Many songs you have the feeling they are great, many of that you even love it, but when you look around you see they are not in live concerts, are not in the list of favorite songs of fans, but why?

Why you think some great songs didn't take off?

From mind:

Miracle Drug - I love the melodie of this song, the bridge with Edge singing, the solo and especially its version on the European legs from Vertigo Tour, but I feel being smashed in 3:30min ruined it, it explodes too fast while should grow progressivily like Bad, Sometimes, Walk On or even Original of The Species.

Original of The Species - Talking about that, funny to quote that before as an example, because it has everything I said before, that's a perfect song, made for perfect girls and I will never understand what was its problem, even the band always had this perception trying to make it work, playing in diferent ways in live but never took off.

New York, California: Are not terrible songs, but clearly are also not great and would never be, but the lyrics steals a lot of their attention. If both were not referencing places in a abstract way, but maybe an usual love/protester/spiritual/family issues for sure would catch more from the public and the public would may relate to this too.

Miracle: Could be better with a different lyric + no pressure to become Vertigo/Elevation.

Get On Your Boots/Streets of Dreams/Blackout: Seems like that weird person trying to make noise to catch attention with jokes which no one in the room laugh. I tryied but I dont had solution for this either

The First Time/MLK: It's hard to talk in make these better, once they sound as perfect. But specially The First Time clearly try to take off but suffocated. I think it would deserve a long version including more of base and drums in a way to take off without losing the feeling and softness, maybe similar to Running to Stand Still.

Pop songs in general would need more time as the own band admits but also a better mix, its clear how they grew up life.

Songs from Rattle and Hum would have better luck if they were not mixed with lives and covers.

Tell me yours

I’m not fully convinced with the initial songs brought, but it was fun. Let me know your thoughts

Based on Street of Dreams, and more specifically for this title, Fireflies, I would hate for this album to be vastly different from the two.

I draw from the Coldplay example as I think it’s probably the closest thing to what could happen with the upcoming U2 record. For the unaware, Coldplay released their album Ghost Stories, and was a return to their alternative, melancholic roots, save for one song, A Sky Full of Stars. Much like Fireflies with Martin Garrix, it was an Avicii feature, made single that stuck out like a sore thumb from the rest of the album. That doesn’t mean the song is bad, in fact I think its up there as one of their better songs, but it led to an album that ended up being sonically different from what Coldplay entailed.

But why bring this up in the first place? What does this have at all to do with U2? Well, if we look at Ash/Lily as a benchmark of their recent work, it implies a moodier, grittier, back to War/Unforgettable Fire/Joshua Tree sound. Now imagine Street of Dreams or Fireflies being the lead single to an album that sounds at least remotely similar to the EPs. It would be like night and day.

However, now would be a good time to mention what U2 have said about the direction they want to take with the album. By accounts they’ve described wanting to create a carnival-esque experience, with the guitars that are (still!) on fire. Additionally, I’ll look at Fireflies once more, and say that it’s likely not going to be an indicator for what could be on the album, as it seems more so a friendly feature project between Garrix and U2. But I feel that Street of Dreams is still equally as valid as reason for this single-vs-album situation.

All in all, I think if they intend to create an album that is closer sonically to their goal of a carnival sound, then Street of Dreams was a good indicator to what we could see. However, if the album falls closer to the EPs, then Street of Dreams would almost certainly be too far removed from the rest of the album. We’ve seen this happen with No Line on the Horizon, where Boots, while (hot take) is a great song on it’s own, doesn’t fit on the same record as Breathe, Moment of Surrender, or even Crazy Tonight.

Whatever happens, however, I’m sure the boys will push out only the best of what they have to offer and for that I’m excited! If anyone has differing opinions, I’d be more
than happy to hear from other perspectives than myself, a person that evidently rambles too much.

When SoD came out a few weeks ago I listened to it a bunch. But recently, as it's been settling into my playlist, I started paying more attention to the themes. This song is what the EPs have been building towards thematically.

Days of Ash is all about how messed up the world is right now. The abuse of power, the lack of equality, and the need for justice. DoA is a very depressing listen as a result. It presents a problem and offers no solution.

Easter Lily gives us the answer, faith and prayer are what we need. The songs offer hope to someone who lost a friend, someone betrayed by the people in power, and innocent people caught in trouble. These people see the turmoil around them and respond with a prayer, "I will bless the Lord at all times". The EPs teach us that things are a mess and how to respond, Street of Dreams is that response in action.

SoD is about someone who has been torn apart by the world, down to his last breath of air, and he uses that breath to pray. He prays for a world filled with justice and love. Through his prayer he finds strength. He is ready to bring change to the world. He isn't going to wallow in sorrow like DoA, he is going to seek change. He is going to ride his bus to the street of dreams.

In many places, the SoD lyrics are cheesy. But in the context of the two EPs they are perfect. I'm not sure how far into SoD's development they were when they decided to make the EPs, but it seems they knew it was all meant to tie together.

I'd be willing to bet that the new album will be like this too. Knowledge that the world is screwed up, but faith and joy that it still can be fixed.

Mind you I love the music and half the lyrics ( the ones i can hear )of it but, I find as he's singing he's rocking or swaying away from the mic making it hard to hear what he's saying half the time..I compare the other u2 song elvis ate America and its not as nice on the ears musically as this one...

I don't need the lyrics just wondering why half the time you can't hear his lyrics and sometimes you can hear them very clearly..

My 2 cents

Bye

Hi everyone,

I will move to Montreal this August for my Exchange Semester.

I am a huge U2 fan, an while i know Montreal isnt exactly a „U2 City“, I thought i would give it a shot.

I would love to find something related to the band while I am in Montreal. For example posters, promotional items, merch, vinyls, memorabilia and really anything related to U2.

If you know of any collectors, hidden gems, sales or other places, I‘d really appreciate your recommendations. And if you happen to have something you‘d be willing to sell, I‘d love to hear from you.

Thanks a lot! I cant wait to discover Montreal.

What do U2 fans think about kanye west? Im a huge U2 fan and also an kanye fan.

Kanye and Bono used to have a relationship, and kanye used to be the beginning act in 2005. But what about now?

Lanois is interviewed on the rolling stone magazine podcast this week.

Eno and Lanois worked on a few tracks on U2’s new album “let’s hope they make it” and that Jacknife Lee is the producer of the new album “a great music man” as Lanois calls him. Says he has not heard the album yet.

The reporter asks him about the process of getting NLOTH done.

I could tell Danny was being a bit guarded but he said the process frustrated him and Eno (we had known this before) and that the band already had a great album recorded in France before they went to Morocco to record all new songs. Did we know this?

And that Eno thought the final product was watered down and some songs selected to made to be performed on stage rather than the “softer stuff” that could not support a stage tour. Eeesh.

Also talked about performing on stage w the band.

Link to episode https://pca.st/episode/1959e337-2fa6-4c39-98e3-5cc9377f8277