After listening to these today I declare Depeche Mode the winner in this duel for the xmas compilation cash-in!

The depeche mode one hold better together that the U2 one! (Guess it's the reflex of the band who made better music!)

after the two volume/two disc dealie DM put out a while back, i don't feel like i need anything else.

of course, this is like the kajillionth U2 collection too, and i don't feel like i need any of 'em since they're played to death on classic radio anyway.

Neither package was all that great, missing key singles, ignoring complete albums, and including too many recent tracks. And since both groups have such vast catalogs, condensing everything onto one disc is almost impossible.

Since they both have 18 songs, we could match 'em up song for song.

Personal Jesus vs. Beautiful Day
Just Can't Get Enough vs. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Everything Counts vs. Pride (In the Name of Love)
Enjoy The Silence vs. With Or Without You
Shake The Disease vs. Vertigo
See You vs. New Year's Day
It's No Good vs. Mysterious Ways
Strangelove vs. Stuck In a Moment You Can't Get Out Of
Suffer Well Where the Streets Have No Name
Dream On vs. Sweetest Thing
People Are People vs. Sunday Bloody Sunday
Martyr vs. One
Walking In My Shoes vs. Desire
I Feel You vs. Walk On
Precious vs. Elevation
Master And Servant vs. Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own
New Life vs. The Saints Are Coming
Never Let Me Down Again vs. Window in the Skies

Personal Jesus vs. Beautiful Day
Just Can't Get Enough vs. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For
Everything Counts vs. Pride (In the Name of Love)
Enjoy The Silence vs. With Or Without You
Shake The Disease vs. Vertigo
See You vs. New Year's Day
It's No Good vs. Mysterious Ways
Strangelove vs. Stuck In a Moment You Can't Get Out Of
Suffer Well vs. Where the Streets Have No Name
Dream On vs. Sweetest Thing
People Are People vs. Sunday Bloody Sunday
Martyr vs. One
Walking In My Shoes vs. Desire
I Feel You vs. Walk On
Precious vs. Elevation
Master And Servant vs. Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own
New Life vs. The Saints Are Coming
Never Let Me Down Again vs. Window in the Skies

Axchi696 said:

Both are for the casual fan who just wants the biggest hits, although they tacked on the new material to try and sucker in the die-hards. Of course, the die-hards and completists will buy them anyway.

I did a nice U2 compilation featuring all the singles up through The Unforgettable Fire, starting with Out of Control. It's perfect for one disc. I'm really into the old stuff lately for some reason.

Was "A Sorta Homecoming" a single, BTW? I included it because I swear I remember seeing a video for it and hearing it on the radio, but it wasn't listed as a single on the discography page I saw on some U2 site.

NorthernLad said:

Nope; only two singles were pulled from Unforgettable Fire: the title song and Pride. Even "Bad", which has become one of U2's most classic songs wasn't a single.

I've been listening to the Unforgettable Fire album a lot lately; I never used to consider it one of U2's best works, it always got lost inbetween the two masterpieces that surround it in their catalog. I don't know what changed, though, because I can't get enough of it now. There are so many underrated songs on the album; "Wire", "Promenade", and "Indian Summer Sky" never seem to get any love.

Depeche Mode by a LANDSLIDE.

Should I got to decide, I would go with Depeche Mode.

Not sure why either is coming out with one. DM did it a few back and so did U2. Each offer was a 2CD deal. Now they are 1CD offerings that really just give you songs off the new one mish mashed with others. It seems more money grabbing than anything (Like didn't DM come out with a remix GH a couple of years back too)

GH compilations, for me are a love/hate affair. They have to be done right. I was so upset when Erasure came out with a GH and it was SO lacking (POP was ready to be updated) but the DVD had everything. Pet Shop Boys came out with PopArt that year as well. That was MUCH better than Erasures as it not only gave you an update from the earlier collection but gave you single versions of the newer track. To me that was done correctly.

Neither was necessary in the slightest. They both should've waited about 5 more years.

Axchi696 said:

Interesting... I see there were promo singles printed for "Wire" and "A Sort of Homecoming". I never really considered "Wire" as a possible single. I swear I remember seeing a video for "A Sort of Homecoming" but maybe I dreamed it.