I never said the band didn't have artistic integrity. Infact after hearing the sampler, I'm convinced that it takes a band with real guts and artistic integrity to put out a record like this because a good portion of this sounds nothing like what they've done in the past. In the same respect, they're not a stupid band. A band of their stature cannot just simply make music that is completely unmarketable because they have contractual obligations they need to fulfill. It would be career suicide for starters, but it'd also hurt their relationship with the label. I know people want Linkin Park to go the self release route, and they probably could pull it off flawlessly in terms of digital releases...but when it comes to physical releases, with a band of their size it's easier to have major label backing because the label helps pay for the cost of making those CDs and getting them in stores. It's kinda hard to fulfill 2.5 million records with your own money (which is what LT sold worldwide I believe). Point being, major labels are a gift and a curse...and the band has to do what they can to maintain that relationship, even if it means putting a 'hit' song on a record every once and a while.
I personally dig the new song. I can't say if i find it better than GATS since I think one can't really compare those two (like most of LPs songs haha). Would not be surprised if this song destroys the charts, since it just sounds like it is supposed to do that.
Listen to the backing vocals WOW just found out about them when my headphone won't in right. Sound out a choir
I'm sorry but that's absolute nonsense. One of these songs on the album is one two many and completely undermines everything Mike has said over the last few months. I mean come on, he was saying rock music today has no balls.... and then totally rolls over with this song. It's abundantly clear that this song was written with the intent of it being a single. That is different from purely writing songs and then going back and picking the one that's the most "easy listening". Marketing strategy should have absolutely no place in writing music. Once the music is written, whore it out in whatever way you see fit. But "we have to write a song to appeal to demographic Y" is bullshit and has no place in genuine songwriting. It speaks volumes to the [lack of] confidence they have in the material they actually want to write if they feel they have to tack on a radio song (that apparently has nothing to do with the rest of the album) to sell it. Really?? You don't see any difference in the intent or quality of writing between UIG and WFTE? I think the difference is staggeringly obvious.
The fact that WFTE was perhaps the catchiest song on ATS and the one with biggest chart potential and how UIG might possibly be the same in THP, at least going by how the 6 preview tracks were described by Derek and other articles. Nope. The intent was the same. Release a catchy song to do well in charts and get more people aware that a band called LINKIN PARK has a new album. Don't get me wrong. WFTE is a much(x10) better song. It's my all time favorite from the band and I could listen to that song non stop for days(I already have). It features so much more in it than UIG but that's a given since its from ATS. After listening to UIG with my headsets, it fits THP's description well. It's loud and packs a punch. The only reason people have been hard on it is because it sounds intentionally catchy which is something WFTE was not. And that the mixing was kinda bad with all that distortion. But the fact still remains, that both singles were released for their potential.
Until you're in one of the biggest bands in the world. It's all really easy to talk from behind you're computer, but the truth of the matter is that neither you, nor I, have any idea what it's like to be in a band as big as Linkin Park and dealing with the kind of pressures they deal with. I'm not saying that you would write a song for the sake of having a marketable single if you were in their shoes, I'm just saying that you really can't judge them until you're actually in their shoes.
LP go independent and international fans will find it next to impossible to buy their albums, at least at a reasonable price. The benefits of a big label are their huge power of distribution, they have tons of HQs all over the world. My experience buying independent records hasn't been nice at all. I had to order one from Finland itself because it wouldn't be sold anywhere else (or outside of Europe). You took the words from my mouth.
Hold on now... I don't think the band sat there and said "we need a single. Let's start writing Until It's Gone" No - I highly doubt that actually. There are a lot of elements in this song that have been absent from their more recent work. The guitar work, although slightly buried in the mix, is a significant step up for Brad. I can easily see this song having been created in a natural way and being among the rest of the LOUD/VISCERAL batch. It has a very big/dark sound to it in my opinion. They then said "This is probably the one that will do best commercially. Let's make it a single."
Yeah, I do not believe that they intentionally write a hit song just for the sake of blasting the chart. What I believe is that they just write normally and pick out the one for said purpose. Then again, I am not them, so I don't really know about the creation of UIG.
Is it me or there's some Muse in it? (Which I like) And while I find the lyrics a bit repetitive, I like the song. I like the synths and how they haven't dropped the electronic element in it in contrast to the rawer GATS (Good for joe!). Like someone said in an earlier post, it feels that it will compliment the other songs in the album nicely.
When you put it that way, it makes me wonder what this album has in store. I thought UIG was just a bad single. It's radio friendly, not a bad LP song but just not something I personally would see as like "THIS IS GONNA SELL RECORDS!" Then again the one that will is already out which is GATS. I guess this is for the more emotional crowd? //Rest of the post I agree with. It is a business at the end of the day. Which is why I am not going bat turd crazy about this 1 song.
When you see the lyrics written like this you fully understand that these are truly atrocious lyrics.
People are really over stating the "terrible lyrics" thing..... I think the verses are great. Love the delivery of them as well. As for the chorus, I look at it like its kind of meant to be cliche if you know what I mean...the lyrics even say "I've heard it said a thousand times but now I know..." Almost like they are trying to say even though everyone says it and knows it, you REALLY DON'T KNOW what you've got until its gone.
I don't know if this has been mentioned here allready, but have any of you listened to the Spotify version of the track that has a short little digital outro ending with a "baby scream"? Thought that was really cool and unexpected haha
They pretty much did that exact thing with WID though. They needed a track that resembled their older sound to appeal to the crowd and voila... WID was born! So I wouldn't put it past LP sitting down and consciously writing a song specifically for the radio. I agree with whatever Moridin said. Still for the sake of argument if you REALLY need a track for the radio at least make it a little less obvious and have some inspired moments in there. UIG just sounds so fucking phoned in. Oh the lengths LP fans would go to defend the band haha