U2's 'Songs of Innocence' Accessed Over 33 Million Times Since Start of iTunes Promotion

[JCCL]

Being U2 one of my favorite bands, I was very happy when they announced the album release. I didn't expect it to be this good, it is definitely a grower. Can't stop listening to the second half, Cedarwood Road & Raised by Wolves are awesome.

But I agree, they should have made it free to download, but not force it in the account. I like U2 so I'm not bothered by it in this particular case, but I would not like to have some hip hop or rap album forced into my account.

And by the ones that say they are irrelevant........yes, that's why every tour they do keeps breaking attendance record, and in most venues it is really hard to score tickets......completely irrelevant they are.

 

[Lansylator]

Because they forced it on people, they didn't offer it to us. Your a typical U2 fan assuming that anyone that doesn't like U2 has no taste and that we are all wrong to not like them.

All people asked was to have to have the choice to get the album or not, we were not offered that, it was shoved forcibly at us whether we wanted it or not so people are annoyed. Im really not sure why this is so hard to grasp.

Sorry I upset u so much. I bet u r a Maroon 5 fan! Haaaaaaa!

 

[KazKam]

Marco Arment gets it. His post best explains what the real problem with this promotion was, and I think what's really eating at a lot of the people that are pissed off but can't quite explain why it rubbed them the wrong way...

http://www.marco.org/2014/09/16/this-u2-album-really-does-suck

 

[richdruitt]

It wasn't the fact that it was free that bothered me. I get junk mail pushed through my letterbox for free. I don't appreciate that either. It's that the choice to say "no thank you" was taken from me.

As a customer, I shouldn't have anything forced upon me that I'm not comfortable with. I knew that they were giving away the album for free, if I wanted it, I would've been more than capable of downloading it myself, just like I do with the iTunes single of the week free track.

I used to like U2. I loved them in the old days, but frankly, Bono just gets on my nerves. The man has an ego the size of Saturn and frankly, I'd love to wipe that smug unearned grin off his face. I still like their old stuff sometimes, but I've no interest in anything new from them, free or not.

 

[skaertus]

6.6% is a great number, at any scale.

No, it is not. If you consider that everybody got the album for free, and that it was nearly automatically downloaded, then it means that only 6.6% of these people had some interest in listening to the songs. That is not a great number. It may be reasonable or even good, but not great.

 

[mariusignorello]

And if you thought this complaining was bad, wait till iOS 8 hits public access tomorrow... I'm avoiding all tech blogs for a loooong time

 

[rtfmoz]

Marco Arment gets it. His post best explains what the real problem with this promotion was, and I think what's really eating at a lot of the people that are pissed off but can't quite explain why it rubbed them the wrong way...

http://www.marco.org/2014/09/16/this-u2-album-really-does-suck

I don't agree. It does not download automatically, you have to trigger the download in purchases window so there is no crossing of boundaries or wasted storage as he put it.

Quite simply it is a free album. If your thinking about it this much, your overthinking it. As of 13th October it goes away anyway.

 

[inscrewtable]

...

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They do these things by making selective apps on the App Store free on occasion. The ridiculous issue people have here is they think Apple has made them a U2 fan without their permission.[/QUOTE]

I don't think making an app free for a while is going to enrich the world. I'm just saying that to spend the sort of cash Apple would have spent to buy the Album outright and give it away free, that they could have instead got a lot more value for their money and genuinely enrich the world by purchase a basket of titles from TTC and give that away. The true value would be priceless.

I find it a shame that Apple missed a trick here to really do something special rather than just use it as a cheap advertising stunt. Which is what it is.

 

[MrSmith]

More amazing would be someone paying for it.

 

[chirpie]

At what point will the hipsters say "I hated U2 before it was cool to hate U2"?

That's been going on since 1987. ^_^

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No, it is not. If you consider that everybody got the album for free, and that it was nearly automatically downloaded, then it means that only 6.6% of these people had some interest in listening to the songs. That is not a great number. It may be reasonable or even good, but not great.

If our promotions in the click through industry got a 6.6 rate, we'd be thrilled. They're usually in the 1 to 3% range.

 

[shady25]

I hate that band and their stupid Apple ad that pops up every five minutes on tv. The album should have been available to download by people who are actually fans. I've never liked U2 and never will. Decrepit ass group.

 

[AntoineLec]

Jon Lajoie

To my ear, U2 songs are not different from Jon Lajoie's "Please Use This Song". At least Jon Lajoie lyrics are honest..

 

[roadbloc]

I agree. Why do people who don't want the album have to be so hateful? I really don't understand. Wouldn't 'not interested' suffice? Maybe they are closeted droid users? Or maybe they are just 'too cool' and would rather listen to the new Maroon 5 album? Haaaaaa!

BTW, this is an excellent album, if you can put your hate aside and just give it a listen.

I don't suppose the hate is actually because the people hating think the album is garbage? If Apple had given me a decent album free I don't think I'd have an issue.