iTunes sells U2 collection Nov. 23

[nurse chrissi]

Macworld Daily News

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Friday - November 19, 2004
iTunes sells U2 collection Nov. 23
By Jonny Evans



Apple will make the U2 digital box set available through iTunes on November 23, when the band releases its next album.


'The Complete U2' is a digital box set that includes U2’s 15 official albums. It contains over 400 songs alongside 25 rare, previously unavailable tracks. The set includes a PDF with band photos, album art and song lyrics.


U2 fans who buy the special edition U2 iPod benefit from a £40 discount against the £140 price of the collection.

 

[The OOTS]

I wonder if we will be able to buy individual songs from this set?
Anyone know?

 

[Paul Vox]

I don't own or know much about Ipods or Itunes...I'm wondering...are these mp3 type files? I understand that these files can't sit on your hard drive...only on the Ipod, right? Can't be uploaded, emailed, traded, etc? What about outputing the audio signal to a analog recording device then converting that new recording to wav/mp3, etc? Anyone tried this? I am just trying to figure out if I HAVE to buy an Ipod to hear these unreleased tracks.

 

[nurse chrissi]

You don't need an ipod to use itunes - your music can stay on your itunes library or you can make cds - here a link for ituns tutorial
http://www.info.apple.com/usen/itunes/windows/tutorial/index.html

The coupon I got with the ipod says that broadband connection is required for downloading the complete u2 (go figure with 400 songs)

 

[caylan]

I don't own or know much about Ipods or Itunes...I'm wondering...are these mp3 type files?

YES

Originally posted by Paul Vox
I understand that these files can't sit on your hard drive...only on the Ipod, right? Can't be uploaded, emailed, traded, etc?

They can sit in your hard drive, but there is a limit number of computers they can sit on (3).

Originally posted by Paul Vox
What about outputing the audio signal to a analog recording device then converting that new recording to wav/mp3, etc? Anyone tried this? I am just trying to figure out if I HAVE to buy an Ipod to hear these unreleased tracks.

You can have some1 burn them to a CD & then rip them into your computer. Then they become just WMA files & can be sent all over the place!

 

[Paul Vox]

Thank you, nurse.

I take it that these files/songs are not going to be floating around in any p2p or file sharing programs, though. Has anyone cracked the security yet...not looking to steal, just wondering what the current state of the format is.

 

[The OOTS]

Once you burn cds from itunes library, can you then convert the cds to mp3s and store them on your hard drive separate from itunes?

 

[The OOTS]

Nevermind...Caylan answered!

 

[Paul Vox]

You can have some1 burn them to a CD & then rip them into your computer. Then they become just WMA files & can be sent all over the place!

Ahh yes...that is what I wanted to know. So then, it a lossy file converted to WAV then back to mp3. Still should sound pretty good but certainly not the best.

mucho thanks

 

[caylan]

Nevermind...Caylan answered!

Of course the sound quality will be like a Xerox of a Xerox of a Xerox.

However, if yu ddecide you need all 400 songs remember that's over 26 CD's @ 15 songs per.

Ugh!

 

[caylan]

not looking to steal, just wondering what the current state of the format is.

Hey don't justify...not every1 can afford $450 worth of U2 stuff (iPod & Boxset).

However, In the long run, this is how we are going to acquire music anyhow. Online purchases.
The public just needs to be condition as such.

I mean, I use to complain about a 11.99 CD over a 8.99 cassette.
Just as long as we stop the pirates from selling the thing.

Share & share alike.

 

[learn2kneel]

Once you burn it to an audio cd, you can rip it to a non-protected mp3 form... thatd take a long time tho for 400 songs.

Also I think apple should release a press release or something that you can download music off the itunes music store and play it on your computer without an iPod. Noone seems to know this for some reason and it has to be reexplained everytime the itunes music store comes up on these boards

 

[The OOTS]

Well...I think I have most of the songs....probably 300+ just by owning the hard copies of all the albums....it is the other 100+ I am interested in purchasing (ie early non-cd stuff, remixes, b-sides).

That's why I hope they allow song by song purchases of this set.

Apple does need to clarify what can be done to the files after purchase. I can't help but thinking they clearly don't clarify on purpose.

 

[jmelrose]

I think the new album may be the lesser of the new releases on the 23. I think this box set may blow all us fans away. 400 tracks is a huge amount of music. If you look at iTunes currently, they have all the albums (including the redundant "Best Ofs", and over 50 B-sides/mixes/singles/eps) and there are just over 200 tracks. This box has double the number of songs which can be found there.

I was glad to see a liner note-style "booklet" will be available as a .pdf file with the purchase of the box. Hopefully it will be more than just lyrics and photos.

I think we're going to get all the albums, including HTDAAB in the box (plus the B-sides associated with it already ie: Vertigo remix, Fast Cards, Neon Lights, etc) plus at least a representation of live tracks from all their major tours. Bono said during the ipod music event that demos would be on there. I'm hoping maybe the long-lost Joshua Tree ones will surface, plus who knows what else. I'm guessing some acoustic stuff, possibly the tracks from the HTDAAB DVD. I would be amazed if some of the Achtung Baby demos don't make it on as well. I think there's a good chance some of the early demos, from 80, might make it.

Either way, this will be over a day's worth of U2 (26 hours, I'm approximating, if each song is avg of 4 minutes). Over a gig of stuff. I just can't wait.

Additionally exciting is the idea that this stuff, these 400 tracks, will all be mastered. They will be quite simple to release on CD somewhere down the road as a traditional box (although not the "Complete U2" collection, as that would be 30 CDs worth of material). Someday, when the band finally calls it quits, there will be a LOT of material ready to put out as a line of vintage U2 collections.

Even cooler is that the will be releasing shows on the tour, although I am not clear from what I've read if it will be something loaded onto the ipod at the venue, or something that can be downloaded via iTunes.

So, again, I suggest that while the new album is great, the box set is something I've been waiting for for many many years. And now it's less than a week from being virtually real.

 

[nurse chrissi]

If u2 does what Pearl Jam did with live concerts (which I think that they will - only on a larger scale) the concerts would be available on itunes the next day or something like that
My speculation is that if the download will come "free" with the purchase of the concert ticket. The ipod came with a coupon with a code on it - the concert ticket could have the same - talk about a cool little gift to go along with a concert
Prince did something along these lines when you got a copy of his newest album at the concert (it was included in the price of the ticket).
With U2 firmly connected with apple I see this as a viable and very successful option

 

[Guinness Stout]

I tried to install itunes to get ready for the box set, and i guess i am in the dark ages and have windows me on my computer-
i can't even download itunes- they only allow for windows 2000 or xp-anyone else have this problem or know if this may be changed in the future??