You guys have MBV, you're all good. I actually thought they were American this whole time until I googled Irish bands just now.

Oh yeah. But I meant a band who are world-renowned and household names. MBV may be great but a lot of people outside the scene would not know them, whereas anyone, no matter who they are, love hate or ignore them, know who U2 are.

Agreed tbh, even though I'd say they came very close to the tipping point.

They would never have had the pulling power and appeal of U2. I mean, first of all, can you imagine the questions? "Off to a gig are you Johnny? Who is it? My Bloody WHAT? Oh no you don't!" :laughing:

Second, the sort of bad-boy-but-really-good-boy image of U2 (they try to seem dangerous but everyone knows they're not) really helps sell their gigs and albums, and they're not seen as a bad influence. Couldn't see anyone saying that of Kevin and the guys, could you?

You have to be appealing to be a household name? Someone call Charles Manson's PR guy.

I say that they came close to the tipping point simply based off of their ubiquitousness in the music world. Anyone worth their music nerd salt knows who they are, even the amateurs.

I love the fact that they're Irish and kind of maverick and still, as you say, came so close. But they were never going to be in U2's league, be honest. Three albums, is it, in three decades, or something like that?

Appealing or appalling I guess... :)
No, obviously what I mean is that you need to be, well, yes, appealing I guess: even Manson appealed, in a different, scary way. You don't have to be nice to be appealing. Hitler was appealing, in that it's appealing to study his life and read or watch programmes about him.

The bolded says it all. This caveat is not used when you say the word U2 to anyone.

If you think this then why do you keep bringing it up? I never said they would or did match U2's recognition.

U2s performance at the Super Bowl shorlty after 9/11 was so beyond epic.

Watching this live I got massive goosebumps at 4:45 and onward. At 10:30 especially.

Not sure how it's viewed in hindsight but at the time it was unbelievably moving.

What? I'm just addressing your point about them "being on the cusp" or whatever. It's a debate within a debate, no?
I said Ireland had U2, you said they also had MBV, I said MBV weren't as big as U2 and you've been kind of arguing that they were at least as recognisable, but that's not true. It's no big deal: I like MBV but really Ireland is known, internationally, musically, for U2, which was my point. Before this we had Lizzy and Rory Gallagher, though possibly few of the people in the street even knew who Rory was.