Battle of the Century(ies) - REM or U2?

[dave from knoxville]

Achtung Baby gets a 10 out of 10 from me and is one of my most-listened-to albums. I like some other things they've done, but with the help of some very flattering production they captured a mood on that album that it would be nigh impossible for them to tap into again.

Chris L is wise indeed

[dave from knoxville]

"With the Beatles or Stones arguement there are also people that say neither - the Kinks.  What band would be the Kinks in the REM/U2 argument?  I can't think of the right metaphor of a band myself."

I have been thinking about this all day long. Are the Yardbirds too short lived? If so, George Jones?

[masterofsparks]

Achtung Baby gets a 10 out of 10 from me and is one of my most-listened-to albums. I like some other things they've done, but with the help of some very flattering production they captured a mood on that album that it would be nigh impossible for them to tap into again.

Chris L is wise indeed

I'm actually in agreement here, too. I think the interesting (esp. for the time) rough sonic edges plus the band's acknowledgment of themselves as a product rather than the savior of the world makes for a really unique listening experience. It's a precarious balance to maintain, though, and they tip the scales too far with their next release.

[yesno]

I am still baffled by this.  I don't see what U2 has to do with the 1980s college rock thing.  The bands equally ascended to rock superstardom but came out of very different scenes, and never really competed with each other or had a rivalry.  Maybe there's a whole chapter of rock history I don't know about because, however good both bands have been, neither are that interesting to read about.

If they're not the Beatles/Stones, how could there be a Kinks?  It's like asking "Who's the Throwing Muses of Depeche Mode and Mozart?"

And if there was to be a 1980s college rock Kinks, it would be the Replacements.

[masterofsparks]

I am still baffled by this.  I don't see what U2 has to do with the 1980s college rock thing.  The bands equally ascended to rock superstardom but came out of very different scenes, and never really competed with each other or had a rivalry.

I don't think it's anything more complicated than both bands were, by and large, beloved initially by the college/new-wave/underground rock audience of the 1980s and then went on to massive mainstream success. I don't think anyone's trying to say they were rivals or that they have similar sounds.

[Chris L]

It boils down to the classic battle between alphanumeric names and acronyms.