Could U2 Be The New Beatles?

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There's a popular adge that's been going around the past five decades, "everyone knows the Beatles." The Fab Four really did "shake the world," and took it by storm too. There couldn't possibly be a more modern incarnation of them...or could there?

U2 vs The Beatles
Let's take a quick look at how U2 and the Beatles compare. First, they both have four members (John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrision, and Ringo Starr for the Beatles while U2 are comprised of Bono, The Edge, Larry Mullen Jr., and Adam Clayton), they both worked with a long-time producer (the Beatles with George Martin and Geoff Emerick/U2 with Brian Eno and Daniel Lanis since The Unforgettable Fire), and they have really evolved musically and both even featured a touch of experimental in their music.

Influentially speaking, the Beatles are rooted in American rock'n'roll of the late 1950s (a la Elvis), while U2 are rooted in the UK/US punk scene that was rampant when they formed in '76.  Then to add more, both bands expanded paying tribute to their unsung idols. The Beatles ventured into rockability territory with hits like the Starr-sung Honey Don't, while U2 of course mdae a double-shot with their critically acclaimed records, The Joshua Tree, and Rattle & Hum 1988, respectively.

Longetivity is another important factor, with the Beatles fell apart in the early 1970s, U2 have been around for four decades now. Although, through Paul McCartney the Beatles do "live on." His tours feature extensive setlists of Beatles songs - even those he didn't write and/or sing himself. Most notable is George Harrison's Something (1969).

Now, do I need to venture into political territory? Bono is really something of a next-gen John Lennon. U2 have been known for their political activism through their lyrics. Most noteably their 1983 record War and the hit Sunday Bloody Sunday about the then recent Bloody Sunday event in Ireland (in fact, Macca wrote a protest song, Give Ireland Back to The Irish on the subject matter too).

Many will say that U2 did many humanitarian things. The Edge has been an advocate for musical proficiency (the band was not very proficient in the late seventies and originally actually called themselves Feedback because it was then one of few technical terms they knew). In September 1997, they performed an unforgetable show in the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo reuniting the ethnicities there and as a way to reassure the people that happy days are in fact here again. The band played in many other political hotspots, Santiago, Tel Aviv, NYC, and Paris, to name a few.

The Takeaway?

 U2 may not be a "Fab Four" in their own right, but there music really will live on. I honestly can say that I hope if they ever split, Bono will try to keep their music and legacy alive in a simillar fashion Macca has done through the years.

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