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U2's Bono Apologizes for Automatic 'Songs of Innocence' Album Download

It is so encouraging (sarcasm) to see all the hate on forums... Apple, Android, Samsung, Microsoft, etc...

Maybe I'm becoming more more of a hippy as I age, but I don't get the passionate hatred some users (here and other forums) have against for these corporations or artists...
 
mr.bee said:
Can you please change 'automatic download' into 'shove your music raste down my throat'.
Plus I didn't had that option on, it just got copied in my iCloud.

How American to think because it's free it should be respected?

It's like buying a sandwich and the waiter says: "I added mayonnaise, it's free and we all love it here". No is a perfectly fine answer to this pushy marketing strategy.

Regardless of taste in music, gesture, or social likability.
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I think it's more like the waiter adds a strawberry garnish to your plate, and you can eat it or not. Mayo on the sammich would be like them turning your iPhone into a brick, and Apple wouldn't do that. 8.01
 
Wow, you can't even give something away without a ton of complaints. I'm guessing most of it in America. I love the new album. It's the best one since auctung baby. I listen to it all the time. The last to songs are just ok, but the rest is great.
 
sualpine said:
Congratulations, America. You've forced an apology from someone who gave you something for FREE.
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I was thinking the same, while I'm not a U2 fan, I don't mind getting a free album. I didn't listen to much of it, but should I ever feel the urge, it's there.
 
sualpine said:
Congratulations, America. You've forced an apology from someone who gave you something for FREE.
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What would you say if I delivered 1000lbs of manure to your living room for free?

Be nice now, it is free after all. :rolleyes:

Since you bring America into the discussion, the song being free or not is irrelevant, what grinds our American gears is when people do anything to our stuff without our permission. I know it is probably in the EULA that they can do this, which is why we wont take Apple to court, but we don't accept this kind liberty to be taken with our stuff. We like Apple and we like their products, but we sure as heck are going to let them know that we do not approve of this type of behavior and we want it changed. Apple needs to ask first and let us choose for ourselves. They treaded on us and we don't like it.
 
Stop And Think?

It does not surprise me about some people's reaction and I agree with, don't download something without my consent.

Apple/U2 made a mistake, however if you stop and think for just a minute, I believe their heart was in the right place. They just went about it wrong to a lot of people.:cool:

I hope that some of the anger and hate I'm reading by some on (this thread) here is, not as bad as it sounds. It's must be a very draining life to some people if, this issue (free automatic download) has caused this bitterness!

I have a spinal cord injury from a motorcycle accident, I spent 3 months in the hospital, 2 major back surgeries, 2 years of rehab learning how to walk again(I will never walk normal from spinal cord damage). When I went through this ordeal, I realized how much these type of little disruptions in your life are nothing! My accident happened in 2003 and it changed me in a way most would not expect, I can laugh at this whole download issue, IT'S no big deal!

These little things happen and, I can only imagine a what a real tragedy would do to some of the people who view this, as a major interruption in their lives!

Just sit back and think for a moment, they apologized and were just trying to do a good thing, IMHO they did! Nobody got hurt, it doesn't take much to remove it and it.:cool::apple:

BTW I'm not a big U2 fan, I don't like the Bono politician side! Their music is ok and I kept the download.:cool:
 
JeffyTheQuik said:
I think it's more like the waiter adds a strawberry garnish to your plate, and you can eat it or not. 8.01
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except if you are one of the folks who opt to stream their music rather than store it on the device, and don't want to fart around with playlists, then it wasn't just added to your plate.

It was unceremoniously dumped right in amongst what you paid for without so much as a fork to pick it back out
 
The issue is that in the internet age the vocal minority is perceived as the overwhelming majority. A handful of people bitched and moaned about it but did so on Twitter and got exposure.
 
richdruitt said:
OK then, what if you live in a country where you don't have unlimited data?

I see a big problem. They didn't have to push it. I see something far more sinister at play here. Modern music charts are based upon downloads. When you have an album that has effectively been purchased by every single Apple customer in the world, then you cheat the music charts.

It's utterly disgusting behaviour from Apple and utterly disgusting behaviour by U2. I'm not surprised in the lack of morality or ethics by U2, but I'm totally shocked by the utter lack from Apple. They really are becoming an evil company.
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If you don't live in a country with unlimited data, then you shouldn't have automatic downloads enabled. You can also disable cellular data for automatic downloads.
 
I'm late to this thread...but this is 100% Apple's fault...not U2.

Apple OWNS the iTunes store, distribution model, technical infrastructure, iTunes thick client app, iPhone and other "i" devices, etc. U2 (like other artists) simply sells its music on iTunes (and other platforms and media).

Apple should be the one the apologizing.
 
spectrumfox said:
Do you consider the NSA and what they're doing to be a First World Problem as well?
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I do. It only affects people that have the enormous privilege to be able to own a computer or a mobile device. You should be happy to have that privilege, since a great part of the world's population don't have it.
 
flyinmac said:
People should understand what they use, and why and how it works. That doesn't mean they need to be a programmer. But, they should learn the basics and what the consequences of the various settings are.
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I agree with you, but most people just don't want to be bothered. It's sad.
 
spectrumfox said:
So if Apple decided you needed the newest Insane Clown Posse album on your iPhone without your consent, that wouldn't bother you?
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Nope, I just wouldn't download it (like I would have done with the U2 album if I didn't want it. And yes, I had to go actually download it to get it so people are whining over total BS, they didn't download it on your devices anyways!).

Hell, since it was free, I might even try it out (I have only heard of them, don't know anything about them). If I didn't like, well, then I don't download it. And make sure it's unchecked in case my machine tries to play something from the cloud.
 
tigress666 said:
Nope, I just wouldn't download it (like I would have done with the U2 album if I didn't want it. And yes, I had to go actually download it to get it so people are whining over total BS, they didn't download it on your devices anyways!).

Hell, since it was free, I might even try it out (I have only heard of them, don't know anything about them). If I didn't like, well, then I don't download it. And make sure it's unchecked in case my machine tries to play something from the cloud.
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N, a lot of people were reporting it downloading itself. Just because it didn't do it to you doesn't mean it didn't happen to others.
 
snorkelman said:
except if you are one of the folks who opt to stream their music rather than store it on the device, and don't want to fart around with playlists, then it wasn't just added to your plate.

It was unceremoniously dumped right in amongst what you paid for without so much as a fork to pick it back out
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Search "Songs of innocence" Uncheck boxes from songs.

There, that took less than a minute.
 
I think it was extremely gracious and decent of Bono to say sorry. Such humility ia probably quite alien to most on MR forums (its part of being a REAL man). Now the world can move on and stop crying into its soup over such petty non issues.

Wait... the world's *already* moved on? Ah yeah... nearly forgot.
 
GenesisST said:
It is so encouraging (sarcasm) to see all the hate on forums... Apple, Android, Samsung, Microsoft, etc...

Maybe I'm becoming more more of a hippy as I age, but I don't get the passionate hatred some users (here and other forums) have against for these corporations or artists...[/QUOTE

You will find it all over the internet. Much of it is down to a mindset that by bringing someone/something else down it is elevating an individual's self worth. Problem is it does not work.
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It fascinates me that people are so upset about this. I guess some people just need something to bitch about.
Personally I think it's great that one of the biggest bands on the planet gave away their latest record for free. If it was Beyonce or Lady Gaga or whoever I'd probably still download it. Why the hell not? I'm always curious about new music.
But hey - if you don't want to listen to it then don't. Problem solved.
 
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