Ethan,

 

It is one thing arguing with another U2. It is another arguing with a music fan.

 

But it is not particularly clever arguing with a U2 fan who knows his chart stats regarding one of his all-time favourite bands as you are going to come off second best.

 

:rofl:

Well that gave me a good chuckle. :smoke:

 

Let’s deal with and disprove or put into context each of your points:

 

 

The reason Vertigo spent 8 weeks in the UK as iTunes #1 was because the single was released on iTunes the day it received it's first airplay (September 24, 2004). Therefore it was available to only buy on downloads until its physical release date November 8th 2004 six weeks later.

 

1.

Many tracks besides Vertigo were released digitally after their airplay debuts between 2005-2006, for instance Gnarls Barkley (Crazy) and Justin Timberlake (SexyBack) being the more successful. However the vast majority did not reach No1 on downloads... The idea that anyone topped the download lists purely because they were digitally released after their airplay debut is far too simplistic and just plain wrong.

 

Secondly, U2 performed "Vertigo" in a television commercial for the Apple iPod as part of a cross-marketing plan to promote both the track & album and Apple's music products (especially the U2 Special Edition iPod and the iTunes Music Store's exclusive digital box set for U2, The Complete U2). Remember in 2008 how the advert for Coldplay's title track of the Viva La Vida had a similar impact on the UK & US singles charts where it reached #1 before the promo video was released when Radio stations were still playing the lead single Violet Hill.

 

2.

Viva La Vida was initially given away as a freebie in exchange for pre-ordering the album. Whilst the apple advert was good exposure, to flippantly suggest Viva La Vida got to No1 solely because of it is quite frankly ludicrous. In today’s multimedia world do you think people didn’t discover the song online before they were exposed to the advert? In any case the 10th lowest weekly sales of all time (23,212) were hardly stellar.

 

CLEARLY there were many factors behind Vertigo’s success not least because it was popular. It’s success can hardly be attributed to a single advert. Numerous other tracks have been released months before their physical release and yet never managed to top the download chart, let alone for 6 weeks in advance! Some even featured on other adverts as well!

 

Thirdly, back in 2004 a #1 download single sold less than 10,000 copies per week because it was a relatively new medium of popular record selling, and was not included towards the charts. Hence often at the time it was a common practise for acts to release their new material physically first (so as not to lose sales towards the charts) before releasing it on iTunes where its sales would be non eligible for the charts. (UK iTunes sales only really started to take off after Xmas due to the purchasing of iPods & hence this led to the inclusion in April 2005 of download sales). Also back then sales were low so on iTunes you had exclusive tracks (like a live version of Westlife's Flying Without Wings & Chris Moyles (Mouldie Lookin' Chain) Dogz Don't Kill People Wabbits Do which topped the iTunes chart.

 

3.

That still doesn’t negate the fact it outsold the competition for 8 weeks, even more impressive when you consider low sales invariably lead to instability and frequent changes at the top. Thus the appearance of Westlife's Flying Without Wings and Chris Moyles’ responsibility for Billie’s surprise top20 reappearance and the comedy effort Dogz Don't Kill People Wabbits Do.

 

Fourthly, the reason The Saints Are Coming reached #1 on iTunes had more to do with the fact it was a Charity record for Hurricane Katrina victims.

 

4.

As proven by The X Factor Finalists charity singles are still predominantly physical sellers.

 

In summary each 'fact' is a subjective opinion at best depending on how one chooses to interpret them. You'll have to do better than that to back up your bravado!

 

 

At the end of the day Get On Your Boots may very well give U2 another UK#1 hit single. Certainly holding off the release of the download sales until the date of the physical release will give it a much better chance in the same way that had Lily Allen released The Fear on downloads a few weeks before the physical release then it may never have outsold Lady Gaga - Just Dance to grab the UK#1 spot as it would have spread its sales out.

 

The first sensible non-misguidedly patronising comment you’ve made here. I concur.

 

But if you think Get Out On Your Boots will outsell Discotheque's 1st week sales (125K) then good luck. What you seem to forget is back in 1997 Singles sold a lot more copies to reach UK#1 as best exemplified by the next two following UK#1s (No Doubt - Don't Speak 195K 1st week; Spice Girls - Who Do You Think You Are/Mama 248K 1st week (not bad for a 4th #1 single off an album - a reminder to all Girls Aloud, Sugababes & Saturdays fans how big they were back then even if you think they are no good musically); and to compare with Oasis - Do You Know What I Mean 377K 1st week.

 

Admittedly having reviewed the sentence your refering to I could have phrased my post better. No I don’t think it will sell 125k but I am confident it will outperform the rest of the field.

 

However the above is a tad rich coming from someone who is predicting that Kelly Clarkson will sell over 100k in a week. It’s not 1997 ya’know!

Edited February 7, 200916 yr by Ethan.

 

Here is the promo video that has just been uploaded from their website.

 

As a substantial fan of the band for over 25 years I have to say the video is as disappointing as the single. It reminds me of the Oasis The Shock & the Lightning video.

 

In this age of ever decreasing physical sales, I have real doubts that they will achieve another UK#1 with this, especially with the lukewarm reviews the single has been receiving.

 

Not to add a number of music fans and critics noticing its uncanny similarities to the verse & bass riff of this former US#1 from 1988:

 

The Escape Club - Wild Wild West (1988 USA#1)

 

2008 was the year that saw Madonna finally fall of her perch as the Queen of Pop & Oasis fail to score a UK#1 hit with the lead single from a new album since their debut.

 

Could 2009 be the year that U2 finally have to abdicate their biggest/best Band in the World crown; and fail to score a UK#1 hit with a lead single from a proper studio album (they released the album Zooropa 5 months before releasing the only single Stay) since their maiden #1 Desire from 1988 Rattle & Hum?

 

Trust me!! Bono with no shirt on the new video. This video is so cool, lots of stuff happening in the background, there is fire, war, space, a girl with boots, etc, etc.. =)

That could send to No.1.

 

 

its an awfull song LOOOOOL

 

this is got to be U2's worst lead single ....its really bad

Agree...it is one of the worst songs of U2 i heard -_- . I expected more from them. I am curious if the hype it will be enough to send it to no 1.

Edited February 8, 200916 yr by IrisAlbastru

 

Here is the promo video that has just been uploaded from their website.

 

As a substantial fan of the band for over 25 years I have to say the video is as disappointing as the single. It reminds me of the Oasis The Shock & the Lightning video.

 

In this age of ever decreasing physical sales, I have real doubts that they will achieve another UK#1 with this, especially with the lukewarm reviews the single has been receiving.

 

Not to add a number of music fans and critics noticing its uncanny similarities to the verse & bass riff of this former US#1 from 1988:

 

The Escape Club - Wild Wild West (1988 USA#1)

 

2008 was the year that saw Madonna finally fall of her perch as the Queen of Pop & Oasis fail to score a UK#1 hit with the lead single from a new album since their debut.

 

Could 2009 be the year that U2 finally have to abdicate their biggest/best Band in the World crown; and fail to score a UK#1 hit with a lead single from a proper studio album (they released the album Zooropa 5 months before releasing the only single Stay) since their maiden #1 Desire from 1988 Rattle & Hum?

 

The video could widespread television rotation, that could send to No.1.

Missing the Top5 a real possibility.

I actually love the song! That's a really awesome riff The Edge is firing out.

^^ I love it too!

 

I was really hoping it would get to #1 this week! I still have a tiny bit of hope for after the BRITs performance... :(

Glad someone likes this.

 

Personally I think it's so awful that it may be a career defining moment for U2 - the beginning of the end. What is also disturbing is that it seems to sound like Elvis Costello's "pump it up"; while not the first song that sounded like that as 'Rogue Traders - Voodoo Child' did also, at least Rogue traders made it into a great tune, where as U2 seem to have made a mess. I don't know what they where thinking releasing this as a single - surely every other track on the album can't be this poor?

Well I think it is safe to safe the Ethan's prediction of a surefire UK#1 that would top the iTunes charts like Vertigo did for 8 weeks has been emphatically proved incorrect.

 

Even before the boost of the BRITs performance, even I never saw it failing to reach the Top 5, but most U2 fans being over the age of 30 are not brain dead sychophants and have disowned it and will wait for the album instead.

 

Thankfully with the album leakage (over the last 24 Hours) at least I'm happier knowing the single is easily one of the worst things on the album.

 

Still the question left is which track was the main "inspiration" for Get On Your Boots?

 

Elvis Costello - Pump It Up (1978 UK#24) "Here Come the drums, here come the drums..." :lol:

 

The Escape Club - Wild Wild West (1988 USA#1)

 

Patrick MacNee & Honor Blackman - Kinky Boots (1964, 1990 UK#5)

Well I think it is safe to safe the Ethan's prediction of a surefire UK#1 that would top the iTunes charts like Vertigo did for 8 weeks has been emphatically proved incorrect.

If your going to deliberately mis-quote or misrepresent what I've said to try and score cheap points; please get your facts right. The 8 nonconsecutive weeks at No1 were on the download chart not iTunes. Where EXACTLY did I say Get On Your Boots would do the same? By your own admission your prediction is at most going to be 4 places closer, have a star.

 

If your going to deliberately mis-quote or misrepresent what I've said to try and score cheap points; please get your facts right. The 8 nonconsecutive weeks at No1 were on the download chart not iTunes. Where EXACTLY did I say Get On Your Boots would do the same? By your own admission your prediction is at most going to be 4 places closer, have a star.

 

If you want to be shown up for a clueless idiot then so be it:

 

We’ve heard this all before in 1997 the last time they adopted a more experimental style a lot of people didn’t know where they were with U2 after Pop. However U2 defied the critics and casual observers and stormed to the top of the charts with Discotheque registering their career highest first week sales. I FULLY expect them to do them same with Get On Your Boots.

 

The physical argument is a mute point as U2 are strong downloads sellers especially in the UK and Ireland.

 

Vertigo spent 8 weeks at No1 on the download chart while their collaboration with Green Day spent 2 weeks at No1 on iTunes a run only halted when the download was deleted. CLEARLY U2 do not rely solely on physicals like Oasis for instance seem to do.

 

Although it isn't one of my favourite U2 tracks I do appreciate Get On Your Boots it’s in a very similar style essentially to Vertigo and good to see them taking risks even now. Bravo!

 

TIP’s ‘article’ seems rather sensationalist I don’t think these transitions are ever quite as clear-cut.

 

Not so sensationalist now am I only predicting #5. :lol:

 

Seeing how iTunes made up 89.6% of all legal downloads in 2004 I would say it was affectively the same thing.

 

Whilst I was spot on them outselling everyone else on physical releases, but would fall down on downloads.

 

But hey at least I did not make an idiot of myself predicting they'd be #1 with absolute ease.

 

Being their least well-received lead single didn’t stop Discotheque racing to the No1 spot with the highest first week sales of their career.

 

Neither Oasis nor their fan base have got to grips with the digital age and still rely heavily on physicals hence their downfall on the singles front.

 

By contrast U2 have flourished in the digital era Vertigo spent 8 weeks at No1 on the download chart while their collaboration with Green Day spent 2 weeks at No1 on iTunes.

 

Now that downloads comprise 95% of the market they can make their download dominance here count.

 

To coin a phrase: "anyone who thinks this song won't be UK#1 is living in cloud cuckoo land". :P

 

http://www.cloudcuckooland.biz/ccl5.jpg

 

:D

 

Still I look forward to next week to see how this prediction does of Kelly Clarkson - M Life Would Suck Without You goes:

 

Good GREIF. :manson:

 

This would have been top10 in the first half of the decade, however time moves on and this sounds dated in 2009. Since U Been Gone Pt2 would be a more apt title.

 

Needless to say it’s being vastly over estimated. It has absolutely no chance of getting to No1 and it’s highly doubtful it will go top10.

 

#19.

 

After all it is only #1 on Play.com on Pre-Orders alone.

"Get On Your Boots" does debut at No.1 in Ireland- however it only takes a few thousand copies to make the top of the chart there these days so it's not that much of an achievement really. :P

After all it is only #1 on Play.com on Pre-Orders alone.

 

That's not UK sales only ;)

New at No.14

New at No.14

 

Well thats U2's lowest-charting lead single from an album.