I always felt that too a point, certain DT single type songs were about 3-5 years too late.
This. DT is always late to the party most of the time, and sometimes ahead. I think Awake would have been a lot bigger in the late 90's or early '00s, when the whole grunge thing was off.
As for singles, Awake has the most potential on 6:00, Caught In A Web and in an ideal world, Lifting Shadows. I think Lie is a good single though, but not for the first choice.
On FII, the best were the leftovers, Speak To Me is an easy nice little ballad, one of the best by the band IMHO, simple yet beautiful melodies, and it doesn't sound dated like Anna Lee, I think it had potential. Cover My Eyes has potential but I think it wouldn't have worked, but maybe it could've gotten enough airplay for people to notice them. My favourites though,
with some SERIOUS editing, would've been Raise The Knife and The Way It Used To Be, there's something incredibly catchy and uplifting about their choruses. But then again, those are two songs that could've been huge in the '80s, not in the '90s.
To Live Forever stood a chance in the '80s, so Don't Look Past Me.
It's funny that I've seen most of the "hit potential" on their B Sides
, but maybe it's because I love those songs and they are the only ones that I liked on very first listen.
I still think that DT could've been more mainsteam than they were if they were given the chance, I mean if Muse could do it, I don't see the reason why the Awake-FII era DT couldn't. But then again, it's an unfair world I guess...