<p id=”par-1_43″>One of the essential live <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/classic-rock/”>classic rock</a> albums is U2’s <em>Rattle and Hum</em>. Bono revealed that <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/oasis-noel-gallagher-explained-the-joshua-tree-favorite-u2-album.html/”>fans of U2</a> either seemed to love or hate the record. The “With or Without You” singer couldn’t explain some of the reaction to <em>Rattle and Hum</em>.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-bono-said-u2-s-rattle-and-hum-upset-more-people-than-any-rock-album-had-in-a-long-time”>Bono said U2’s ‘Rattle and Hum’ upset more people than any rock album had in a long time</h2>
<p id=”par-2_64″>During a 1988 interview with <a href=”https://www.hotpress.com/music/happy-birthday-bono-revisiting-a-classic-interview-from-1988-22905048″ target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Hot Press</a>, Bono discussed the impact of <em>Rattle and Hum</em>. “I always expected criticism, and in a way we were excited by the fact that people either loved or hated the album,” he said. “We were getting reviews that said it was the greatest live LP in <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/bono-said-1-classic-rock-song-broke-rules-pop-music.html/”>the history of pop music</a> and reviews that said it was dog-s***. </p>
<p id=”par-3_125″>“And I was thinking that it’s been a long time since a record in <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/why-mick-jagger-recruited-bono-for-a-collaboration-with-pete-townshend.html/”>rock ‘n’ roll</a> had that kind of impact — people just don’t care enough about rock ‘n’ roll usually to talk about it in such a heated way,” he added. “So I must say we were flattered by the love-hate reaction to the LP.” Bono’s comments about the state of rock ‘n’ roll seem bizarre today. Bono seems to be saying that the genre was on a downward trend in the 1980s. In that decade, rock stars like Bono, Bruce Springsteen, Guns N’ Roses’ Axl Rose, and Mötley Crüe’s Tommy Lee were all massive celebrities. Today, the genre is barely breathing and it hasn’t produced <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/elvis-presleys-mom-play-part-downfall-bono-priscilla-presley-weigh.html/”>an Elvis Presley-level icon</a> in years.</p>
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<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-bono-wanted-the-album-to-repel-certain-listeners”>Bono wanted the album to repel certain listeners</h2>
<p id=”par-4_75″>While Bono welcomed the divided reaction to <em>Rattle and Hum</em>, he was surprised by the popularity of the record. “I don’t understand how we sold five million double albums — I can’t figure that out,” he said. “I mean, we do our best to shake off the not-really U2 fans and, we thought, if anything is going to shake ’em off, it’s going to be this, ‘cos we’ve essentially stripped the band of its sound.”</p>
<p id=”par-5_61″>What else is surprising about the success of <em>Rattle and Hum</em> is that it’s partly a live album. Live albums are typically made for hardcore fans only. Very few of them become significant hits. Two of the only live albums that have gone down as classics are U2’s <em>Rattle and Hum</em> and Kiss’ <em>Alive!</em>, neither of which were totally recorded live.</p>
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<iframe title=”U2 – Angel Of Harlem (Official Music Video)” width=”925″ height=”520″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/QmqYQRkszGA?feature=oembed” frameborder=”0″ allow=”accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share” referrerpolicy=”strict-origin-when-cross-origin” allowfullscreen></iframe>
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<div class=”related-article related-article–simple”>
<span class=”related-article-flag”>Related</span>
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<a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/u2s-bono-couldnt-stand-pink-floyds-the-wall.html/”>
What U2’s Bono Couldn’t Stand About Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’ </a>
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<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-american-and-british-audiences-reacted-to-u2-s-rattle-and-hum-differently”>American and British audiences reacted to U2’s ‘Rattle and Hum’ differently</h2>
<p id=”par-6_56″>As Bono said, <em>Rattle and Hum</em> became a big hit. It topped the <a href=”https://www.billboard.com/artist/u2/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Billboard Hot 100</a> for six weeks, lasting on the chart for 39 weeks. The record produced two top 20 singles. One was “Desire,” which reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Meanwhile, “Angel of Harlem” reached No. 14 on the same chart.</p>
<p id=”par-7_59″><a href=”https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/21874/u2/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>The Official Charts Company</a> report <em>Rattle and Hum</em> was No. 1 in the United Kingdom for a week, charting for 65 weeks. “Desire” hit No. 1 there, while “Angel of Harlem” reached No. 9. It’s interesting that U.S. audiences were arguably more receptive to <em>Rattle and Hum</em> as a whole while U.K. audiences were more receptive to its singles.</p>
<p id=”par-8_25″><em>Rattle and Hum</em> was divisive among fans and critics — but that didn’t stop it from becoming one of the blockbuster albums of the 1980s.</p>