Is it the songs? the band image? or the industry?

Captain Walrus · #41 04-07-2012, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Living_on_my_Hair

As I don't know what country you are from, obviously each market is different, but in the UK as I stated earlier it is 12 top 5 hits for U2 Vs Bon Jovi's 3. And U2 have had many more number 1 singles/albums than Jovi.

But I don't want to get into that 'who is better'' argument again by throwing statistics about, I am merely interested in seeing how other bands do it, and get the respect and recognition they do, whilst Bon Jovi sometimes miss out.

As for singles, Like i said earlier, they are more or less a dead format for this type of band who has been in the business for so long. Just look at that last few years output for Jovi in the UK singles chart;

since Lost Highway there has been around 10 single 'releases', and only around 4 have even charted in the UK, at numbers 25 (born to follow),33 (MAM), 117 (LH) and 127 (WDYG). Hardly impressive.

So what I am saying is Jon should stop trying to chase the next big hit single smash as it is clearly not working, and just write a damn good bunch of songs!

andi

I genuinely believe that a lot of U2's success in the UK is down to them being relatively local boys - if they were American I don't think they'd still be as critically or commercially acclaimed as they are nowadays. Although Bon Jovi may have only had 3 UK top 5 singles since It's My Life (and a few that only just missed out), but how many American bands of their era have done any better?

I agree though that chart success, especially in the singles market, is something that seems to bother them (or just Jon) more than it really should. And if they do want another big hit single or album, they'd be doing themselves a lot of favours by actually doing some proper promotion. It seems like from HAND onwards their approach to both making and promoting the album has got a lot more rushed, which isn't helping them at all

faith1985 · #42 04-09-2012, 11:48 PM

I guess it is a mixture of many things...But most importantly if Jon wouldn't try so hard to stay relevant and "waste" his energy for cheesy movies and his looks and concentrate more on writing good songs it would be different. For a good portion he tries to stay relevant by pleasing the female fans which works perfectly well, unfortunately. And die-hard fans that want quality music are the minority. The majority wants the hits. The only thing we can hope for is a song like KTF which pleases everyone and I'm not sure this is good enough for me.

bjcrazycpa · #43 04-10-2012, 02:36 PM

In the US, it's INDUSTRY...all one has to do is look at the Billboard Hot 100...right now, there's ONE song by a rock act...Paradise, Coldplay, #46. Even the album chart, Foo Fighters as much as everyone loves that record, including me, it's gone Gold in the US, that's it...

Bounce7800 · #44 04-10-2012, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steel_horse75

In the UK id say two songs since 2000. Everyday and Its My Life. The rest enter the charts and fall out the following week.

They need another Always - in terms of a song thats in the charts for months. That song in the UK bounced around 2, 3 and 4 for about 12 weeks and was still hanging around a few months after.

Look at Coldpays - Paradise. Xmas no1 and still being played today and still in the charts.

Whilst true, Coldplay get all the airplay and promotion to get the song out there and recognised by the public. BJ get a little bit on Absolute Radio, and a bit on Radio 2 and that's it.

At the same time- if they wrote a song that was good enough, the radio and music channels should pick it up and put it in rotation so that it would hang about in the charts.

However, the singles chart in the UK is now pointless for a band like BJ- its all about the albums. If they start to wane in that, thats when they have a problem. The singles chart is mainly for kids- and BJ are too old and ancient for them. Its a different generation.

Panda · #45 04-10-2012, 09:03 PM

Post 2000 U2>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Post 2000 Bon Jovi

TwinFan · #46 04-10-2012, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Panda

Post 2000 U2>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Post 2000 Bon Jovi

But U2 have only put out 3 albums in the same period that Bon Jovi put out 5. They seem to have a bit more quality control (except for a few absolutely shitty tracks).

Take out the shitters from both bands, and I'd set U2's and Bon Jovi's post-2000 output at about equal.

kety · #47 04-10-2012, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bleedingguitar

Listen to below interview @ 2:40. Just a bit of info on the making of keep the faith, talks about how the whole band got together and went to the Caribbean and played in small bars while spending time together and working through new material for keep the faith.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCm7Qs1mDk0

Just maybe back in the 90s they were more into it, now they are family men- different priorities.

Great performance of Bed of Roses

Panda · #48 04-10-2012, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwinFan

But U2 have only put out 3 albums in the same period that Bon Jovi put out 5. They seem to have a bit more quality control (except for a few absolutely shitty tracks).

Take out the shitters from both bands, and I'd set U2's and Bon Jovi's post-2000 output at about equal.

The way I look at it is there isn't a single post 2000 Bon Jovi song that holds a candle up to Walk On, Kite, City Of Blinding Lights, Miracle Drug or Moment of Surrender. All That You Can't Leave Behind is one of my favorite U2 albums, and I don't think there's a single song off of Atomic Bomb that I dislike as much as some of the shit that's been churned out from Bon Jovi in the past few years.

kety · #49 04-10-2012, 10:47 PM

It is a bit of all, mostly the indrustry. Most of my friends who like pop/dance music don´t even have favourite artist, they just like some songs.. Many times they even don´t care who is the artist. Radios play mostly pop and dance music. Rock music have not enough airplay.

IMO band have sometimes chosen wrong singles. LITOR would have been great single. I like Superman, but the video was so wrong. For me it was boy-girl song...

TwinFan · #50 04-11-2012, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Panda

The way I look at it is there isn't a single post 2000 Bon Jovi song that holds a candle up to Walk On, Kite, City Of Blinding Lights, Miracle Drug or Moment of Surrender. All That You Can't Leave Behind is one of my favorite U2 albums, and I don't think there's a single song off of Atomic Bomb that I dislike as much as some of the shit that's been churned out from Bon Jovi in the past few years.

I'd agree for Walk On and City of Blinding Lights. But U2 have churned out some shit too, such as Stand Up Comedy or Wild Honey...

Is it the songs? the band image? or the industry?

General BJ Discussion