( and the kids look like models)
Some guys like a tour to party but not sure Bono is one.

One reason I'll go to MSG for The Cure is that they tour thew world all year and really like to play.
They sell arenas and the fans are very chill - wont see any fight gifs from a Cure gig


Bono adds shows to ‘Stories of Surrender’ run at Beacon Theatre​

U2's The Edge speaks about Las Vegas residency​

https://www.ktnv.com/news/u2s-the-edge-speaks-about-las-vegas-residency


I think maybe the word I am looking for is reverence.....thats what seems to have fallen off. They put out a lot of very boring music for the past 20 years that did not challenge them or the listener. That is after making a brilliant switch with Actung Baby that cemented their legacy. I also think Bono's self righteousness is a turnoff and they did an itunes promotion back in the 2000s that was disastrous and pissed fans off. I get it that most big artists like the Rolling Stones can put out albums no one pays attention to and still be loved and big but it just feels like U2 legacy isnt shining as bright. An artist like Steve Nicks is gaining in reverence every year, went from basically forgotten in the mid 90s to sell out arenas and stadiums 30 years later.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Knight Shift
Some of their song titles are clever.
I don't follow them, but have liked what I have heard. A little story on the song and video:

"The video acts as a continuation of 2007's “This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race” in an alternate timeline, where Pete Wentz stage dives and breaks his leg. Twenty years later, Wentz has transformed into a bionic man who's "twice as fast as The Flash.""

 
  • Like
Reactions: Jm0513
My current favorite band...best I've heard in a long, long time...is The War On Drugs.
2014's Lost In The Dream, 2017's A Deeper Understanding, 2021's I Don't Live Here Anymore
rank with the best I've heard in over a decade.
And 2020's Live Drugs I can't get enough of.
Granduciel's guitar solo on Thinking Of A Place I'm currently addicted to.
I also have played to death their recent performance on Austin City Limits....which might be the best thing I've seen on that series.
 
same age as Madonna, has had alot of plastic surgery and botox too but looks way better at 64


I like Belinda and am happy she’s back or still here or whatever.

Pleasant song; nice Botox, etc, but after just a line or two, to me it seems like she’s trying to sing too many words at time; like someone shoehorned in too many lyrics in each line.

Anyway she’s a pleasant surprise.
 
Good couple of weeks for new music. New The Hold Steady album came out yesterday. Peter Gabriel continues to release a new single each full moon. The latest- Playing for Time, is great. Very much in the vein of stuff like Here Comes the Flood, Washing of the Water, San Jacinto. Jason Isbell also released a couple of songs from his upcoming album. Middle of the Morning is the standout to me.



 
Watching the CMT Awards right now and surprisingly think that I need to refocus my effort toward country music as its probably the new rock and roll replacing what has been cast aside
 
Last edited:
Lainey wilson...Heart Like A Truck

This is the song used in the Dodge Ram commercial we have all been seeing during the NCAA tourney. Love this

 
Lainey wilson...Heart Like A Truck

This is the song used in the Dodge Ram commercial we have all been seeing during the NCAA tourney. Love this

LOL. All the cliches in place for country music- twang, a horse and a truck. This captures every country music song, except replace "hound" with "horse."




There is much better stuff out there. Not even sure if he is truly country, but Chris Stapleton comes to mind.



Or Florida Georgia Line:



Alana Springsteen is interesting (not related to Bruce AFAIK):

 
LOL. All the cliches in place for country music- twang, a horse and a truck. This captures every country music song, except replace "hound" with "horse."




There is much better stuff out there. Not even sure if he is truly country, but Chris Stapleton comes to mind.



Or Florida Georgia Line:



Alana Springsteen is interesting (not related to Bruce AFAIK):


Thank you..those are all great songs too

I didnt leave rock and roll. Rock and Roll left me
.i still love the Heart Like a Truck song..cliches so what...bruce springsteen is a cliche
 
  • Like
Reactions: Knight Shift
Thank you..those are all great songs too

I didnt leave rock and roll. Rock and Roll left me
.i still love the Heart Like a Truck song..cliches so what...bruce springsteen is a cliche
Relax. It was funny. I gave it a listen, and I LOL'd. My brother is a musician (as was my father), and he spent years in Nashville pursuing writing and recording deals. I'm generally not a fan of country music, but there are some pretty good artists out there. I just laugh at cliches. Same for metal songs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bac2therac
On the CMTs, Wynonna doing a kick ass rendition of that awful I Want To Know What Love is Song by Foreigner

How many lost their virginity to that song..lol
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Jm0513
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT