aron john stromberg ([email protected])
Thu, 29 Oct 1998 09:28:08 -0600 (CST)
The USA is a very big market for album sales for any recording artist.
Recent studies and surveys have shown that singles actually harm
album sales than promote it since people would just go after the
singles, especially from one-hit wonder groups. Singles also almost
cost as much to produce as an album.
In U2's case, the only "new" material they are releasing with this
album is Sweetest Thing so people who actually buy Sweetest Thing
might not be interested in the rest of the album anyway.
U2's recent commercial releases (Pop and Passengers) have received
lukewarm sales in the USA and may have alienated the Americans who are
more prone to sticking to poppy mainstream music, which U2 have
discarded.
More and more artists are now paying much less attention to their
Billboard Hot 100 Singles ratings and some are not even releasing
singles or are proceeding with caution when releasing such. The
finacial and economic difficulties that hinder the buying power of the
consumers have made artists focus more on the album sales rahter than
that of singles.
The conclusion that can be reached can only be one: Let us not release
the Sweetest Thing single in the USA but let's give it out to radio
stations so that it can pick up in the radio airplay to heighten
anticipation for that album. We can bring back old fans and earn new
fans.
So much for the fake reason, now let's move on to...
THE "REAL" REASON:
The USA have learned to dislike us while Europe and the rest of the
world have put up with all our "shit" with Pop and Popmart (good shit
is actually what I mean). There is no reason not to give Europe and
the rest of the world the single which the American's don't deserve.
Hell, let the Americans buy those imports and make the European
countries richer with the tariff rates these Joes will have to pay for
the imports.
Hope this adds some light on the specualtions...
Cheers,
J
--------- I SAY:
Personally, I think that the newly proposed reason (by J) for the US'
exclusion of the ST single is a load of bull honkey. A majority of the
time, the only people to buy U2 singles are the "true" fans (those people
interested in the B-Sides or single versions). By not releasing the single
in the U.S. they are only making it harder and more painful for the "true"
fans who have not caused all this "shit". The "shit" as J put it was
caused by the trendy mainstream people U2 fans don't want to see anyway.
So, I don't think U2 has any personal grudges against its American fans. I
would suggest to J that he read into Bono's opinion of America. I believe
Bono has just said in a recent Rolling Stone that although America has its
problems, (and I'm paraphrasing) it is still the promise land to many
Irish people. He also goes on to state that America is better than all
this Clinton fiasco. (did that make any sense?). So put away all thoughts
that U2 has a grudge and import the single.
Aron
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