Why is this needed? We love the original versions of these inspiring songs. Until The End Of The World and many other titles have been stripped of their intense energy to become a lounge act. This is not going out on a high note!

Either U2 is beyond parody or they’re just trolling us at this point by pretending to check every box of an over-the-hill legacy act: anniversary tours, expensive tickets, endless callbacks to their heyday, and now a $20 cash grab of 40(!) mostly acoustic versions of their old songs. Even The Beach Boys would be embarrassed. If you did’t want to accept this band jumped the shark years ago, then force yourself to listen to this snooze fest in which half the band seems to be largely absent. Minimum effort possible is about the best way to summarize this and the fact that the Edge and Bono try to sell this as having actual artistic merit says all you need to know about how far these guys have fallen. I wanted to give 2 stars just for giving decently inspired versions of underrated songs like “Dirty Day” and “Electrical Storm” and material from the Boy album. But then I listen to the most lifeless versions imaginable of One and the JT hits and nope, I can’t do it. And using band member photos which are 30 years old in some cases for the album cover….this has to be a joke, right?

Ugggghhhh. This is the first U2 Album I won't buy. Every song sounds the same. Little dynamnic. It just makes me want to listen to the old versions and reminds me of how much better those were. One song sounded ok: 11 O'Clock was ok. “What are you gonna do when it’s all been said? No new ideas in the house And every book has been read”

I THANK GOD FOR U2 🤙🏻

40 songs? $30 dollars? There are 12 outstanding remakes, about a dozen good but not great remakes. The rest is disposable filler. They should have picked the best 14 and kept the rest for a 20 year anniversary box set. The next U2 album better be a classic to recover from this.

I was avoiding this remastered album but having listened to after the Sphere show two weeks I am thrilled with version. Of course most songs do not match the INTENSITY of the original ones but replaces it sheer clarity and beauty of the lyrics….. As I have aged with group, I am open to this delightful version. If they perform a new tour, especially at the Sphere again, it would be magical if they could some of these songs with Before/Now versions! Can you imagine Live Aid ‘Bad’ in the background with this version of Bad live!!!!!

In modern terms, the true test of an album is how many songs you would add to your playlist. There are four albums of material here, and I've listened to and then added almost every single song from every one of these four albums. How can that be anything other than a five star review?!?

They were once great. Bono's preachiness is overdone and SERIOUSLY making ALL of them look like one big joke now.

There's a reason I didn't listen to this until 9 months later ( today). After reading interviews with the band about this I knew exactly what it was going to sound like. This is a boring waste of time . The original versions of these are slow and mid tempo and need the instruments and layers. These songs all have Bono and one instrument and all sound exactly the same. No seriously , I could throw any one of these songs on during the non vocal parts and even the most diehard fan couldn't tell which song it is. It wouldn't have helped but, Bono could have it least did some vocal musicianship . Instead he practically talks the vocals. absolutely dreadful !

Sorry, but these guys can do whatever they want. We have all loved every vision of their creations and this is no different. I for one am grateful they have been kind enough to share these very special versions. As Bono says, these are songs of the world, for the world. Not supposed to appeal to all, but be a message to all. We are too often not kind towards looking at things in a different way; so this invitation to go back to the basics is also one to go back on your steps and reminisce of yesterday. This album will just hold your hand along the way.