What is your opinion of them based purely on their music? Ignoring

A musical Tony Robbins seminar from beginning to end.

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Don't feel like typing out my full opinion at the moment (I love U2), but I will air a random thought:

Talk Talk's Spirit of Eden and Laughing Stock are two of my favorite albums, but I have to say, U2 did get there first.

I hate U2

I love U2

>>73899012
They made pretty good albums in the 80s and Achtung Baby, don't care for them after that

They're classics and they pretty much redefined a whole section of rock music. Their music is pretty varied and they're the most creative band that doesn't stray far from a successful formula - a formula, to their credit, that they themselves wrote.

They've trashed their reputation with mostly disappointing music for the last decade, unfortunately. Should have made No Line on The Horizon an experimental future hymns record with the Songs of Ascent tracks that it was supposed to be, and bowed out of recording music entirely, just touring on their back catalog (though the i+e tour was their best since PopMart or Vertigo). They care too much about being successful anymore - they had a pretty much perfect streak from 1985-2005, that should be fucking enough to settle down respectfully like Bruce has.

>>73899034
2000 to now, you're absolutely fucking right. Bono's lyrics on I Know I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight are, just, the worst faux inspirational cliche garbage nonsense ever.

>>73899133
I feel like they've been doing that inspirational stuff from as far back as when they released pride

I went to a show of theirs in Toronto (either Sept 2009 or 2010 I think), I enjoyed the show. Not particularly a fan of them myself (was visiting my sister that weekend and went to the show with her and her bf), although I haven't listened their entire catalog. Where the Streets Have No Name is my favourite song of theirs.

Bono didn't talk about African poverty or whatever much at all, it was only regular crowd interaction, so I'm not sure if the constant preaching during shows is just a meme or if we just got lucky.

>>73899238
The political thing got blown out of proportion. There are tons of musicians that crow about this shit, but Bono did it at just the right point in their career that it ended up getting talked to death.

If he failed anywhere it was just in the subtlety department. Plus his opinions aren't exactly wacky, it wasn't like he went full Nuge.

>Boy (1980)
Cool af
>October (1981)
Dope
>War (1983)
Dope
>The Unforgettable Fire (1984)
Dope af
>The Joshua Tree (1987)
Dope af
>Achtung Baby (1991)
Pretty Alright
>Zooropa (1993)
Ok
>Pop (1997)
Meh
>All That You Can't Leave Behind (2000)
Bad
>How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2004)
Bad
>No Line on the Horizon (2009)
Bad
>Songs of Innocence (2014
Shitty af. It's time to stop making music boys.

their early stuff really good, kind got weak in the late 90's and declined from their

>>73899207
I mean, true, but Pride's at least a good song with some substance behind it - miles better than the other 80s hits of the time. And franky all of their hits up through at least Achtung Baby were interesting and had something meaningful to them. Even One.

The cheesy meaningless vauge inspirational shit got in your face after Pop and it's never gotten better. Bono got rich and lost his youth, he's too out of touch to write about anything real anymore.

The Joshua Tree is genuinely fantastic and that's really all I care about regarding U2.

>>73899334
You should check out From The Sky Down, great documentary about Achtung Baby. It took me from "pretty alright" to "this album is fucking fantastic" after watching it and re-listening to the album.

The context of Achtung Baby is half the experience.

U2 are a shitty Chameleons.

>>73899497
Seeing them / saw them on the tour this year?

I've got tickets for them in September.

>>73899541
Knowing me I probably won't get to. I'll try though.

They make high quality rock and roll, uh, music.

>>73899012
top 1% tier male vocals.

original guitar work, first real use of expensive pedals not as an afterthought, but part of the writing process itself.

good drumming.

great songwriting.

excellent production.

they're pretty damn good, to be honest