Why have u2 become so greedy?

They seem to be ramping up the prices of their stuff to ridiculous levels.

Comes across to me as pure greed.

Take the £80 hoodie for example that was launched this week....

£60 for this....

https://superdeluxeedition.com/news/u2-zooropa-30th-anniversary-vinyl-reissue/

These are prices that are simply out of step with the norm/even their own previous prices.

If the people are willing to pay whatever then why not?  Inflation could also be a factor. 

If the question were when did u2 become greedy i think the answer might be somewhere in the last 20 years,  around the same time they sold their souls.

If the people are willing to pay whatever then why not?  Inflation could also be a factor. 

If the question were when did u2 become greedy i think the answer might be somewhere in the last 20 years,  around the same time they sold their souls.

Yeah that’s what ‘free market’ exponents always say. The reason ‘why not’ is because not everyone benefits - or wants to be part of - an economy built on self interest.

They seem to be ramping up the prices of their stuff to ridiculous levels.

Comes across to me as pure greed.

Take the £80 hoodie for example that was launched this week....

£60 for this....

https://superdeluxeedition.com/news/u2-zooropa-30th-anniversary-vinyl-reissue/

These are prices that are simply out of step with the norm/even their own previous prices.

I suspect u2 have little to no control over this since they signed their ‘360’ degree deal. Even so, greed is why they did that in the first place.

If the people are willing to pay whatever then why not?  Inflation could also be a factor. 

If the question were when did u2 become greedy i think the answer might be somewhere in the last 20 years,  around the same time they sold their souls.

There will always be people willing to pay "whatever" but that IMO should not mean you start charging more and more.

Especially in a cost of living crisis.

The people who will usually pay "whatever" are mostly the most loyal/committed fans - so by upping prices you are exploiting your most loyal and committed fans.

I'll probably never give u2 another penny - and that of course is my choice and of course u2 won't miss it - but for something like the Zooropa vinyl I could have maybe been tempted - but at £60 they can just fuck off - greedy bastards.

The hoodie lark at £80 when for example The Cure are selling theirs at £40.

It is pure greed and it is IMO sad to see.

Quote from: an tha on July 08, 2023, 10:18:20 AM

They seem to be ramping up the prices of their stuff to ridiculous levels.

Comes across to me as pure greed.

Take the £80 hoodie for example that was launched this week....

£60 for this....

https://superdeluxeedition.com/news/u2-zooropa-30th-anniversary-vinyl-reissue/

These are prices that are simply out of step with the norm/even their own previous prices.

I suspect u2 have little to no control over this since they signed their ‘360’ degree deal. Even so, greed is why they did that in the first place.

Aye signed away their souls for a huge upfront payment which LN now hike prices like fuck to make their end back on and u2 have no say....money banked - soul and say sold.

If the people are willing to pay whatever then why not?  Inflation could also be a factor. 

If the question were when did u2 become greedy i think the answer might be somewhere in the last 20 years,  around the same time they sold their souls.

I don’t begrudge them making a fortune, but for the life of me, I can’t understand how they were willing to take artistic and financial risks back when it could actually hurt them, but then become all about profit maxxing at the point where they already had so much money that the extra just becomes numbers on paper. It’s not like Edge is founding his own SpaceX, when he couldn’t have afforded to do so 25 years ago.

And don’t tell me that they so heavily money-driven for their families- they were already set for generations (presuming they don’t deliberately blow it all) a long time ago.

Is it a feeling of being competitive with their rich celebrity friends?

Bono became an elitist and completely lost touch.

I’m even more disappointed in Edge.

Quote from: Phoenix Rising on July 08, 2023, 10:23:20 AM

If the people are willing to pay whatever then why not?  Inflation could also be a factor. 

If the question were when did u2 become greedy i think the answer might be somewhere in the last 20 years,  around the same time they sold their souls.

I don’t begrudge them making a fortune, but for the life of me, I can’t understand how they were willing to take artistic and financial risks back when it could actually hurt them, but then become all about profit maxxing at the point where they already had so much money that the extra just becomes numbers on paper. It’s not like Edge is founding his own SpaceX, when he couldn’t have afforded to do so 25 years ago.

And don’t tell me that they so heavily money-driven for their families- they were already set for generations (presuming they don’t deliberately blow it all) a long time ago.

Is it a feeling of being competitive with their rich celebrity friends?

U2 sold their souls decades ago. I don’t know which member is more responsible but only someone uninterested in thinking would claim they are anywhere near the ‘social conscience’ their brand was originally built on.

What’s sad and ironic at the same time is that for years U2 was labeled as the best deal (as in most independent) in the business.

If there was ever a band who could have broken the mould of success and kept their artistic value upfront as well as making a ton of money in the process… it’s U2.

But money corrupts the soul, it’s an old story. And U2 became a brand rather than a band. Nowadays that’s how they perceive themselves : in terms of brand value. And they’re not cheap.

Losing low income (or not willing to spend a premium) fans in the process isn’t a problem at all to them. Or they would do something about it.

They go out with rich people all the time. Soon they’ll only have rich people at their concerts. Same difference.

Bono became an elitist and completely lost touch.

I’m even more disappointed in Edge.

It must be nearly impossible to maintain contact with the perspective of a normal person when you’ve spent so long at that level, but it’s still frustrating to watch.

An example which is probably going to seem silly to some of you, but which bothered me, was when they wrote “40 Foot Man” for David Letterman. There are some lyrics there to the effect that he has a reputation for being scary, but he’s not. The fact is that Letterman is famously a gigantic asshole to the regular people who work for him (including a bunch of #metoo situations), but these two rich and famous A-list celebrities didn’t find him to be that way at all! Barf.

What’s sad and ironic at the same time is that for years U2 was labeled as the best deal (as in most independent) in the business.

If there was ever a band who could have broken the mould of success and kept their artistic value upfront as well as making a ton of money in the process… it’s U2.

But money corrupts the soul, it’s an old story. And U2 became a brand rather than a band. Nowadays that’s how they perceive themselves : in terms of brand value. And they’re not cheap.

Losing low income (or not willing to spend a premium) fans in the process isn’t a problem at all to them. Or they would do something about it.

They go out with rich people all the time. Soon they’ll only have rich people at their concerts. Same difference.

I still don’t understand how they first started acting like they really needed the money at the point when they really, really, really didn’t need the money.

Quote from: Soloyan on July 08, 2023, 11:15:55 AM

What’s sad and ironic at the same time is that for years U2 was labeled as the best deal (as in most independent) in the business.

If there was ever a band who could have broken the mould of success and kept their artistic value upfront as well as making a ton of money in the process… it’s U2.

But money corrupts the soul, it’s an old story. And U2 became a brand rather than a band. Nowadays that’s how they perceive themselves : in terms of brand value. And they’re not cheap.

Losing low income (or not willing to spend a premium) fans in the process isn’t a problem at all to them. Or they would do something about it.

They go out with rich people all the time. Soon they’ll only have rich people at their concerts. Same difference.

I still don’t understand how they first started acting like they really needed the money at the point when they really, really, really didn’t need the money.

Exactly this.

And FFS how much fucking money does one fucking person fucking need in the fucking first fucking place. To say human beings are fucked up is a fucking under fucking statement.