U2 is soon remastering a collection of singles and B-sides for U2 to Love and Only Love: Deep Dives and B-Sides. “Discothèque” will commence the remaster releases.
What is U2 to Love and Only Love: Deep Dives and B-Sides?
It was announced on April 5 that U2 will be releasing a dozen remastered singles and B-sides that weren't released on digital platforms. These releases will come throughout 2024.
“While the U2 catalogue already glitters like a disco ball in the dance hall of on-line streaming, some of the re-mixes and live versions from collections released before the digital era haven't yet made it online… until now!” the announcement began. “Re-mix and live treasures abound from the physical world of vinyl, CD and cassette singles and now 12 newly remastered single collections are set to be released across this year.”
The remaster releases kicked off with “Discothèque,” the opening track and lead single from U2's 1997 album, Pop. “Discothèque” included 10 mixes of the song, from various radio edits to the single version, the release also includes two mixes of the B-side “Holy Joe.”
All of the “Discothèque” edits note that they're 2024 edits, so they're fresh remasters of the Pop tracks. U2's Spotify playlist for the collection also includes singles “Stay (Faraway, So Close!)” and “Lemon.” However, these are 2023 remasters, so it's unclear if these are truly a part of the Love and Only Love release.
After U2 released Zooropa, which won Best Alternative Music Album at the Grammys, they introduced a new sound. Pop introduced techno and dance sounds which were new to the band.
While Pop was by no means their biggest album, it has gained a cult following. The band rarely acknowledges it, though Bono sang a snippet of “Discothèque” during “Mysterious Ways” during the February 18 Sphere show.
What's U2 up to?
U2 just wrapped their first Las Vegas concert residency. From September 29, 2023, until March 2, 2024, they were playing at the Sphere. The 40-night residency celebrated their 1991 album, Achtung Baby, by playing it in full.
Bono, The Edge, and Adam Clayton were present for the residency. However, Larry Mullen Jr. sat out of the Las Vegas shows due to health issues. In turn, Bram van den Berg filled in and held his own amongst rock legends.
What comes next for U2 is unclear. They have spent the last decade in the Bono-centric “Songs of” era. This commenced in 2014 with Songs of Innocence. The album was mostly written about Bono's early life in Dublin in the '70s.
Songs of Experience followed the album in 2017. The album was a collection of songs written for Bono's loved ones after a near-death experience.
In 2023, after the release of Bono's memoir, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story, U2 released Songs of Surrender. The album was a collection of songs from the band's back catalog. They re-recorded the songs with new lyrics and arrangements for a new listening experience.
But after spending a lot of time looking back, U2 is surely cooking up something new. Before their Sphere residency, they released “Atomic City,” a tie-in for the Las Vegas residency. This was their first new single since 2021's “Your Song Saved My Life.”
In the meantime, U2 fans will have remastered deep cuts to dig into beginning with “Discothèque.”
Follow Us
Subscribe
