Apple Users Express Frustration Over New U2 Album
When Apple released U2’s highly anticipated new album Songs Of Innocence this week it came as a shock to fans, yet for many the move was an anger-inducing invasion of their devices.
U2’s newest album, its first in five years, appeared this week automatically on the devices of every iTunes user, as The Inquisitr previously noted. Apple distributed the songs through its iCloud service, which means that while the album appeared in the music app on devices, the data wasn’t physically stored there until downloaded (except in cases where the device’s auto-download feature was enabled).
Despite this fact, many Apple customers saw the free album not as a giveaway, but as an overly aggressive marketing tactic, according to CBS News, with many voicing their frustrations on social media.
Apple giving its customers U2’s new album for free is confusing a lot of people http://t.co/OgaVot8zPX pic.twitter.com/1VJOgZSnMZ
— The Next Web (@TheNextWeb) September 11, 2014
i was naked and vulnerable in the shower listening to songs on shuffle and it started playing the new U2 album i feel so violated by apple — Dan Howell (@danisnotonfire) September 11, 2014
Love U2’s new album “Unwanted Guests” with songs like “Get Informed” “Bono’s Christmas Rap” and “You Didn’t Pay For This”
— Michael Kupperman (@MKupperman) September 12, 2014
Technology is scary. The new U2 album is on all of our iPhones now (go check) and I wouldn’t even download a U2 Album if I was drunk. — Allen Lewis (@itsallenlewis) September 12, 2014
According to Billboard, Apple paid U2 a blanket royalty for the album, though the amount hasn’t been disclosed. As part of the deal, Apple has also reportedly promised a $100 million global marketing campaign. The album will be exclusive to iTunes for five weeks following its September 9 release, a fact that has some retailers up in arms. According to U2’s new manager Guy Oseary, however, the band has taken steps to ensure that the commercial release has viability.
“There’s four brand-new songs, and Gary Kelly [Interscope’s head of retail sales] can tell you there’s a bunch of acoustic versions of songs from the album, too. So it’s probably gonna be anywhere between nine or 11 songs that were not on the standard. Retail is important, too, we’re not trying to alienate anyone. We’re just trying to reach our potential, and it happens to be with a company that is very forward-thinking. U2 is part of the Apple story, and Apple has played a big part in U2’s life.”
Apple users who don’t want the new U2 album can swipe left on each song and delete it.
[Image via The Daily Mail]
