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  1. You don’t need to know what a cd is to already have access to these 5 tracks. You don’t even need to purchase it to be able to use the artwork in a digital collection.
  2. Originally posted by deanallison:[..]
    You don’t need to know what a cd is to already have access to these 5 tracks. You don’t even need to purchase it to be able to use the artwork in a digital collection.
    It’s not pointless to some casual fan who one day decides to see if U2 has any Christmas songs. They go to their subscription service and look. Now they find a little EP, one which has a couple they may know and a couple they don’t.

    We all have this stuff. It’s not meant for us. But there’s a lot of people out there who might not. The band just made it easy for them.

    Biggest search that’s bringing people to our site right now? “U2 Christmas Songs”
  3. Originally posted by u2wanderer1:[..]
    It’s not pointless to some casual fan who one day decides to see if U2 has any Christmas songs. They go to their subscription service and look. Now they find a little EP, one which has a couple they may know and a couple they don’t.

    We all have this stuff. It’s not meant for us. But there’s a lot of people out there who might not. The band just made it easy for them.

    Biggest search that’s bringing people to our site right now? “U2 Christmas Songs”
    They previously could just google it or type it onto YouTube if they were that curious. I just find it frustrating that there seems to be more releases that as you say are ‘not meant for us’ rather than stuff for the die hard fans. And then when we do get something for the die hard fans we have to pay quite substantially for it. I know I wouldn’t be complaining at that Xmas EP if they’d released a few live tracks with AB last month or had released a few more new tracks in the last couple of years.
  4. I think this is U2's first Christmas compilation, no?
  5. Originally posted by deanallison:[..]
    They previously could just google it or type it onto YouTube if they were that curious. I just find it frustrating that there seems to be more releases that as you say are ‘not meant for us’ rather than stuff for the die hard fans. And then when we do get something for the die hard fans we have to pay quite substantially for it. I know I wouldn’t be complaining at that Xmas EP if they’d released a few live tracks with AB last month or had released a few more new tracks in the last couple of years.
    There are people paying $20 a month for a subscription to these streaming services. When they want to listen to a song that’s where they go. They don’t want to have to search all over the internet to find something. When they don’t find what they want on those services they start looking at other options, and the service loses business.

    U2 has been awful online with their digital catalog. It’s terrible. Has been for a long time. If you want to hear a b-side or the like chances are you have to go to some fan uploaded video to YouTube.

    They cleaned up their own YouTube account so some of it is on there. Expect them to clean up their online offerings on streaming services and digital stores. It’s not stopping them from releasing new music. If they wanted to put out something new they would.

    They have been releasing and reissuing music for years as new formats come along. They did all the albums in 86-87 when CDs came along. They did a bunch of CD singles in 1990-1992 as well. They reissued a number of albums in DCC when that format was launched in the mid-90s. When Pop came out in 1997 they rereleased all the Achtung Baby singles on CD in North America. They reissued a few albums on the MFSL label in the late 1990s. Most of the catalog got dumped on iTunes in 2004 (that one did have some new stuff though.). In Japan the CDs get reissued every 2-3 years. Boy has been reissued on CD in Canada at least seven times before the 2008 release. None of these came with new music. It’s keeping up with what the label expects from them. The catalog only brings in money when it’s available for people in formats that people want. All of those were meant for people who were interested in a new format or who probably didn’t have the album before. None of it included any new music.

    None of this keeps them from releasing new music.
  6. Originally posted by u2wanderer1:[..]
    There are people paying $20 a month for a subscription to these streaming services. When they want to listen to a song that’s where they go. They don’t want to have to search all over the internet to find something. When they don’t find what they want on those services they start looking at other options, and the service loses business.

    U2 has been awful online with their digital catalog. It’s terrible. Has been for a long time. If you want to hear a b-side or the like chances are you have to go to some fan uploaded video to YouTube.

    They cleaned up their own YouTube account so some of it is on there. Expect them to clean up their online offerings on streaming services and digital stores. It’s not stopping them from releasing new music. If they wanted to put out something new they would.

    They have been releasing and reissuing music for years as new formats come along. They did all the albums in 86-87 when CDs came along. They did a bunch of CD singles in 1990-1992 as well. They reissued a number of albums in DCC when that format was launched in the mid-90s. When Pop came out in 1997 they rereleased all the Achtung Baby singles on CD in North America. They reissued a few albums on the MFSL label in the late 1990s. Most of the catalog got dumped on iTunes in 2004 (that one did have some new stuff though.). In Japan the CDs get reissued every 2-3 years. Boy has been reissued on CD in Canada at least seven times before the 2008 release. None of these came with new music. It’s keeping up with what the label expects from them. The catalog only brings in money when it’s available for people in formats that people want. All of those were meant for people who were interested in a new format or who probably didn’t have the album before. None of it included any new music.

    None of this keeps them from releasing new music.
    Without going into a discussion about all that and I do accept some of the points you are making it still doesn’t counter the point that they aren’t doing enough for die hard fans with their releases. Instead of trying to appeal to a casual listener with an EP why not give us an EP of unreleased tracks live or studio. Even something like mercy and North Star studio versions would be quite cool, stick a live version of lucifers hands on U2.com, just something to get excited about in amongst all these releases which are bland, boring and pointless to big fans of the band.
  7. Originally posted by deanallison:[..]
    Without going into a discussion about all that and I do accept some of the points you are making it still doesn’t counter the point that they aren’t doing enough for die hard fans with their releases. Instead of trying to appeal to a casual listener with an EP why not give us an EP of unreleased tracks live or studio. Even something like mercy and North Star studio versions would be quite cool, stick a live version of lucifers hands on U2.com, just something to get excited about in amongst all these releases which are bland, boring and pointless to big fans of the band.
    I don't think they care much about diehards... You could have used to it during the time...


  8. Nice. Fun to re-listen to these songs in this order.

    Agree that NYD doesn't fit as much as the others in tone or style, maybe, but it does go along with New Year's coming after Christmas celebrations, I suppose.

    Not a huge fan of the song "Peace on Earth" but that one could've fit on here, too. Glad they went with IGWSHA instead.
  9. Originally posted by deanallison:[..]
    Without going into a discussion about all that and I do accept some of the points you are making it still doesn’t counter the point that they aren’t doing enough for die hard fans with their releases. Instead of trying to appeal to a casual listener with an EP why not give us an EP of unreleased tracks live or studio. Even something like mercy and North Star studio versions would be quite cool, stick a live version of lucifers hands on U2.com, just something to get excited about in amongst all these releases which are bland, boring and pointless to big fans of the band.
    They are never going to release something like "Mercy" or "North Star" while Bono is still going on about the possibility of releasing Songs of Ascent some day. Those will pop up on that album when they get around to it some day.
  10. Originally posted by u2wanderer1:[..]
    They are never going to release something like "Mercy" or "North Star" while Bono is still going on about the possibility of releasing Songs of Ascent some day. Those will pop up on that album when they get around to it some day.
    You’re more confident than me on that, not saying it won’t happen but I’m far from certain of it happening. I just think there’s better ways to fill the gaps between the albums they intend on touring. If they were releasing albums every 3 years regularly then these sort of releases wouldn’t matter so much or the lack of more die hard pleasing releases. It is what it is I guess. I still love the band and there music but I just hate these release strategies, it might be the norm now but I’d love U2 to break away from the norm or at least do other cool stuff as well as the norm.
  11. Originally posted by deanallison:[..]
    You’re more confident than me on that, not saying it won’t happen but I’m far from certain of it happening. I just think there’s better ways to fill the gaps between the albums they intend on touring. If they were releasing albums every 3 years regularly then these sort of releases wouldn’t matter so much or the lack of more die hard pleasing releases. It is what it is I guess. I still love the band and there music but I just hate these release strategies, it might be the norm now but I’d love U2 to break away from the norm or at least do other cool stuff as well as the norm.
    I’m not certain Songs of Ascent will happen either. But as long as Bono is saying it will (and he still is) then I doubt the band will let any of it go.

    Would you even know about this Christmas release if it wasn’t for reading about it here? The band hasn’t promoted it on social media. There’s been no announcement on their website. There’s no ads running for it. It wasn’t sent out for any promo. It was just slipped out there rather quietly to streaming services.

    These sorts of releases are going to happen regardless. They don’t keep the band from working on new material. They don’t prevent other stuff from the back catalog getting released. If this hadn’t been released we weren’t going to get some live EP instead. The option isn’t this Christmas EP or new stuff. The option is this Christmas EP or probably nothing at all this week…
  12. Originally posted by u2wanderer1:[..]
    I’m not certain Songs of Ascent will happen either. But as long as Bono is saying it will (and he still is) then I doubt the band will let any of it go.

    Would you even know about this Christmas release if it wasn’t for reading about it here? The band hasn’t promoted it on social media. There’s been no announcement on their website. There’s no ads running for it. It wasn’t sent out for any promo. It was just slipped out there rather quietly to streaming services.

    These sorts of releases are going to happen regardless. They don’t keep the band from working on new material. They don’t prevent other stuff from the back catalog getting released. If this hadn’t been released we weren’t going to get some live EP instead. The option isn’t this Christmas EP or new stuff. The option is this Christmas EP or probably nothing at all this week…
    Yeah that’s probably true that they’ll keep material back if they’ve got a release planned with certain tracks included in it. I’ve got Spotify so I would have seen it, although U2 aren’t one of the artists I visit often on Spotify since I’ve got all the stuff on my itunes/iPhone but I do have a little look occasionally for that reason of new releases. I get what you’re saying this release doesn’t effect potential other releases, you’re absolutely right, I guess it would just be nice to have some more U2 to enjoy. I think I’m still feeling disappointed from the whole AB thing, I’m keeping an eye on U2.com for next years gift announcement both excited and dreading it being a let down but in fairness they have given us the Apollo this year, Berlin last year and tours, albums as well as other live releases in the years prior. I forget I’m greedy sometimes, it was just AB was such a big deal for me I really thought they were going to deliver after JT getting MSG for its 30th. They might still deliver with the fan club next year if it’s a zoo tv show, I know you have doubts but I have this hope that they’ll keep it as live material with the fan club going forward. Time will tell I guess.