What are your controversial U2 thoughts?

[Clarky]

I have a strong affection for NLOTH and feel like it's a freshing and mostly underappreciated experimental record. (aside from a couple of clunkers)

[imaginary friend]

21st Century U2 music > '80s U2 music.

[ultravioletlight]

Gone is highly overrated.

[miryclay]

Edge just used that Trump presser excuse to buy more time.

[THRILLHO]

Edge just used that Trump presser excuse to buy more time.

i think most of us agree with this.

i wouldn't have been bothered if they'd retired post-Elevation. and i think that was the last tour they were really truly great on and gave it their all.

[scrittoresabino]

I LOVE some of the most HATED U2 songs:

Unknown Caller
Playboy Mansion
Elevation
I'll Go Crazy
Stand Up Comedy
Love Rescue Me
Volcano
Wild Honey

AND, I'll go even further. With the exception of Elevation & Volcano, these songs are wildly different from one other (even Elevation vs Volcano are different - the latter has a funk groove, while Elevation is much brighter pop-rock/punk.) And U2 are a better band, partially for having songs like these. The wide variety of strong responses to these songs are proof that they are not just forgettable throwaways or boring. (and YES, the responses are strong. Actions speak louder than just words, and if you repeatedly bring up the hatred, than your actions tell everyone how strong your response is.) These songs are proof that U2 is indeed going against what is expected, not just catering to fans. They just gave some fans how crave for a certain era, or sound, something that they don't like, and were not hoping for. Period.

Claims of being overly pop or overly "Elevation-like" so the band has lost it are ridiculous and statistically false. This is NOT opinion, this is fact. In 13 studio album (not including SOE), there are not more than 5 Elevation-type of songs. Correct me if I am wrong on that count. 5 out of roughly 130 songs (underestimate of 10 song x 13 studio album, not even including the many brides, or Passengers, that is 3.85%. That negligible amount is what many people base theories on.

I'm thinking the count of "pure" pop songs and percentage is even lower.

[Matty_Mullens]

My controversial thought? I love every album, and like every song.

Oh the humanity! 

[AKDeepPlay]

I think NLOTH horizon is one of their best, top 3 for me.
I think SOI is their worst.
I have a theory that bands that actually make it to their 13th album have completely run out of steam and have nothing left to say. Ex: R.E.M./Around the Sun = U2/Songs of Innocence
I hope that after SOE they release SOA then break up.
Since I've been a rabid fan since 83 and lived through all of their incarnations I think my opinion counts more.

[inztantkarma]

Love this thread idea.....

For mine it would be defending Rattle & Hum... The record AND the movie. I can't help feeling like even the fans have brought into the bands take on the record and the movie over time. To the point now that most rank it fairly low and bang out the same cliches the band often do when talking about the record. That is, that the whole idea was in hindsight perhaps ill-conceived at best and something they have gone to great lengths to distance themselves from. While that thought provided the creative fuel to ignite Achtung Baby - this record is savagely underrated as a result.

Some of the best studio and live moments caught in the one album. All I Want Is You is one of their very best, in my humble opinion. Desire a perfect 45 long before they agonised about creating such a thing. Heartland whispers into your ear and never leaves. Angel of Harlem a great tune still haunting the radio. Hawkmoon a hidden beast and God Part II a lost gem and the one that led the way to the Achtung sound. And Bullet is at its live epic best here.

And the movie.... U2 at their most U2ish. Moody, intense and in scorching rock form. Infinitely quotable and launched a thousand coverband copying Bono kicking a mic stand, flicking his hair or ranting whilst swaggering angrily down a runway.

Rattle & Hum defender. And proud of it.

[aviastar]

Unknown Caller is a good song despite some not so great lyrics.  I remember absolutely loving it when NLOTH was released.

[riffraff]

My controversial thought? I love every album, and like every song.

Oh the humanity! 

snicker snicker

[lazyboy]

Unknown Caller is a good song despite some not so great lyrics.  I remember absolutely loving it when NLOTH was released.

The lyrics are silly but I adore the melody and tune.

[Bundang Dave]

I think the Refugee is the best song of War.

I don't think it's the best, but for me it's third best (behind the not-so-controversial picks of SBS and NYD).

How about this:

90s U2 was the band pandering to the alternative crowd in an attempt to get hipster credibility. The music they did before and since has been the band making the kind of music they like.

[Matty_Mullens]

Love this thread idea.....

For mine it would be defending Rattle & Hum... The record AND the movie. I can't help feeling like even the fans have brought into the bands take on the record and the movie over time. To the point now that most rank it fairly low and bang out the same cliches the band often do when talking about the record. That is, that the whole idea was in hindsight perhaps ill-conceived at best and something they have gone to great lengths to distance themselves from. While that thought provided the creative fuel to ignite Achtung Baby - this record is savagely underrated as a result.

Some of the best studio and live moments caught in the one album. All I Want Is You is one of their very best, in my humble opinion. Desire a perfect 45 long before they agonised about creating such a thing. Heartland whispers into your ear and never leaves. Angel of Harlem a great tune still haunting the radio. Hawkmoon a hidden beast and God Part II a lost gem and the one that led the way to the Achtung sound. And Bullet is at its live epic best here.

And the movie.... U2 at their most U2ish. Moody, intense and in scorching rock form. Infinitely quotable and launched a thousand coverband copying Bono kicking a mic stand, flicking his hair or ranting whilst swaggering angrily down a runway.

Rattle & Hum defender. And proud of it.

Agreed.  100%.

[ZEROpartII]

Some of U2's worst songs ever are their closers. I'm including Wake Up Dead Man in the group with clunkers like

- Shadows and Tall Trees
- Grace
- Cedars of Lebanon

Bono also overuses the term punk to describe the band post 2000.  They were a soft offshoot of punk in the very beginning but then formed their own genre of Earnest Stadium Rock in the age of Hair.  Bono just needs to shut up about being punk.

I have a political opinion but not gonna go into detail, but Bono should grow up and actually meet Trump if the opportunity arises.  For a guy who's bipartisan approach I admire as he's matured the B-man is taking the low road right now. 


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