The U2 Paradox
“Never has a band been more mockable, never has a band been more successful…” In a recent Slate article, Eric Hynes presents a comprehensive argument as to the lasting impact of their music.
In the era of 99 cent downloads, U2 continues to conceive of albums as long-form journeys, with individual songs—like chapters in a novel, scenes in a film, or members of a band—contributing to a greater whole. They’ve always thrived on both consistency and change, applying a surprisingly strict formula to their albums while challenging one another to evolve, adapt, and reinvent their sound. And rather than choose between art and commerce, they’ve almost naively struck a course between the two. Especially today, with music acts either serving the marketplace or accepting their niche, U2 has no peer. I listened to every album, B-side, and soundtrack song, watched every music video, movie, live clip, and costume change. If you’re a fan, let’s compare notes. It you’re not, I’ll tell you what you’ve missed.
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4 Responses to “The U2 Paradox”
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Slate actually published that?
That’s exactly what I thought, Chris…Slate actually said something positive about U2? Wha?!
I can agree with everything said here.
U2 IS stubborn, and sometimes that works for them and sometimes it doesn’t. It’s what makes them the band they are and a their effort to always do what THEY want to do, how THEY want to do it, is one of the reasons I admire them. — Sure, they could be more “popular”, but what would they have had to give up for it?
Surprised about/with SLATE?! That’s a paradox.
But the word, PARADOX, Slate used is a GREAT adjective, noun and verb for U2.
‘Things’ that are a paradox [ light and dark, yin-yang, god & the devil, doubt and belief, hate & love, 'dying to live', etc. ] will be an infinite centrifugal and centripetal action…NEEDING each other and REPELLING from each other.
U2′s a perfect ‘protonic’ band, where the positive and negative forces (the near break-up around ‘october’, and then re-grouping; and also before ‘achtung’…), produced great work.
Most bands and artist would flake off and disperse when pressure and ‘personalities’ collide, [ 'the beatles said all you need love' and then they broke up! ] BUT U2 keeps going, like a proton, like a paradox.
against what I feel I should say Iopt to keep it simple and real,ffs U2 follow your stage and longevity ethos and COEXIST,we are not done with YOU YET,you owe us now! We need it,whatever U2 and it is,the ‘spark’ that set the flame,not a flame but an unforgettable fire……we made you for what you gave us,don’t come in U2 your time is far from up!!!
We or I need U2,the next album exists, channel it to the U2 faithful….love n peace……or ELSE!