More and more, I'm becoming interested in following technology. It's sort of a necessity in 2009, especially if you work in media. I feel like tech gadgets and companies are kind of like the new rock stars - they are certainly often more interesting than the newer rock stars. Anyway, I was kind of surprised when I heard that U2's upcoming tour was going to sponsored by Blackberry, after the band seemed so tight with Apple last time around: they premiered "Vertigo" on an iPod commercial, and even had a custom U2 iPod. The tech blog ExploreMusic has some insight into why U2 is working with Blackberry: Bono said that they had access to Blackberry's labs and tech guys. Read more about it here.
It is interesting that U2's No Line On The Horizon has gotten the most lukewarm response of any of their albums since they've become superstars. Part of the problem, I thought, was that the first single, "Get On Your Boots," is a bad re-write of "Vertigo." But I've been hearing that, because the band and Bono have been supportive of efforts to get terrestrial radio to pay higher royalties to artists, terrestrial radio has been giving them the cold shoulder. I wonder if that is true. Although, at some point, every band gets too "old" for radio: the stations that still play your music aren't interested in new music, and stations that play new music aren't interested in 50-something artists. Its happened to artists with remarkably long strings of hits, including Aerosmith, Bruce Springsteen and Madonna. Who knows though: maybe if they release "Magnificent" with a killer video, it will make the album a bigger deal. I think the new single is "I'll Go Crazy If I Don't Go Crazy Tonight," which I think they worked on with will.i.am of The Black Eyed Peas. Dude has had lots of hits, but I don't think that this is one of them (and neither was his solo album, which totally tanked).
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