“Anything But U2”

Quote from: SlyDanner on September 21, 2025, 08:17:17 PM

Quote from: The Exile on September 20, 2025, 02:10:23 PM

If U2 had ended after the Elevation Tour, the same kids wearing vintage Nirvana and RHCP T-shirts would also be wearing vintage U2 War ones. But as long as Bono rubs shoulders with Bill Gates, Oprah, and the Davos contingency U2 will never be seen as cool.

Maybe.  But if we're being honest and objective - U2's back catalog has not aged well.  It simply hasn't.  While it was magical to experience it in our younger years because it was such a contrast to whatever else was out there, the fact is that so much of their older stuff is heavy and plodding, especially War.  Who the hell wants to hear the songs of War?  No one, that's who. Which is why you don't hear it, ever.  Except on satellite - where U2 pay to have it played.

Thread carefully, boy.

I think the back catalogue has aged just fine.  Many of their tunes are timeless (outside of the first two albums anyway, but no one needs to listen to those albums anyway).

I’m listening to the radio in the car the other day and they had a caller on with his 11 year old son. The host asks the kid what he’d like to hear and the young kid replied “Anything but U2”.

It was kinda shocking but got me thinking about how the hatred for U2 has grown, mostly due to Bono’s public persona, over the last 20 years and now it’s affecting the next generations as it’s passed from parents to their kids. This kid will never discover War, UF, JT, AB, Zooropa, Pop, etc.. You see lots of older bands making an impact on younger kids, but U2 seems to be left behind. I hear older songs coming from my teenage daughter’s room, but haven’t heard U2.

Will this band be remembered in 30 years?

I think once they're gone, their reputation will be repaired. Bono is polarizing, but U2's music isn't.

Quote from: So Cruel on September 20, 2025, 02:06:11 PM

I’m listening to the radio in the car the other day and they had a caller on with his 11 year old son. The host asks the kid what he’d like to hear and the young kid replied “Anything but U2”.

It was kinda shocking but got me thinking about how the hatred for U2 has grown, mostly due to Bono’s public persona, over the last 20 years and now it’s affecting the next generations as it’s passed from parents to their kids. This kid will never discover War, UF, JT, AB, Zooropa, Pop, etc.. You see lots of older bands making an impact on younger kids, but U2 seems to be left behind. I hear older songs coming from my teenage daughter’s room, but haven’t heard U2.

Will this band be remembered in 30 years?

I think once they're gone, their reputation will be repaired. Bono is polarizing, but U2's music isn't.

Oh how i wish that weren't true 

I’m listening to the radio in the car the other day and they had a caller on with his 11 year old son. The host asks the kid what he’d like to hear and the young kid replied “Anything but U2”.

It was kinda shocking but got me thinking about how the hatred for U2 has grown, mostly due to Bono’s public persona, over the last 20 years and now it’s affecting the next generations as it’s passed from parents to their kids. This kid will never discover War, UF, JT, AB, Zooropa, Pop, etc.. You see lots of older bands making an impact on younger kids, but U2 seems to be left behind. I hear older songs coming from my teenage daughter’s room, but haven’t heard U2.

Will this band be remembered in 30 years?

When Bono kicks it, he will be "resdiscovered" as a rock God. He's one of the best singers in the history of the genre, and his whole frontman thing is as good as anyone else's. Pick any band that came out within the past 20 years, and put their best filmed concert up against ZooTV Sydney.

Quote from: So Cruel on September 20, 2025, 02:06:11 PM

I’m listening to the radio in the car the other day and they had a caller on with his 11 year old son. The host asks the kid what he’d like to hear and the young kid replied “Anything but U2”.

It was kinda shocking but got me thinking about how the hatred for U2 has grown, mostly due to Bono’s public persona, over the last 20 years and now it’s affecting the next generations as it’s passed from parents to their kids. This kid will never discover War, UF, JT, AB, Zooropa, Pop, etc.. You see lots of older bands making an impact on younger kids, but U2 seems to be left behind. I hear older songs coming from my teenage daughter’s room, but haven’t heard U2.

Will this band be remembered in 30 years?

When Bono kicks it, he will be "resdiscovered" as a rock God. He's one of the best singers in the history of the genre, and his whole frontman thing is as good as anyone else's. Pick any band that came out within the past 20 years, and put their best filmed concert up against ZooTV Sydney.

Sounds like wishful thinking tbh

Quote from: This Dave on September 24, 2025, 11:53:33 AM

Quote from: So Cruel on September 20, 2025, 02:06:11 PM

I’m listening to the radio in the car the other day and they had a caller on with his 11 year old son. The host asks the kid what he’d like to hear and the young kid replied “Anything but U2”.

It was kinda shocking but got me thinking about how the hatred for U2 has grown, mostly due to Bono’s public persona, over the last 20 years and now it’s affecting the next generations as it’s passed from parents to their kids. This kid will never discover War, UF, JT, AB, Zooropa, Pop, etc.. You see lots of older bands making an impact on younger kids, but U2 seems to be left behind. I hear older songs coming from my teenage daughter’s room, but haven’t heard U2.

Will this band be remembered in 30 years?

When Bono kicks it, he will be "resdiscovered" as a rock God. He's one of the best singers in the history of the genre, and his whole frontman thing is as good as anyone else's. Pick any band that came out within the past 20 years, and put their best filmed concert up against ZooTV Sydney.

Sounds like wishful thinking tbh

If Michael JAckson can have a huge resurgence after his death, i would think U2 have a good chance.  Honestly (IMO) they need to disappear to be relevant again.

Quote from: SlyDanner on September 24, 2025, 12:18:23 PM

Quote from: This Dave on September 24, 2025, 11:53:33 AM

Quote from: So Cruel on September 20, 2025, 02:06:11 PM

I’m listening to the radio in the car the other day and they had a caller on with his 11 year old son. The host asks the kid what he’d like to hear and the young kid replied “Anything but U2”.

It was kinda shocking but got me thinking about how the hatred for U2 has grown, mostly due to Bono’s public persona, over the last 20 years and now it’s affecting the next generations as it’s passed from parents to their kids. This kid will never discover War, UF, JT, AB, Zooropa, Pop, etc.. You see lots of older bands making an impact on younger kids, but U2 seems to be left behind. I hear older songs coming from my teenage daughter’s room, but haven’t heard U2.

Will this band be remembered in 30 years?

When Bono kicks it, he will be "resdiscovered" as a rock God. He's one of the best singers in the history of the genre, and his whole frontman thing is as good as anyone else's. Pick any band that came out within the past 20 years, and put their best filmed concert up against ZooTV Sydney.

Sounds like wishful thinking tbh

If Michael JAckson can have a huge resurgence after his death, i would think U2 have a good chance.  Honestly (IMO) they need to disappear to be relevant again.

I think you're right on this and I think they agree with you.  Hence the lack of any output for 8 years, or whatever it's been.

But I am skeptical if U2 will ever have a resurgence.  MJ was a bad dude, but plenty of people look past his behavior because his music was so universally celebrated.

U2's music - as Amor said earlier - is polarizing, largely because the band (Bono) is polarizing.  That's not gonna change any time soon, if ever.

Well, my thought was to be impressed any 11 year old (outside of Howth) has ever heard of U2. They’re not totally dead!

I don’t hear them much in public, but not never. NYD in a restaurant, Mysterious Ways at a resort in Daytona, ISHFWILF in a grocery store (snort).

How about ’One’ at an orgy.  That would be something.

Quote from: SlyDanner on September 24, 2025, 12:18:23 PM

Quote from: This Dave on September 24, 2025, 11:53:33 AM

Quote from: So Cruel on September 20, 2025, 02:06:11 PM

I’m listening to the radio in the car the other day and they had a caller on with his 11 year old son. The host asks the kid what he’d like to hear and the young kid replied “Anything but U2”.

It was kinda shocking but got me thinking about how the hatred for U2 has grown, mostly due to Bono’s public persona, over the last 20 years and now it’s affecting the next generations as it’s passed from parents to their kids. This kid will never discover War, UF, JT, AB, Zooropa, Pop, etc.. You see lots of older bands making an impact on younger kids, but U2 seems to be left behind. I hear older songs coming from my teenage daughter’s room, but haven’t heard U2.

Will this band be remembered in 30 years?

When Bono kicks it, he will be "resdiscovered" as a rock God. He's one of the best singers in the history of the genre, and his whole frontman thing is as good as anyone else's. Pick any band that came out within the past 20 years, and put their best filmed concert up against ZooTV Sydney.

Sounds like wishful thinking tbh

If Michael Jackson can have a huge resurgence after his death, I would think U2 have a good chance.  Honestly (IMO) they need to disappear to be relevant again.

It's no use to Bono to not be alive to see he's relevant unless it's something he's willing to die for.

One of the reasons I find that people dislike U2 is that despite public declarations of anti-Bonoism, most people have at least one song they secretly love. 

They may not have even realized it’s U2.  Like an ear worm from their 80-90s back catalogue. 

It’s a moment of cognitive dissonance. 

You could extrapolate this well beyond music.

One of the reasons I find that people dislike U2 is that despite public declarations of anti-Bonoism, most people have at least one song they secretly love. 

They may not have even realized it’s U2.  Like an ear worm from their 80-90s back catalogue. 

It’s a moment of cognitive dissonance. 

You could extrapolate this well beyond music.

I don’t know. I think people who hate Bono hear the music as a total lie, so there’s nothing to enjoy - because what they offer fundamentally relies on some form of sincerity.

Obviously I know he’s a pretentious twat but I see a weird mix of sincerity along with the bullshit. If I thought he was just a total sociopath, 100% play acting a part, there would be nothing I could enjoy about One, WOWY, or Bad, because if they are pure bullshit, they fall down.

Quote from: Zeropartii on September 25, 2025, 08:53:11 AM

One of the reasons I find that people dislike U2 is that despite public declarations of anti-Bonoism, most people have at least one song they secretly love. 

They may not have even realized it’s U2.  Like an ear worm from their 80-90s back catalogue. 

It’s a moment of cognitive dissonance. 

You could extrapolate this well beyond music.

I don’t know. I think people who hate Bono hear the music as a total lie, so there’s nothing to enjoy - because what they offer fundamentally relies on some form of sincerity.

Obviously I know he’s a pretentious twat but I see a weird mix of sincerity along with the bullshit. If I thought he was just a total sociopath, 100% play acting a part, there would be nothing I could enjoy about One, WOWY, or Bad, because if they are pure bullshit, they fall down.

It’s a really weird thing with Bono, and I agree about your analogy about his sincerity. I feel the same way.

2000’s Bono wasn’t when he started to turn people off with his activism and hob nobbing with the elite. A few things that go back decades:

- when I was in high school in the late 80’s/early 90’s and loved U2, I remember my older brothers friends asking me how I could like them and how much Bono bugged them.

- in the 90’s my brother went to a record store here and they were actually selling a t-shirt that said “Kill Bono”

- a buddy of mine worked with a guy back around 2000 or so who loved music. He had 1000’s of cds from different genres and he’d play different cds every day at their work, trying not to play the same thing twice. The only band he hated and wouldn’t listen to was U2.

There is something, and maybe it’s perceived as being over earnest, or possibly fake sincerity, that rubs many people the wrong way. The band at the top who looked like drifters and couldn’t crack a smile was a much different image that the typical rock stars of the 70’s/80’s/90’s. Or maybe they were just to popular and a lot of people didn’t think they deserved it.

How about ’One’ at an orgy.  That would be something.

I also enjoyed Come Together at the orgies I frequent….

When you're the most popular band in the world for a quarter of a century, that level of dominance commercially, especially in terms of exposure, media coverage, will naturally create a lot of resentment. So these examples of people not liking U2 are just signs of U2's past commercial dominance and exposure.

      These days, U2 struggle to make their presence known. They receive less exposure, less discussion, good or bad. They struggle to re-engage the old fanbase and are unable to get the attention of the general public, good or bad. The bands age is a big part of that, but also the huge changes in the music industry since 2010, going from an industry driven by album purchases, to one driven by nearly free streaming of individual songs in the whole popular music catalog. Rock music, albums, and the band/group have all declined heavily in popularity over the past 15 years.