« previous next »
Pages: [1] 2 3

U2 eras

  • 33 Replies
  • 688 Views
*

Soloyan

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 5289
  • I'm not sleeping
    • GREG LEMOND FANS
U2 eras
« on: March 22, 2025, 06:24:13 PM »
How do you classify U2’s eras, musically speaking ?

Here’s my classification, based on playlists I made and the names I gave them.

BOYS (1980-1983)
SOULS (1984-1989)
EXPERIMENTS (1990-1998)
MEN (2000-2010)
DADS (2014-2017)
« Last Edit: March 22, 2025, 06:36:35 PM by Soloyan »
Logged
A dangerous idea that almost makes sense...
*

So Cruel

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 9480
  • It ain't no sin to be glad you're alive
Re: U2 eras
« Reply #1 on: March 22, 2025, 06:29:45 PM »
I dug deep in my subconscious to name my Spotify U2 playlists:

1980 - 1989
1990 - 1999
2000 - current
Logged
Talk U2 2023 Awards

WINNER - THE ADAM CLAYTON WHO WOULD YOU LIKE TO GO ON A BENDER WITH AWARD

WINNER - THE DAVID LEE ROTH BEST USE OF A MEME/GIF AWARD

WINNER - GOLD MEDAL 2024 OLYMPIC POST. MPARE SILVER.
*

Tumbling Dice

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 8071
  • Dice Dice Baby
Re: U2 eras
« Reply #2 on: March 22, 2025, 06:59:16 PM »
1980-83 - Early Years
1984-90 - Scruffy Superstardom
1991-1997 - The Glamorous Nineties
1998- Present - The Post-Pop Years
Logged
The future is bright at Everton FC  8)
*

The Exile

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 2736
  • The public enemy don't mean shit to Chuck D.
Re: U2 eras
« Reply #3 on: March 22, 2025, 07:20:24 PM »
I think 80-83 form a distinct category, as do 84-88, 91-97, and 2000 until now. Sad that there was more growth and change in the band's sound from War to TUF than there has been over the last 25 years but here we are.
Logged
Listen as Hope and Peace try to rhyme,
Listen over marching bands playing out their time.
*

Zeropartii

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 15556
  • Speak !
Re: U2 eras
« Reply #4 on: March 22, 2025, 08:44:03 PM »
Sadly we are in POPPY era

Logged
*

laoghaire

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 9293
Re: U2 eras
« Reply #5 on: March 22, 2025, 11:04:56 PM »
Quote from: Soloyan on March 22, 2025, 06:24:13 PM
How do you classify U2’s eras, musically speaking ?

Here’s my classification, based on playlists I made and the names I gave them.

BOYS (1980-1983)
SOULS (1984-1989)
EXPERIMENTS (1990-1998)
MEN (2000-2010)
DADS (2014-2017)

Maybe the last category should be GRAMPS.
Logged
WINNER: Thread of the YEAR (Serious Awards)
*

Rupert Pupkin

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 998
  • ZANU-PDF Liberation Font
Re: U2 eras
« Reply #6 on: March 23, 2025, 12:34:27 AM »
1980-1983: Boyz 2 Men
1984-1989: Cosmic Hobos
1991-1994: Nighttown
1995: Arthouse
1997: Go On Anton, Make Us Look Like Pimps
1998- : <turns leather jacket inside out to reveal US flag lining>

« Last Edit: March 23, 2025, 12:38:51 AM by Rupert Pupkin »
Logged
The funhouse boy will steal your heart away
*

Soloyan

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 5289
  • I'm not sleeping
    • GREG LEMOND FANS
Re: U2 eras
« Reply #7 on: March 23, 2025, 03:45:27 AM »
Quote from: Tumbling Dice on March 22, 2025, 06:59:16 PM
1980-83 - Early Years
1984-90 - Scruffy Superstardom
1991-1997 - The Glamorous Nineties
1998- Present - The Post-Pop Years

Nice take on titles ;-)
Logged
A dangerous idea that almost makes sense...
*

Soloyan

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 5289
  • I'm not sleeping
    • GREG LEMOND FANS
Re: U2 eras
« Reply #8 on: March 23, 2025, 03:48:04 AM »
Quote from: The Exile on March 22, 2025, 07:20:24 PM
I think 80-83 form a distinct category, as do 84-88, 91-97, and 2000 until now. Sad that there was more growth and change in the band's sound from War to TUF than there has been over the last 25 years but here we are.

To be fair, change is inevitable when you’re on a learning curve.

Take someone like Peter Gabriel, he’s evolved a lot between his Genesis years and So (1986). But from Us (1993) to now, he’s been exploring the same range of sounds and moods.
Logged
A dangerous idea that almost makes sense...
*

imaginary friend

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 6613
  • the "warrior mentality" has fucked this country up
Re: U2 eras
« Reply #9 on: March 24, 2025, 11:20:05 PM »
7 eras:

first 3 albums
TUF
TJT/R&H
'90s
ATYCLB and HTDAAB
NLOTH
SOI/SOE
Logged
find a station anywhere   http://radio.garden/listen/magic-fm/82GNMn3f

add some fun to your life while learning about music:   https://codepen.io/jakealbaugh/full/qNrZyw
*

Soloyan

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 5289
  • I'm not sleeping
    • GREG LEMOND FANS
Re: U2 eras
« Reply #10 on: March 26, 2025, 08:52:04 AM »
If anything is for certain, it’s that the first trilogy of albums is a starting point on which we all agree on.
Logged
A dangerous idea that almost makes sense...
*

Soloyan

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 5289
  • I'm not sleeping
    • GREG LEMOND FANS
Re: U2 eras
« Reply #11 on: March 26, 2025, 08:57:23 AM »
Quote from: imaginary friend on March 24, 2025, 11:20:05 PM
7 eras:

first 3 albums
TUF
TJT/R&H
'90s
ATYCLB and HTDAAB
NLOTH
SOI/SOE

It’s interesting that you isolate some albums. TUF in particular. I think I see why you would do that. My interpretation of the era is that, although there are nuances in what U2 do, TUF being more experimental and R&H being back to the roots, they were aiming for something that I could « Soul ». That’s what tie those 2 together, IMO. This and Bono’s voice, which was at a peak there.
Logged
A dangerous idea that almost makes sense...
*

MPare1966

  • *
  • 22217
  • Trying to throw my arms around the world
Re: U2 eras
« Reply #12 on: March 26, 2025, 10:20:12 AM »
Quote from: Soloyan on March 26, 2025, 08:57:23 AM
Quote from: imaginary friend on March 24, 2025, 11:20:05 PM
7 eras:

first 3 albums
TUF
TJT/R&H
'90s
ATYCLB and HTDAAB
NLOTH
SOI/SOE

It’s interesting that you isolate some albums. TUF in particular. I think I see why you would do that. My interpretation of the era is that, although there are nuances in what U2 do, TUF being more experimental and R&H being back to the roots, they were aiming for something that I could « Soul ». That’s what tie those 2 together, IMO. This and Bono’s voice, which was at a peak there.

I also tie TUF with TJT/R&H

My « eras » (is that a TS concept?  ;) ) are:

Boy/Oct/War

TUF/TJT/R&H

AB/Zoo/Pop

ATYCLB/Bomb

NoLine

SOI/SOE

Only NoLine seems a loner in my view.
Logged
First Chair. Last Call.
Copyright 1966-2025
Sponsored by: Jones, Skelton & Hochuli, P.L.C
https://www.jshfirm.com/professionals/ehochuli/
All rights reserved.  Logical fallacies prohibited.
ALL POSTS SUBJECT TO 25% TARIFFS WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT.
This disclaimer is protected by copyright and its use, copying, distribution and decompilation is restricted.
*

imaginary friend

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 6613
  • the "warrior mentality" has fucked this country up
Re: U2 eras
« Reply #13 on: March 26, 2025, 10:46:45 AM »
Quote from: Rising Sun on March 25, 2025, 01:58:54 AM
Quote from: imaginary friend on March 24, 2025, 11:20:05 PM
7 eras:

first 3 albums
TUF
TJT/R&H
'90s
ATYCLB and HTDAAB
NLOTH
SOI/SOE

Interesting.  Why do UF and NLOTH get their own eras?
I understand UF because that really was its whole own thing, but NLOTH didn’t have the same mystique because they compromised the album trying to generate hits.

UF, on the other hand, had a solid set of B-Sides, Wide Awake in America, plus Edge’s Captive soundtrack and “Heroine” with Sinead.  Three Sunrises, Bass Trap, Boomerang I, Boomerang II, Sixty Seconds in Kingdom Come plus UF plus Captive plus Live Aid was an epic mystical run.

Because each of those albums had little to nothing in common musically with the albums that came before or after, especially No Line. Add to that the fact that the music they did at those times was never revisited by the band. I will go to my grave convinced that TJT was a gigantic step backwards musically for them.
« Last Edit: March 26, 2025, 10:53:03 AM by imaginary friend »
Logged
find a station anywhere   http://radio.garden/listen/magic-fm/82GNMn3f

add some fun to your life while learning about music:   https://codepen.io/jakealbaugh/full/qNrZyw
*

Soloyan

  • Status: Experienced Mofo
  • *****
  • 5289
  • I'm not sleeping
    • GREG LEMOND FANS
Re: U2 eras
« Reply #14 on: March 26, 2025, 02:27:40 PM »
Quote from: MPare1966 on March 26, 2025, 10:20:12 AM
Quote from: Soloyan on March 26, 2025, 08:57:23 AM
Quote from: imaginary friend on March 24, 2025, 11:20:05 PM
7 eras:

first 3 albums
TUF
TJT/R&H
'90s
ATYCLB and HTDAAB
NLOTH
SOI/SOE

It’s interesting that you isolate some albums. TUF in particular. I think I see why you would do that. My interpretation of the era is that, although there are nuances in what U2 do, TUF being more experimental and R&H being back to the roots, they were aiming for something that I could « Soul ». That’s what tie those 2 together, IMO. This and Bono’s voice, which was at a peak there.

I also tie TUF with TJT/R&H

My « eras » (is that a TS concept?  ;) ) are:

Boy/Oct/War

TUF/TJT/R&H

AB/Zoo/Pop

ATYCLB/Bomb

NoLine

SOI/SOE

Only NoLine seems a loner in my view.

Now I think about it… maybe half of NLOTH belongs with ATYCLB/Bomb and the other half with SOE/SOI ?
Logged
A dangerous idea that almost makes sense...
Pages: [1] 2 3
« previous next »