What do you think NLOTH's reception means for future releases??

powerhour24 · 03-24-2009, 02:31 PM

While I understand it isn't the massive flop that some media haters would like to spin it as, but it will be difficult for it to go much past 2x platinum at best.

So my question to you, is what do you think this will do for their boldness/furthering of music exploration? NLOTH has what's left of some of their experiments, but to me definitely reflects their cautiousness to be commercially viable as well (whereas AB seemed to very much forego worrying about casual fans turned onto them by the very different JT sound). So as that hasn't gone as well as they might like, do you think they'll go ahead and release the more ambient/meditative Songs of Ascent, and then move on to doing whatever they want, or will they go back and try and make a new ATYCLB?

I'd love to see SOA, but we knew before that there was always a possibility it might linger in the gestation, and now I'm worried about them reworking that as well. I think NLOTH's reception might make them think about being free to do whatever they want with future releases, and not worry about standing up to the JT, AB, ATYCLB size of record sales. But sometimes they seem more cautious, and Paul McG might convince them they need one more try at reclaiming their mantle.

What do you guys think??

LemonMelon · 03-24-2009, 02:40 PM

Mark it down: if U2 decides to make the follow-up a set of 11 Crazy Tonights because NLOTH "only" went double platinum in the United States, I will join in the sellout cries.

In reality, I simply can't picture the band turning back the dial even further because of this; it's not as if NLOTH wasn't an album of compromise to begin with.

Yahweh_OMG · 03-24-2009, 02:43 PM

just get SOA out and don't give a shit about a commercial success

believer75 · 03-24-2009, 02:52 PM

people steal albums now..it's hard to measure how many people do actually OWN this album. U2's tour will perform well...and so will the songs..and their legacy will do the talking. Piss on the mainstream. I don't think they are worried about it...truthfully.

And by the way, the album is still #3 on the charts, so no massive fall-off. I would not count this album out.

Salome · 03-24-2009, 03:03 PM

I think pushing 50 the band will find it harder and harder to keep attracting a younger audience
all they can do is to hope that whatever they want to do will find a large enough audience to keep it 'interesting' (for lack of better words) for them

vaz02 · 03-24-2009, 03:03 PM

If anything, now is a great time to fuck commercial success.

iota · 03-24-2009, 03:12 PM

It's time to bid the "pop kids" a final farewell and move into a more mature songwriting process. There are artists that can't move 1% of U2's sales, but they still produce beautiful, well-crafted music at the same caliber. I think when U2 set out to be commercially viable, they lose a crucial part of what makes them who they are. Part of the magic of the 80's and 90's was that they didn't seem to care how commercially viable they were. That may have been a clever sheen, but the adventurousness of the music backed it up. The 2000's U2 lost that edge. NLOTH is another lopsided album that doesn't fully commit itself either way. If Songs Of Ascent is put out without any overcooked, overly-tight U2 Karoake Pop Hits and just lets itself flow effortlessly into the theme of the album and the soul of the music, U2 may well get a second life. They will lose some of their viability, but they are U2, they can make whatever music they want to make and still attract attention. I'm really hoping Songs of Ascent tilts forward into a more mature landscape and marks a new beginning. If it's another NLOTH with the crazies, boots and comedies painfully trying to be artlessly poppy, their goose is cooked.

believer75 · 03-24-2009, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iota

It's time to bid the "pop kids" a final farewell and move into a more mature songwriting process. There are artists that can't move 1% of U2's sales, but they still produce beautiful, well-crafted music at the same caliber. I think when U2 set out to be commercially viable, they lose a crucial part of what makes them who they are. Part of the magic of the 80's and 90's was that they didn't seem to care how commercially viable they were. That may have been a clever sheen, but the adventurousness of the music backed it up. The 2000's U2 lost that edge. NLOTH is another lopsided album that doesn't fully commit itself either way. If Songs Of Ascent is put out without any overcooked, overly-tight U2 Karoake Pop Hits and just lets itself flow effortlessly into the theme of the album and the soul of the music, U2 may well get a second life. They will lose some of their viability, but they are U2, they can make whatever music they want to make and still attract attention. I'm really hoping Songs of Ascent tilts forward into a more mature landscape and marks a new beginning. If it's another NLOTH with the crazies, boots and comedies painfully trying to be artlessly poppy, their goose is cooked.

I think U2 always wanted to be commercially viable....they wanted to be bigger than the Who, the Beatles, the Stones...all commecially viable bands. To be the biggest bands in the world, you also have to have the desire to be commercially viable.
You are right, though, U2 does have the power to make whatever music they want, and it will still attract attention. They can do what they want, and they know what they are doing, legacy still intact.

Niceman · 03-24-2009, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iota

It's time to bid the "pop kids" a final farewell and move into a more mature songwriting process. There are artists that can't move 1% of U2's sales, but they still produce beautiful, well-crafted music at the same caliber. I think when U2 set out to be commercially viable, they lose a crucial part of what makes them who they are. Part of the magic of the 80's and 90's was that they didn't seem to care how commercially viable they were. That may have been a clever sheen, but the adventurousness of the music backed it up. The 2000's U2 lost that edge. NLOTH is another lopsided album that doesn't fully commit itself either way. If Songs Of Ascent is put out without any overcooked, overly-tight U2 Karoake Pop Hits and just lets itself flow effortlessly into the theme of the album and the soul of the music, U2 may well get a second life. They will lose some of their viability, but they are U2, they can make whatever music they want to make and still attract attention. I'm really hoping Songs of Ascent tilts forward into a more mature landscape and marks a new beginning. If it's another NLOTH with the crazies, boots and comedies painfully trying to be artlessly poppy, their goose is cooked.

Have you read many interviews? They've ALWAYS been the most ambitious band out there! To their way of thinking, this is NOT antithetical to art.

But let's not count NLOTH out yet. It will have at least 3 more promotional singles (Magnificent plus two more) GOYB flopped, but if Magnificent or Breathe or maybe MoS catch - things could change rather quickly! Also, the tour will buoy sales up. Let's talk about how NLOTH did when we get to the end of 2009, but talking until then seems premature to me......

If anything comes of GOYB flopping, it may be U2 stepping away from dance music again....

corcovadosong · 03-24-2009, 04:00 PM

since when is goyb dance music?

pacemaker · 03-24-2009, 04:02 PM

I think that, however the album is perceived at the end of its tour and promo cycle, the 360 tour will truly be the "make-or-break" aspect of this whole thing. With POP, not only was the album viewed as lackluster, but so was POPMart (which we all know wasn't the massive failure that its thought to be, but even so...).

If the 360 tour turns out to be a bust, which isn't likely, then I think we might see them hunker down and try to figure out how to remain relevant... even going so far as to disband, or reinvent themselves, or whatever. But since NLOTH is by all means a success so far, and the 360 tour seems as though it'll break tour records (hopefully!), I'm hoping they actually believe the words coming out of their mouth about the record being what they've always wanted to make, a great artistic experience, etc. (all paraphrased), and continue to do what they want, without compromising the art and the music in regards to the bottom line.

With Songs Of Ascent coming out sooner rather than later (again, HOPEFULLY!), I think it bodes well for a period of great creativity from the band. They are getting old, and they are teetering on the cusp of retirement (noooooooo), and they are extremely wealthy, and they can do whatever they want. Here's to hoping that they realize they CAN do whatever they want and not have to worry about album and ticket sales. They're fucking U2, they should act like it.

believer75 · 03-24-2009, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by corcovadosong

since when is goyb dance music?

It's funky, it has a good beat, and you can dance to it

BVS · 03-24-2009, 04:34 PM

I love how many are already writing this album off... I think this will be a grower of an album, now by no means will it reach huge numbers, for those days are gone and dead. The economy, time of year, and torrents just will never let that happen.

But we will see a spike if they get Magnificent out in a decent way and then again when the tour kicks off...

Niceman · 03-24-2009, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by corcovadosong

since when is goyb dance music?

Really? How is it not?

BVS · 03-24-2009, 04:37 PM

Trust me, it's not dance music. I mean you could dance to it(but that's true of a lot of music), but Magnificent is closer to real dance music than Boots...

03-24-2009, 02:31 PM	#1
powerhour24 Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Boston Posts: 5,090 Local Time: 03:48 PM	What do you think NLOTH's reception means for future releases?? While I understand it isn't the massive flop that some media haters would like to spin it as, but it will be difficult for it to go much past 2x platinum at best. So my question to you, is what do you think this will do for their boldness/furthering of music exploration? NLOTH has what's left of some of their experiments, but to me definitely reflects their cautiousness to be commercially viable as well (whereas AB seemed to very much forego worrying about casual fans turned onto them by the very different JT sound). So as that hasn't gone as well as they might like, do you think they'll go ahead and release the more ambient/meditative Songs of Ascent, and then move on to doing whatever they want, or will they go back and try and make a new ATYCLB? I'd love to see SOA, but we knew before that there was always a possibility it might linger in the gestation, and now I'm worried about them reworking that as well. I think NLOTH's reception might make them think about being free to do whatever they want with future releases, and not worry about standing up to the JT, AB, ATYCLB size of record sales. But sometimes they seem more cautious, and Paul McG might convince them they need one more try at reclaiming their mantle. What do you guys think??

03-24-2009, 03:03 PM	#5
Salome you are what you is Premium Gold Member Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: last fm Posts: 20,529 Local Time: 08:48 PM	I think pushing 50 the band will find it harder and harder to keep attracting a younger audience all they can do is to hope that whatever they want to do will find a large enough audience to keep it 'interesting' (for lack of better words) for them __________________ "Never look at the trombones, it only encourages them." Richard Strauss

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03-24-2009, 02:40 PM	#2
LemonMelon Blue Crack Supplier Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Everybody knows this is nowhere Posts: 33,711 Local Time: 03:48 PM	Mark it down: if U2 decides to make the follow-up a set of 11 Crazy Tonights because NLOTH "only" went double platinum in the United States, I will join in the sellout cries. In reality, I simply can't picture the band turning back the dial even further because of this; it's not as if NLOTH wasn't an album of compromise to begin with.

03-24-2009, 02:43 PM	#3
Yahweh_OMG Refugee Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Geneva, Switzerland Posts: 1,778 Local Time: 08:48 PM	just get SOA out and don't give a shit about a commercial success

03-24-2009, 02:52 PM	#4
believer75 War Child Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Georgia, USA Posts: 609 Local Time: 07:48 PM	people steal albums now..it's hard to measure how many people do actually OWN this album. U2's tour will perform well...and so will the songs..and their legacy will do the talking. Piss on the mainstream. I don't think they are worried about it...truthfully. And by the way, the album is still #3 on the charts, so no massive fall-off. I would not count this album out.

03-24-2009, 03:03 PM	#6
vaz02 Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: manchester Posts: 7,255 Local Time: 07:48 PM	If anything, now is a great time to fuck commercial success.

03-24-2009, 03:12 PM	#7
iota Acrobat Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: the rugged southwest Posts: 478 Local Time: 07:48 PM	It's time to bid the "pop kids" a final farewell and move into a more mature songwriting process. There are artists that can't move 1% of U2's sales, but they still produce beautiful, well-crafted music at the same caliber. I think when U2 set out to be commercially viable, they lose a crucial part of what makes them who they are. Part of the magic of the 80's and 90's was that they didn't seem to care how commercially viable they were. That may have been a clever sheen, but the adventurousness of the music backed it up. The 2000's U2 lost that edge. NLOTH is another lopsided album that doesn't fully commit itself either way. If Songs Of Ascent is put out without any overcooked, overly-tight U2 Karoake Pop Hits and just lets itself flow effortlessly into the theme of the album and the soul of the music, U2 may well get a second life. They will lose some of their viability, but they are U2, they can make whatever music they want to make and still attract attention. I'm really hoping Songs of Ascent tilts forward into a more mature landscape and marks a new beginning. If it's another NLOTH with the crazies, boots and comedies painfully trying to be artlessly poppy, their goose is cooked.

03-24-2009, 04:00 PM	#10
corcovadosong The Fly Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 74 Local Time: 03:48 PM	since when is goyb dance music?

03-24-2009, 04:02 PM	#11
pacemaker Acrobat Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ju Ju Man, Ju Ju Man Posts: 394 Local Time: 03:48 PM	I think that, however the album is perceived at the end of its tour and promo cycle, the 360 tour will truly be the "make-or-break" aspect of this whole thing. With POP, not only was the album viewed as lackluster, but so was POPMart (which we all know wasn't the massive failure that its thought to be, but even so...). If the 360 tour turns out to be a bust, which isn't likely, then I think we might see them hunker down and try to figure out how to remain relevant... even going so far as to disband, or reinvent themselves, or whatever. But since NLOTH is by all means a success so far, and the 360 tour seems as though it'll break tour records (hopefully!), I'm hoping they actually believe the words coming out of their mouth about the record being what they've always wanted to make, a great artistic experience, etc. (all paraphrased), and continue to do what they want, without compromising the art and the music in regards to the bottom line. With Songs Of Ascent coming out sooner rather than later (again, HOPEFULLY!), I think it bodes well for a period of great creativity from the band. They are getting old, and they are teetering on the cusp of retirement (noooooooo), and they are extremely wealthy, and they can do whatever they want. Here's to hoping that they realize they CAN do whatever they want and not have to worry about album and ticket sales. They're fucking U2, they should act like it.