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As is what Bono told Rollingstone, the first single.
I'd like they didn't release any singles from this album - but then if people want it to be played on the mainstream radio stations and score a number one hit, you need singles, or at least a way to flog your new songs. Unless of course the song on the single is a dumbass choice - like Get On Your Boots, then people will hear it but it won't work as they'd like. As much as I love the song, unfortunately it seems a lot of people thought U2 had gone camp and weird. I wonder where they were when Discotheque was released to radio.
The worst thing is, without singles and promotion, people will call failure on albums because they don't hear the songs being played anywhere, and it sits in a record store gathering dust or their other albums selling while that one sits like a stunned mullet. There's quite a few I can think of; that have sold 15 million (Invincible) and five million (Chinese Democracy). Now, how much promotion did the record label and / or the artist(s) give for those two albums? Zero.
It just shows what you can do even if you don't promote. And plus, an album selling 10million plus in the 21st century is an achievement. Viva La Vida - I don't remember that much promotion for it yet it sold upwards of seven million. That's not exactly a radio-friendly album either, but you get the point. Maybe the generation of today just don't like an album that you have to get into. With music and every second word being ''fuck'', ''shit'', ''bitches'' etc etc *insert choice of cussing here* that gives instant gratification to those looking for an instant ego trip hit.
The thing is, the last album isn't a radio-friendly album, and considering most stations - well, those mainstream and 'pop music' ones in Australia anyway, don't play songs that go over four minutes, nine out of 11 songs on the album are over four minutes or a little bit over.
I think Moment of Surrender and No Line have already charted on some stations in Sweeden and The Netherlands - I wouldn't have expected that; but, they seem to be the most popular songs from the album and from the tour. It's a shame too that most have been confused by Unknown Caller and Being Born, considering they're the weirdest U2 songs in a long time, so if that's the way U2 are going, then unfortunately (or possibly fortunately) we're not gonna see their new music videos on TV or hear their new songs on the radio. Sure, we'll hear stuff like Where The Streets Have No Name and Vertigo and Beautiful Day, but not new songs - which is a pity because the new stuff is their best in a long, long, long time.
I swear U2 thought this was gonna be their biggest seller since The Joshua Tree. Unfortunately I hear nothing near as accessible as One Tree Hill or Exit.
And about Every Breaking Wave, Adam says had it been part of the album, it would have been too long, so they put it away for the next album.
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I agree. Quit trying or put some quality over quantity. You can't improve a poor choice of a song by including nine remixes.
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