Looking for opinions on U2... positive, negative all welcome!

[Rocking Jodi]

I like U2, especially the early years.

 

[Cosmic Harmony]

Quick, stop what you're doing and go get their albums one by one!

If you like classic rock, get The Joshua Tree.
If you enjoy some bit of atmosphere combined with poetic lyrics, get The Unforgettable Fire.
If you're a 90s child and liked the dance music of the era, get Achtung Baby or Pop.
If you're in a post punk sort of mood, get Boy or War.

I've actually listened to to all of those albums at some point (plus "Rattle and Hum" and Under A Blood Red Sky") or another. I find U2 pretty regularly in cheap CD and vinyl bins. Their first three albums left me pretty unimpressed as a whole and the only albums by then I play ever now and then are "Joshua Tree" and "Achtung Baby" but I almost always just stick with their 1980- 1990 and 1990 to 2000 best ofs.

 

[Lynch]

My vote would be between option #3 and #4. I don't "hate" them, but I really, REALLY don't care for them. They had some decent stuff in the 80's. Joshua Tree was the best and most solid album they did. After that, the only thing I find even remotely relavant would be the radio version of When Love Comes to Town with BB King. Other than that one song, anything and everything they've done since 1988 is pretty uninteresting.

I do think that they are one of the most overrated bands of the past 20+ years, both studio and live. There isn't anything musical about the band that impresses me (post-Joshua Tree). Bono's political and social commentary over the course of this same timeframe is one of the biggest things that sours me on the band.

 

[Musikwala]

I'm a bit surprised by people saying that they haven't liked anything since The Joshua Tree. Have each one of you given 1991's Achtung Baby an honest chance? This song for instance...

 

[Soot and Stars]

I'm a bit surprised by people saying that they haven't liked anything since The Joshua Tree. Have each one of you given 1991's Achtung Baby an honest chance? This song for instance...

I don't really think that's an obscure song that no one's gotten to listen to before. That song was huge so everyone would've taken it into account already when rating that album.

 

[Musikwala]

I don't really think that's an obscure song that no one's gotten to listen to before. That song was huge so everyone would've taken it into account already when rating that album.

Oh yeah I'm not saying that the song is obscure. It's probably THE most recognizable U2 song after Where The Streets Have No Name. Just wondered if some people completely stopped listening after The Joshua Tree or something? Achtung Baby is my #1 fav album ever in music. lol. So I was just trying to understand. But to each their own obviously.

 

[Soot and Stars]

Oh yeah I'm not saying that the song is obscure. It's probably THE most recognizable U2 song after Where The Streets Have No Name. Just wondered if some people completely stopped listening after The Joshua Tree or something? Achtung Baby is my #1 fav album ever in music. lol. So I was just trying to understand. But to each their own obviously.

BTW, I still think it's a great song and the album is pretty good though I haven't listened to it in forever or any full U2 album for that matter. I like the group but I don't think it'll ever go beyond that. I find I like a scattering of songs from each album but I never get excited that they are making a new album or anything. I always lump them with REM in my mind and I like REM better as well.

 

[Musikwala]

BTW, I still think it's a great song and the album is pretty good though I haven't listened to it in forever or any full U2 album for that matter. I like the group but I don't think it'll ever go beyond that. I find I like a scattering of songs from each album but I never get excited that they are making a new album or anything. I always lump them with REM in my mind and I like REM better as well.

I love R.E.M.! I miss them now. Both bands are in my Top 5 of all-time. But both bands in my opinion got a bit boring around the year 2000.

 

[Aero]

Oh yeah I'm not saying that the song is obscure. It's probably THE most recognizable U2 song after Where The Streets Have No Name. Just wondered if some people completely stopped listening after The Joshua Tree or something? Achtung Baby is my #1 fav album ever in music. lol. So I was just trying to understand. But to each their own obviously.

Achtung Baby is almost like listening to two different records.

One one hand, you have the U2 I remember who made very moving and creative songs like "One" and "Who's Going To Ride Your Wild Horses?"

But then you also have "Mysterious Ways" and "Even Better Than The Real Thing" which are complete shit. Once I heard those songs (especially Mysterious Ways) I knew they had begun to lose the magic and dedication to an original sound they once had and it was only a matter of time before they sounded as cruddy as every other band.

 

[Aktivator]

Did you approach him as a fan or just a regular guy? I'm curious as to how the conversation went.

I'm sure he knew I was a fanboy but I opened it up talking about NY and if he knew the history of the bar/restaurant he was in. He didn't know it was a hangout back in the 70's so he was interested in the history. We then started to talk about NYC. Then after a little while I hit him with a u2 question and he quickly lost interest.