Re: Best of Album - Is This a Good Thing?


Robbie Robinson ([email protected])
Wed, 26 Aug 1998 21:32:14 -0700


John J. Hlavaty wrote:
>
> Elena Espinoza ([email protected]) wrote:
> > paul mcguinness is currently in new york negotiating the terms
> > of a possible contract for a GREATEST HITS album with a release
> > date of november 1998. although the details are not quite clear,
> > the SPECULATION is that this album will be like _rattle and hum_
> > with new as well as live tracks.
>
> Thank you Elena for the information.
>
> As I read through this, I couldn't help but recall a statement
> I believe the Edge (possibly Bono) made concerning these
> "Greatest Hits" type of albums. The essence of the quote was
> that only "washed up" bands release "Greatest Hits" albums.
> Since U2 were no where near the end of the careers, we would
> not be seeing this type of album from them any time soon.
> This comment was made not long ago.
>
> Most "Greatest Hits" albums always toss in a new song or two.
> The new song is promoted as the "single" for the album which
> in turn promotes the album. More than likely, the single will
> be a very "classic" U2 song, something that has the potential
> of becoming a top 10 hit. In other words, I doubt it will be
> a very risky, "Discotheque", "Numb" or "The Fly" type of first
> single. Nonetheless, the fact that we may get a few new songs
> hardly counters the potential serious consequences an album
> of this type may generate.
>
> While I realize that U2 are nearing 40 and that many bands
> have put out "Greatest Hits" albums and still went on to
> have many more hits (Billy Joel, Elton John and the Rolling
> Stones leap to mind), is this a sign that the "end is near"?
> Without a doubt, U2 may are release this album because they
> are desperate to get out of their contract with Polygram. Even
> so, will a "Greatest Hits" release ultimately help or
> hurt U2?
>
> A part of me says that "Greatest Hits" release might help because it
> will
> remind fans of all of U2's great music. This way, when U2 comes
> out with their next completely new material; release, fans will rush to
> buy it.
> To present the opposing veiw, some fans may feel that this is the
> ultimate act of "selling out" - something that U2 has been accused
> of this entire decade. Other fans may feel that by releasing
> this album, U2 are "admitting" to being out of fresh ideas.
> Correspondingly, this may hurt U2 when they release their next
> completely
> new material album.
>
> Comments?? What do you all think of this release? What will the
> effects be on the non-die-hard U2 fans?
>
> Ciao,
>
> John

Remember, he's there only *discussing* terms of a *possible*
contract for a Greatest Hits album. Nothing at all meaning
that it will happen. If it's for Novemember of this year,
they only have have at most 12 weeks to decide on those terms,
sign the contract and get the album pressed and distrubuted
along with the promotion. If they did it, would the extra
tracks be live tracks from the Popmart shows. Would this
be a companion album to go with the official Popmart video
that's suppose to be released in November, also.
That seems most likely. If your talking about something
like Rattle and Hum, it'd have to have the movie to go
with it:) How would this idea stack up in your calculations?
I think the simultaneous release of a live album and a Popmart
video was mentioned in "rumors", before ;)



This archive was generated by hypermail 2.0b2 on Thu Aug 27 1998 - 21:39:18 PDT