The fans giving them shit for this are in the minority.  What this album is, is giving fans studio versions of the songs the way Bono has been performing them during his solo shows promoting his "Songs of Surrender"  book.  The song selection isn't strange as the songs are those Bono speaks of in his book and what they meant to him.

Also U2 has stated they are working on new material for a new album and have been for a while now. It's not far off. They aren't promoting this as their new album. Simply the reimagined album. They know fans want new music but they also know fans have enjoyed these shows by Bono with the songs being performed in a new arrangement.

Also the songs will all be likely acoustic and toned down and sung in a  different key which in all likelihood makes it easier for Bono to sing as he ages. So now if they decide to toss in one of these reimagined songs on their next tour and perform it this way, fans won't be shocked and will likely be happy to have heard them this way as it will be familiar. It allows them to be more versatile in their live shows in a way.

Also think of it this way. Sometimes people just wanna chill at home with some soft music in the background and they don't feel like having Achtung Baby or Boy playing at their full tempo. This album will fit nicely in that regard and it will also be a much more pleasing album to play in coffee shops or lounges.  Maybe some people think that's lame but let's face it they're getting older as is their fanbase and sometimes hearing slower acoustic versions of songs you love is cool. U2 has never done this before and the fact they are doing it big with 40 songs that span their career is actually cool.  Anyone can sit here and say there are too many songs missing but those songs will be different for each individual. There's 40 songs here.  That's 3 or 4 albums worth.  So they don't have Mysterious Ways or Bullet the Blue Sky. They do have Wild Horses, 11 O'clock Tick Tock, and Two Hearts Beat as One though.  You can't have every song in the discography.  So you get a few more deep cuts rather than singles which have been featured prominently their entire career. That's cool.

At the end of the day some bands *cough cough.. GnR*  haven't done a damn thing other than tour since 2008 and in the minds of some since 1993. U2 has released music consistently the last 22 years, albeit slowing down, but that's the way things go as bands age. I will admit my initial reaction to this was also that is' lazy but the more I think about it, at this stage of their careers this is actually a cool move by U2.

I managed to get badass seats for two shows  for their upcoming tour. August 23 & 25........ 2024

I dig the new song. It's not their best ever but I like it.

Now you know how the rest of Canada feels when you guys get shows and the rest of the country doesn't. Montreal ain't that far.

They literally did a stadium tour in North America in 2017. They played all over the place. I saw them in Denver and had friends who went to Vancouver and Edmonton, all stadium shows. Volbeat / Gojira and Avenged Sevenfold opened for them.

Over the years I've always noticed that Civil War really seems to be the one GnR song non fans and even those who say they suck can agree on and say is a great song. If I were to show a non fan a GnR song it would be Civil war and then possibly Nightrain.

I would add It's So easy to this. Also you're right about Jungle.  in terms of firing up a crowd, Welcome to the Jungle is THE song. It gets played regularly at sporting events to this day and does the trick every single time.

I can't say I agree with KOHD or Used to Love here being in this category. I'd pick songs like Rocket Queen and Mr. Brownstone instead of those two.

I don't care about any new single unless it's something they've written and recorded from complete scratch since they reunited.

It depends on the day I guess. I love the obvious ones like Jungle and SCOM, Rocket Queen is killer but I find that to be two songs in one and I like the final 3 minutes infinitely better than the first half. It's So Easy is pure attitude. YCBM is what hooked me onto GnR. Coma is epic but you don't always wanna listen to it.  dead Horse to me is their most classic rock sounding song. Nightrain would probably be the one song I'd show to a newbie who had never listened to them before.  Civil war is so badass. If I had to choose though with a gun to my head it would probably be SCOM, but in all honesty November Rain is their crowning achievement.  Honestly I don't know. How do you pick just one?