# New U2 album free to all iTunes subscribers **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 9, 2014, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-u2-album-free-to-all-itunes-subscribers/697995 "2014-09-09T18:59:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![woodstockbirdybird](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/woodstockbirdybird/32/7905_2.png) [@woodstockbirdybird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/woodstockbirdybird)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2014, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-u2-album-free-to-all-itunes-subscribers/697995/61 "2014-09-12T17:09:22Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > Oh just one more. It’s not like they can keep this going until the end of the world. “40”. Hey, nobody said these had to be relevant or coherent. ---
**Author:** ![SuperNelson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@SuperNelson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuperNelson)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2014, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-u2-album-free-to-all-itunes-subscribers/697995/62 "2014-09-13T16:46:56Z")
> [@Shaggy\_Z](#): > > I had to go to preferences -\> store, then check “show itunes in the cloud purchases”. > > Then I went to album view and the album was there with a little cloud icon next to each track. I clicked each cloud to download the tracks, then went back to preferences and unchecked that box. Thanks, Shaggy! I’ve been looking for days under song view. Clicked over to album view, and there it was! ---
**Author:** ![computergeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e56c9b/32.png) [@computergeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/computergeek)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-u2-album-free-to-all-itunes-subscribers/697995/63 "2014-09-14T21:53:58Z")
Billboard will not count this as it’s free, similar to how they didn’t count the Jay Z/Samsung deal. They will only count it when it actually goes on sale in a few weeks I believe Apple paid U2 $100 million for this, so the band makes out no matter what, and they’ll make more money when they go on tour ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-u2-album-free-to-all-itunes-subscribers/697995/64 "2014-09-14T22:04:47Z")
For Apple, this gives them publicity and some U2 commercials on the heels of a major product release. They probably have the rights to images and the songs for commercial purposes. For U2, this puts them back on the map and primes the pump for their next album, which will be released in a couple of months, and the subsequent multi-year tour. (The 360 tour grossed $736,421,586!) I’m hoping/expecting/figuring that “Songs of Experience” will be a bit more rocking. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2014, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-u2-album-free-to-all-itunes-subscribers/697995/65 "2014-09-14T22:11:57Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Unfortunately, it’s a bit of a flop. I like U2, but the album has no major or significant hits. Not one great song. > > Still, free is nice. I spoke too soon, here. I pushed through and put the album on continually when I’ve had time the past few days. I actually like about 4 songs and think Breaking the Wave is an excellent song. Not in the top level of albums, but not bad by any means. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2014, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-u2-album-free-to-all-itunes-subscribers/697995/66 "2014-09-15T13:17:52Z")
> [@SuperNelson](#): > > Thanks, Shaggy! I’ve been looking for days under song view. Clicked over to album view, and there it was! I will follow the same instructions. Sometimes you can’t make it on your own. I listened to it on the way to work today and it’s not bad. I mean it’s basically just like every other earnest, heartfelt U2 album. So it might have more of an impact if I never heard a U2 album before. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-u2-album-free-to-all-itunes-subscribers/697995/67 "2014-09-16T04:34:41Z")
if you don’t like it, they have a support site just for that. Apple Built a Tool to Remove That U2 Album from Your iPhone > **[Apple Built a Tool to Remove That U2 Album from Your iPhone](https://finance.yahoo.com/news/apple-built-a-tool-to-help-remove-that-u2-album-from-97580969324.html)** > > The company has dedicated an entire support site that shows iTunes users how to remove U2’s new album, “Songs of Innocence,” from their libraries. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2014, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-u2-album-free-to-all-itunes-subscribers/697995/68 "2014-09-16T13:56:15Z")
I’ve listened to a few songs from the new album, and it seems consistent with their output since 2000, not worse. Which is to say, not nearly as good as their great work, but still listenable. I do like the new song “Iris (Hold Me Close)” but that might be because Bono wrote it about his mother, so there’s real feeling behind it. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-u2-album-free-to-all-itunes-subscribers/697995/69 "2014-09-18T15:34:08Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > Since the song manages to be the polar opposite of everything the Ramones stood for (and that made them great), I suppose it’s some kind of achievement. [Apparently his family and friends disagree with you](http://www.musictimes.com/articles/10305/20140916/joey-ramone-brother-marky-ramone-u2-tribute-song.htm). “I loved it. It’s Bono’s interpretation and his spirit, but it also captures Joey’s spirit. He described my brother’s spirit well. I think he got just what Joey would have wanted out of it.” Marky Ramone said he was grateful to U2 for penning the song, and friend Jesse Malin remembered how welcoming Bono was to Joey when they met backstage at Saturday Night Live in 2000. ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-u2-album-free-to-all-itunes-subscribers/697995/70 "2014-09-18T15:47:08Z")
> [@MacTech](#): > > While I’m not one to complain about a “free” album, I think there is some overreaction over the whole “apple is forcing the album on us”, from what I can tell, nothing is being forced to the iDevices or iTunes, all Apple has done has set a flag in the user’s song database that says “U2 Songs of Innocence album purchase = True” > > Basically, it shows your account as having purchased the album, but until you download it, it’s not on your devices or in iTunes until you choose to download it > > Should Apple have done it differently, yes, perhaps a download code you need to enter, but it’s not a major issue (First World Problem) I agree. The whole thing screams “Hey, I’m not mainstream! I’m a Hipster goddamit! I don’t care that I can get it for free. It’s more valuable to my image to have people SEE me saying I don’t like goddamn US. LOOK AT MEEZZ!!” ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-u2-album-free-to-all-itunes-subscribers/697995/71 "2014-09-18T15:56:56Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > if you don’t like it, they have a support site just for that. > > Apple Built a Tool to Remove That U2 Album from Your iPhone > > [Apple Built a Tool to Remove That U2 Album from Your iPhone](https://www.yahoo.com/tech/apple-built-a-tool-to-help-remove-that-u2-album-from-97580969324.html) I can’t tell if that is a parody site or not. I mean, you can just delete the songs. Unless they have harnessed the power of the undead, they’ll stay gone. I see they showed up in my library, but I don’t know if they’ll start playing in random rotation unless I officially download them. They haven’t yet, at any rate. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2014, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-u2-album-free-to-all-itunes-subscribers/697995/72 "2014-09-18T16:06:30Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Can I opt out? I guess because my hybrid is set up to immediately download all purchases, and I left the wi-fi on, I came home to find it already listed with my “recently added.” Not having any luck deleting it. Any time I have bought music from iTunes it has been a headache. Looks like getting stuff free is a headache too. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-u2-album-free-to-all-itunes-subscribers/697995/73 "2014-09-25T15:51:55Z")
Well, upon repeated listens, I have to say it is a bit of wish fulfillment for me. Well, not for me, but for Bono, I guess. Going back 10 years or so, watching his douchey diva public behavior and all, I kept asking if he even remembered being Paul Hewson, that kid growing up in Ireland. If he remembered being a normal person and was even remotely capable of connecting to himself and others on that level anymore. And the lyrics of this album are all about remembering that kid, in those circumstances. Now I guess we’ll see if the behavior improves. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-u2-album-free-to-all-itunes-subscribers/697995/74 "2014-09-25T16:46:43Z")
In Rolling Stone, David Fricke gave it all 5 stars. I’m serious, not posing a hypothetical. ::grabs popcorn:: ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2014, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-u2-album-free-to-all-itunes-subscribers/697995/75 "2014-09-25T17:51:51Z")
One of my fave bands, but they gave Floyd’s The Final Cut 5 stars too. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-u2-album-free-to-all-itunes-subscribers/697995.md?page=3)