Songs of Innocence downloaded 26 million times, 81 million 'experienced' songs

[TheEnd]

Yeah, basically iTunes/iCloud isn't really set up to give everyone the album without the possibility of having it automatically play via either iCloud or automatic download.

Someone at Apple should have known this but it was probably just an executive decision of "let's do this." To be honest, I doubt U2 cares much about it. Apple might but it will blow over.

 

[Popmartijn]

There were some people who didn't go over their iTunes settings. They didn't turn offturned on automatic downloads, they didn't hide their iCloud content (which meant that whatever was in their iCloud appeared in all of their devices and could be played automatically), etc.

Corrected your post. Automatic downloads is turned off by default.

 

[Nick66]

The show, he said, are to reflect "the two sides of the band".

He's also saying that they'll be going outdoors after Experience is released

Innocence & Experience.

Cosmo, remember what I told you about the tour the other day?

 

[Earnie Shavers]

There were some people who didn't go over their iTunes settings. They didn't turn off automatic downloads, they didn't hide their iCloud content (which meant that whatever was in their iCloud appeared in all of their devices and could be played automatically), etc.

It's the other way around - the default is 'off' for automatically downloading 'purchased content'. If you had it turned on, because you quite like it when the series pass you purchased automatically downloads each episode each week in time for your commute, it presumed you had both purchased the U2 album + wanted it downloaded. A lot of people disagreed on both points, for some strange 'twitter kids today coldplayradiohead Santa Claus biggestbandintheworld hipster douche hater' reasons.

 

[Nick66]

It's the other way around - the default is 'off' for automatically downloading 'purchased content'. If you had it turned on, because you quite like it when the series pass you purchased automatically downloads each episode each week in time for your commute, it presumed you had both purchased the U2 album + wanted it downloaded. A lot of people disagreed on both points, for some strange 'twitter kids today coldplayradiohead Santa Claus biggestbandintheworld hipster douche hater' reasons.

I wonder which part of the word "purchased" caused confusion for Apple & U2.

 

[prbiker15]

Corrected your post. Automatic downloads is turned off by default.

I always thought it was the other way around.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

I wonder which part of the word "purchased" caused confusion for Apple & U2.

Well, they were after a different headline.

 

[Nick66]

Well, they were after a different headline.

Sure. But I doubt "U2 Raped My iPhone" was what they had in mind.

Hey, you had the best release idea ever.

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

So does there was nothing wrong with this release argument still hold up when U2 themselves says it wasn't supposed to go the way it went?

 

[CosmoKramer]

Innocence & Experience.

Cosmo, remember what I told you about the tour the other day?

Giddy up!

I hope you're right.


Sent from my iPad using U2 Interference

 

[ImNotSleeping]

David and womanfish, you are making too much sense on here!

 

[stray dog]

So Bono has stated in Rolling Stone that the release was NOT supposed to go the way it did... that the songs were not supposed to go automatically to anyone's iThing, and that it was supposed to be in the cloud where people could have it for free if they wanted it.

He's also saying that they'll be going outdoors after Experience is released, and yes, he's even saying that Songs of Ascent will be the third part of this trilogy.

Birth Life Death

 

[rennowba]

2nd biggest selling album worldwide doing 190,000, thats 220,000 in total

 

[crazyu2]

So the album is number 2 in the world even though it was free for one month That really is a success

 

[rennowba]

So the album is number 2 in the world even though it was free for one month That really is a success

The only album that sold more was that country album in the states. So outside america it was the top selling album

 

[womanfish]

The only album that sold more was that country album in the states. So outside america it was the top selling album

Remember also that U2 was on this chart last week with around 40k from partial week sales from certain countries. Now they move up to 190k with a full week. So they have done pretty well. European sales have been crazy. 40k in Italy in one week. 50k in France in a week and a half. 20k in the Netherlands first week.
Spain and Portugal both posting really good numbers. Also heard Brazil sold a bunch but haven't seen numbers yet.

 

[Salome]

I understand what you're saying. I guess I'm trying to wrap my head around the fact that Netherlands, a country with 1/20th the population of the US, sold almost as many copies as in the US.
Are tastes truly that different? It's selling like crazy in France/Spain/Portugal as well...

The US can't deal with all the U2 awesomeness.
That is also why the US will get the acoustic first leg of the tour and Europe the electric second leg.

 

[womanfish]

This is hilarious. From Mediatraffic, the site that does the world sales chart.

After the trouble with the free album download on iTunes a few weeks ago, the new U2 effort 'Songs Of Innocence' fails also at retail. Compared with the former albums, the first week sale-results of the new effort are disastrous. Some comparisons: 'Songs Of Innocence' earned only 28.000 copies in the USA, the former album 'No Line On The Horizon' moved massive 484.000 units in its debut frame. In United Kingdom the new set sold 16.000 copies in its initial week, the former effort opened with 158.000 sales. Globally 'Songs Of Innocence' starts at no.2 this week with 195.000 sales, 'No Line On The Horizon' was a big no.1 smash with stellar 1,18 million initial sales. It's clear, one reason of the terrible sales is, that million of iTunes user having a free copy of the album, another reason are the sharply falling album sales worldwide. But on the other hand it seems that the Irish rock legend U2 has passed their zenith.

Then later in the article - talking about US charts it states that the album generated 26 million downloads in one month.

You just want to reach out and slap these idiots. The "troubled" Apple release garnered 26 million downloads. I would love to see what a month-troubled release would do!!

They gave the album away free for a month, and it is number one in at least 8 countries and top ten everywhere else. Number 2 worldwide and that's "disastrous"?!?!?!?

Jesus

 

[stray dog]

This is hilarious. From Mediatraffic, the site that does the world sales chart.

After the trouble with the free album download on iTunes a few weeks ago, the new U2 effort 'Songs Of Innocence' fails also at retail. Compared with the former albums, the first week sale-results of the new effort are disastrous. Some comparisons: 'Songs Of Innocence' earned only 28.000 copies in the USA, the former album 'No Line On The Horizon' moved massive 484.000 units in its debut frame. In United Kingdom the new set sold 16.000 copies in its initial week, the former effort opened with 158.000 sales. Globally 'Songs Of Innocence' starts at no.2 this week with 195.000 sales, 'No Line On The Horizon' was a big no.1 smash with stellar 1,18 million initial sales. It's clear, one reason of the terrible sales is, that million of iTunes user having a free copy of the album, another reason are the sharply falling album sales worldwide. But on the other hand it seems that the Irish rock legend U2 has passed their zenith.

Then later in the article - talking about US charts it states that the album generated 26 million downloads in one month.

You just want to reach out and slap these idiots. The "troubled" Apple release garnered 26 million downloads. I would love to see what a month-troubled release would do!!

They gave the album away free for a month, and it is number one in at least 8 countries and top ten everywhere else. Number 2 worldwide and that's "disastrous"?!?!?!?

Jesus

Meanwhile back at the batcave U2 are counting their money, have millions of new listeners, and are trying to decide how much more money they want to take from us via concerts. Yeah u2 is screwed all right. Rock and Roll is dead. No one even cares anymore so the music industry is over and all bloggers just pack up your bags because nothing matters anymore. The critics have become necromancers.

 

[hasin73]

This is hilarious. From Mediatraffic, the site that does the world sales chart.

After the trouble with the free album download on iTunes a few weeks ago, the new U2 effort 'Songs Of Innocence' fails also at retail. Compared with the former albums, the first week sale-results of the new effort are disastrous. Some comparisons: 'Songs Of Innocence' earned only 28.000 copies in the USA, the former album 'No Line On The Horizon' moved massive 484.000 units in its debut frame. In United Kingdom the new set sold 16.000 copies in its initial week, the former effort opened with 158.000 sales. Globally 'Songs Of Innocence' starts at no.2 this week with 195.000 sales, 'No Line On The Horizon' was a big no.1 smash with stellar 1,18 million initial sales. It's clear, one reason of the terrible sales is, that million of iTunes user having a free copy of the album, another reason are the sharply falling album sales worldwide. But on the other hand it seems that the Irish rock legend U2 has passed their zenith.

Then later in the article - talking about US charts it states that the album generated 26 million downloads in one month.

You just want to reach out and slap these idiots. The "troubled" Apple release garnered 26 million downloads. I would love to see what a month-troubled release would do!!

They gave the album away free for a month, and it is number one in at least 8 countries and top ten everywhere else. Number 2 worldwide and that's "disastrous"?!?!?!?

Jesus

What a sorry bunch of REPORTING !!!

 

[Airseven]

The only album that sold more was that country album in the states. So outside america it was the top selling album

But America is the standard. And U2 want to sell in America. Nobody cares if it's #1 in Portugal. That's low hanging fruit for this band.

 

[lemonfly]

But America is the standard. And U2 want to sell in America. Nobody cares if it's #1 in Portugal. That's low hanging fruit for this band.

Yep. There is absolutely no question that the US market is the one U2 care about the most. By far. America has always been their litmus test for every album and tour. If something fails there (or even if the perception is that it failed) they spend the next three years trying to figure out what went wrong. Pop sold well in territories outside the US. Didn't stop U2 from practically disowning the album.

 

[Salome]

Yep. There is absolutely no question that the US market is the one U2 care about the most. By far.

That must be then why all their appearances so far promoting the album so far have been in Europe.

 

[Babydoll]

Yep. There is absolutely no question that the US market is the one U2 care about the most. By far. America has always been their litmus test for every album and tour. If something fails there (or even if the perception is that it failed) they spend the next three years trying to figure out what went wrong. Pop sold well in territories outside the US. Didn't stop U2 from practically disowning the album.

I dunno why they do that. I'm going to put in that in the whole "America is an idea" thought that Bono's had in his head for the past couple of decades. They seemingly crave to be relevant in the US.

 

[lemonfly]

That must be then why all their appearances so far promoting the album so far have been in Europe.

You're not very good at the witty/snarky riposte. But keep at it. Practice makes perfect!

 

[Salome]

You're not very good at the witty/snarky riposte. But keep at it. Practice makes perfect!

?
So they haven't focussed all their promo appearances for the album on Europe so far?
Interesting. I must have missed something.

 

[CosmoKramer]

?
So they haven't focussed all their promo appearances for the album on Europe so far?
Interesting. I must have missed something.

Germany, Italy, Ireland, England, France and California(the gig that started it all


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[lemonfly]

?
So they haven't focussed all their promo appearances for the album on Europe so far?
Interesting. I must have missed something.

Um, I really don't know what you're trying to get at here. They did the big appearance in California (which garnered the most media attention, obviously), now they're doing promo stuff in Europe, they may well go back to America later. So - what's your point? Let's just say something got lost in translation and we'll leave it at that, shall we?

 

[CosmoKramer]

Well, keeping on topic with the thread title, Bono stated on the Late Late Show that the album has now been experienced by "about" 100 million people (he then stated at least 1 or 2 songs that meant) and downloaded by 30 million.


He then commented that they achieved with this release in 3 weeks what took Joshua Tree 30 years. He also said something along the lines of "there is now a whole new generation of U2 fans out there". I believe that was their goal and they may have achieved it.


Sent from my iPad using U2 Interference

 

[lazarus]

He also said something along the lines of "there is now a whole new generation of U2 fans out there".

More power to them but that statement seems a bit premature. They still need to promote the fuck out of this thing and have an exciting tour.