Popularity vs. Quality: U2, the Exception to the Rule
Monday August 28, 2006
As a devout fan of the recently canceled Showtime TV series, Huff, I've had yet another chance to become ever more accustomed to the brutal truth that when it comes to entertainment, popularity and quality rarely spend significant time together. For all-encompassing evidence that should stop an argument over this issue in its tracks, consider the fact that the reality TV craze is now about a decade old, with nary a hiatus to sully its glorious run.OK, end of digression. Luckily, on occasion, this generally steadfast rule gets shattered to pieces by a band like Irish superstars U2, artists who shine so brightly that critical and commercial acclaim erupt at equally overwhelming levels. Because of this truth, compiling a top 10 list of the band's best songs is rather like sorting sand on a beach. In fact, I almost took the easy way out by counting down the 10 best tracks from U2's blockbuster 1987 classic The Joshua Tree. Even that would require painstaking concentration.
Album Cover Photo Courtesy of Island Records
Comments
Although his most popular songs may have been among his worst, I would argue that Peter Gabriel was also able to master the popular-quality divide. Ditto the Police.
– david
What, no “Bullet the Blue Sky,”?
No arguement here, being born in the early 60’s, I’ve been listening music for as long as I can remember, I got to experiance a good portion of 70’s music first hand, and feel truly grateful for it. Had I not been there my choices in music that I listen to and play today could have been severely altered, and not in a good way. I listen to a broad range of music, in the way of U2 and Peter Gabriel, in that catagory of music, those two are perfect examples of popularity over quality. I never really cared what was popular, if it sucked to me then it was bad music. I cherish my Peter Gabriel lp’s and feel fortunate in that I bought them first hand, out of the bin, and trying to record them, whithin a few plays, to the old MAXELL UDX tapes so as not to carve them. Is music really being appreciated as much as when I ran out to buy “Ramblin’ Man” by The Allman Brother’s on a 45rpm record as a kid?. I could go on forever on this subject, Knowing good music requires knowledge, to feel a song is a gift.
RJD
Excuse the error’s in my previous typing, I was reeling in memories.
RJD
Popularity vs Quality??? When I read the title of this article I thought that you were going to finally answer the question that I have been wanting to ask of you Mr Peake. Your column seems to rehash all of the 80’s radio music that could not be avoided by the casual and uninformed listener. The truly great thing about the decade of the 80’s was that while the schlock of commercial radio was being force fed to the masses, there was a treasure trove of creativity, energy and influence that was ignored, except by college radio stations, indie record labels and stores. There were those of us who avoided coliseum rock and packed the small clubs of America. MTV started as a source of unheard genius, then sadly became the video version of Top-40 radio and the birth of Empty-V. I think your column would be much more interesting and enlightening to readers if you dropped the focus on “popular” music of the 80’s, and highlighted the bands that struggled to sell records, yet continue to influence the music of the new millenium.