Nothing good could possibly come of this...

[jon_chaisson]

Okay. So iTunes is offering up the entire U2 catalog for $149.99. According to the ad, that's 446 songs, including over 100 live cuts, remixes, covers, and demos, and 40 unreleased tracks. This includes every single they've ever released, even the early ones you can't find anywhere. I am so sorely tempted to buy this. Really. I'm not the biggest U2 fan there ever was (but they're in the top 10), but I like them well enough (and I'm that much of a music fanatic) that 33 cents a song is actually quite a good deal.

Now I've asked at least six people what they think of this. I've explained how many songs, how much it costs, and everything. And I'm actually trying to see if they can talk me out of it. So far, only one person has suggested that it would be more fun to make it a long-lasting quest to find the originals instead. Everyone else has said it's actually a good deal. No one has really talked me out of it. *sigh*

Again, I am so sorely tempted. I'm even contemplating cleaning out some of my hard drive to make sure I can fit 446 more mp3s on there (I'm sure I can do it, I have at least 28 more gigs...).

Comments

[head58.livejournal.com]

Do you really want all the post-Unforgettable Fire crap? Not to sound like one of those "I hated them when they sold out" people, but I hated them when they sold out.

I mean, go listen to "The Sun Always Shines on TV" by a-ha and then go listen to "Beautiful Day" and tell me if U2 has any artistic integrity left. Can you support that?

Also, yes it is 446 songs for $150, but you probably already have a lot of those. So in reality you're getting, what, half that number of songs, maybe a third, if that, for $150? Does that price point feel comfortable?

Also also, I know you're a completist, but do you really NEED those rare singles and unreleased tracks? And will they be available individually on iTunes after the holidays, allowing you to snipe off the good ones and forget the crappy ones?

For $150, you could get three Depeche Mode boxes. Look at it that way.

[joncwriter.livejournal.com]

True...

But DM's singles went all crap sometime around Violator. ;)

And keep in mind that everything I have before Unforgettable Fire is pretty much a copy of a copy of a copy and what singles I have are even worse copies, and there's also the fact that I have some of the non-album R&H songs you and I surreptitiously taped when we went to the movie (yes, I still have that tape)...

But you do bring up a good argument about availability, post-holiday. You never know with these things (damn it, I hate that!), and there are some later singles that are sketchy (i.e., eight remixes instead of a bona fide b-side song)...

But come on...who doesn't like the funky Monster Truck Remix of "Staring at the Sun" (which eerily sounds like our Erasure remix of our own "Temptation"...)? Although some of their later albums aren't as incredible as War, for instance, they do have merit. I'm one of about 4 people who thought Pop was an awesome album that could have been even better.

Like I said, the jury's still out. I'll get back to you on this. And of course I'll make copies of all the pre-Unforgettable Fire stuff for you if I do get it. ;)

[head58.livejournal.com]

I will point out, for the benefit of the RIAA who are no doubt reading this, that we taped R&H in the theater only because we didn't know they'd be releasing it as an album later on. Sadly, I seem to recall they left out a bunch of good songs on the album.

And nah, I don't need a copy of any of it, but thanks for offering. There are probably about a half dozen U2 songs I'd want to own, and I can snipe those singly on iTunes at some point.

[joncwriter.livejournal.com]

The RIAA? Keeping dibs on me?!?? Naaah... :p But thanks for the disclaimer anyway. Knew I'd forgotten something. ;)