I could care less about Bono and Edge and U2. This is all about money, and they've obviously decided to venture forth for more cash. Shows they are more about themselves then anyone else. Live and let live.
OMG- now we're bashing U2's album as "uninspiring" to placate Apple's loss?
Listen to the album before you condemn. It's a worn out, irrelevant piece of garbage. U2 is no longer relevant, and Apple is moving away from Top 40 crap.
If you haven't noticed, they have been showcasing a lot of indie bands, unknowns, and innovating bands. Bands with something exciting to say, bands who think different.
U2 is what you listen to if your a soccer mom on your way to Ikea to buy candles on a Sunday afternoon and do your laundry. Why would Apple want to associate with that?
From a marketing standpoint, RIM is going to be saying this:
I'm not sure why AI considers this sponsorship to be "jumping ship".
Apple was never a sponsor for a U2 tour in the first place?
And in terms of whom U2 chooses to promote - this is probably more a bad omen for U2 than for Apple, since Blackberry is the one trailing Apple for technology/coolness factor.
Finally, as much as I like U2, I have to agree that the new album is unremarkable - the tour will be a spectacular production as all U2 tours are - but factoring-in the bad economy around the world, both the tour and album will likely be forgettable. I wouldn't be surprised if they ended up scaling back the tour and promotions throughout the year.
This ended up being a bad year for both Palm and RIM to finally try and play catch-up with Apple.
It makes sense. To prove they're not greedy b@stards many bands do charity work; Africa, New Orleans, RIM
I'm not sure about entrusting the dismantling of the atomic bomb to U2 though - they can't even count! (Vertigo: "One, two, three, fourteen") I have little confidence the steps would be in the right order.
U2 didn't "jump ship" as this article would like us all to think. U2 partnered with Apple on the U2 iPod to promote the release of their new album and their entire catalog on iTunes. That's it. They aren't long time partners or buddies that have recently gone their separate ways; the U2 iPod was released several years ago and hasn't been sold for a year and a half now. I would hardly call that "jumping ship".
And how exactly does RIM's sponsorship have anything to do with the Palm Pre vs. the iPhone? Are they saying it's an intentional move to help kill the iPhone? Wouldn't it also take away attention from Palm as well?
Here's what really happened... #1. Apple doesn't sponsor concert tours. #2. RIM made the best offer. #3. End of story.
Why would RIM want to sponsor U2... because they knew moronic analysts would somehow turn this into "U2 hates the iPhone".
...the money. U2 has lost it. They don't even pay tax in Ireland anymore. Just another corporation in action. I don't pay attention to their music anymore. Last I saw them they where media whores at Letterman for a week...I do watch Lettermen but had to flip U2 like any other commercial. Yeah, that boring.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider
In a move that will clearly distance itself from one-time ally Apple, world-famous alternative rock band U2 revealed plans for its upcoming tour to be sponsored by Apple rival Research in Motion, in what the two sides are calling a "shared vision."
What had once been a very close relationship between U2 and Apple seems to be over. As the band prepares its new Live Nation-presented U2 360 tour -- expected to be its biggest yet -- the band has announced Research In Motion with its BlackBerry line of smartphones will be the tour's major sponsor.
"This tour announcement marks the first stage of a relationship and shared vision between RIM and U2 that we expect will lead to new and innovative ways to enhance the mobile music experience on the BlackBerry platform for U2 fans," said manager Paul McGuinness. "We look forward to sharing more details as the relationship unfolds."
The tour will visit fourteen European cities, then move to North America with a September engagement at Soldier Field, the home of the Chicago Bears football team.
"I think this deal says a lot more about U2's commercialism and partnership with Live Nation than it does about the future of iPod and Apple's ongoing influence in the music industry," CNBC's Jim Goldman said about the matter.
In October 2004 Apple and the band hosted a special event together to introduce the new black and red iPod U2 Special Edition.
An advertisement for U2's upcoming tour | Image courtesy of U2365.com.
"U2 is one of the greatest bands in the world and we are floored to be working with them," Apple chief executive Steve Jobs said at the time. "We just want to make some innovative products together, and we hope U2 fans will love having their very own special edition iPod."
A year later, U2 helped launch the new iPod video with an ad campaign featuring a live music video for the track "Original of the Species."
In June 2006, another new U2 iPod, now with video, was unveiled.
U2 frontman and activist Bono also helped debut several (PRODUCT) RED iPods to benefit a campaign to fight AIDS in Africa.
In his report, Goldman added one interesting fact that could be a possible reason behind the shift for U2 away from Apple. Bono is a partner in the venture firm Elevation Partners, which owns 39 percent of Palm. The handset company is planning to release its touchscreen Pre smartphone to compete with Apple's iPhone sometime this summer.
Maybe it is just me but, if an album is good does it need a corporate sponsor behind it? I don't remember who sponsored Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, Miles Davis' Kind of Blue, or the Beatles' White album. Can someone help me on that?
To me this sounds like an announcement from U2 that says "Hey we realize this album sucks so we're going to pick-up some extra revenue from a cell phone company."
Comments
OMG- now we're bashing U2's album as "uninspiring" to placate Apple's loss?
Listen to the album before you condemn. It's a worn out, irrelevant piece of garbage. U2 is no longer relevant, and Apple is moving away from Top 40 crap.
If you haven't noticed, they have been showcasing a lot of indie bands, unknowns, and innovating bands. Bands with something exciting to say, bands who think different.
U2 is what you listen to if your a soccer mom on your way to Ikea to buy candles on a Sunday afternoon and do your laundry. Why would Apple want to associate with that?
From a marketing standpoint, RIM is going to be saying this:
Blackberry... meh
Actually it's more like "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"
That sounds like the Vista theme.
Apple was never a sponsor for a U2 tour in the first place?
And in terms of whom U2 chooses to promote - this is probably more a bad omen for U2 than for Apple, since Blackberry is the one trailing Apple for technology/coolness factor.
Finally, as much as I like U2, I have to agree that the new album is unremarkable - the tour will be a spectacular production as all U2 tours are - but factoring-in the bad economy around the world, both the tour and album will likely be forgettable. I wouldn't be surprised if they ended up scaling back the tour and promotions throughout the year.
This ended up being a bad year for both Palm and RIM to finally try and play catch-up with Apple.
I'm not sure about entrusting the dismantling of the atomic bomb to U2 though - they can't even count! (Vertigo: "One, two, three, fourteen") I have little confidence the steps would be in the right order.
McD
You clearly have not listened to this enough.
You''ll get it sooner or later, its a masterpiece!
It is true that some albums grow on you the more you listen to them, but my initial impression was that there were no standout songs.
I'm not sure about entrusting the dismantling of the atomic bomb to U2 though - they can't even count! (Vertigo: "One, two, three, fourteen")...
Actually it's more like "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"
I actually lolled. I must be sleepy.
U2 doesn't really believe in anything except U2, anyway.
I actually lolled. I must be sleepy.
Me too...but the fact of the matter is: the last U2 albums SUCK BALLS...must be Bono's goggles...or the fact that "The Edge" is called "The Edge".
U2 didn't "jump ship" due to any love or hate for Apple. It was purely a business decision.
U2 doesn't really believe in anything except U2, anyway.
U2 believes in RIMM's change.
or
Change U2 can RIMM to.
Alternate title suggestion for this article: "Bono gets a RIM job"
I heard about that. Don't think it's made headlines over here like it did in the UK.
To find White Collar Criminals one need only look to the individuals in the public who work at an image that paints them as a Saint.
<sarcasm>I just can't make it through the day without knowing why U2 left 'us.'</sarcasm>
Alternate title suggestion for this article: "Bono gets a RIM job"
"Bono gets a RIM job at the RAMROD club"...
U2 didn't "jump ship" as this article would like us all to think. U2 partnered with Apple on the U2 iPod to promote the release of their new album and their entire catalog on iTunes. That's it. They aren't long time partners or buddies that have recently gone their separate ways; the U2 iPod was released several years ago and hasn't been sold for a year and a half now. I would hardly call that "jumping ship".
And how exactly does RIM's sponsorship have anything to do with the Palm Pre vs. the iPhone? Are they saying it's an intentional move to help kill the iPhone? Wouldn't it also take away attention from Palm as well?
Here's what really happened... #1. Apple doesn't sponsor concert tours. #2. RIM made the best offer. #3. End of story.
Why would RIM want to sponsor U2... because they knew moronic analysts would somehow turn this into "U2 hates the iPhone".
I'm sure that is what I said!
I liked one song by them, "Desire." Turns out it was a remake. Explains a lot.
They were always about politics, not music. And they offically Sold Out around 1990.
Unfortunately, Clarence Carter's "Strokin' " is also gone...that is a loss.
In a move that will clearly distance itself from one-time ally Apple, world-famous alternative rock band U2 revealed plans for its upcoming tour to be sponsored by Apple rival Research in Motion, in what the two sides are calling a "shared vision."
What had once been a very close relationship between U2 and Apple seems to be over. As the band prepares its new Live Nation-presented U2 360 tour -- expected to be its biggest yet -- the band has announced Research In Motion with its BlackBerry line of smartphones will be the tour's major sponsor.
"This tour announcement marks the first stage of a relationship and shared vision between RIM and U2 that we expect will lead to new and innovative ways to enhance the mobile music experience on the BlackBerry platform for U2 fans," said manager Paul McGuinness. "We look forward to sharing more details as the relationship unfolds."
The tour will visit fourteen European cities, then move to North America with a September engagement at Soldier Field, the home of the Chicago Bears football team.
"I think this deal says a lot more about U2's commercialism and partnership with Live Nation than it does about the future of iPod and Apple's ongoing influence in the music industry," CNBC's Jim Goldman said about the matter.
In October 2004 Apple and the band hosted a special event together to introduce the new black and red iPod U2 Special Edition.
An advertisement for U2's upcoming tour | Image courtesy of U2365.com.
"U2 is one of the greatest bands in the world and we are floored to be working with them," Apple chief executive Steve Jobs said at the time. "We just want to make some innovative products together, and we hope U2 fans will love having their very own special edition iPod."
A year later, U2 helped launch the new iPod video with an ad campaign featuring a live music video for the track "Original of the Species."
In June 2006, another new U2 iPod, now with video, was unveiled.
U2 frontman and activist Bono also helped debut several (PRODUCT) RED iPods to benefit a campaign to fight AIDS in Africa.
In his report, Goldman added one interesting fact that could be a possible reason behind the shift for U2 away from Apple. Bono is a partner in the venture firm Elevation Partners, which owns 39 percent of Palm. The handset company is planning to release its touchscreen Pre smartphone to compete with Apple's iPhone sometime this summer.
[ View this article at AppleInsider.com ]
To me this sounds like an announcement from U2 that says "Hey we realize this album sucks so we're going to pick-up some extra revenue from a cell phone company."