33 million people, according to Apple and Rolling Stone.

[Boglin]

UPDATE: Apple has released a statement to Rolling Stone sharing the number of people who have listened to Songs of Innocence in the first week. "We wanted to thank our customers and share our love of music by gifting them Songs of Innocence," said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. "Just six days after its release on iTunes, a record-breaking 33 million people have already listened to the album."

Bono Reveals Secrets of U2's Surprise LP 'Songs of Innocence' | Rolling Stone

Screw you, haters on twitter.

 

[JTbaby]

UPDATE: Apple has released a statement to Rolling Stone sharing the number of people who have listened to Songs of Innocence in the first week. "We wanted to thank our customers and share our love of music by gifting them Songs of Innocence," said Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. "Just six days after its release on iTunes, a record-breaking 33 million people have already listened to the album."

Bono Reveals Secrets of U2's Surprise LP 'Songs of Innocence' | Rolling Stone

Screw you, haters on twitter.

getting upset at twatters is like getting upset at dust

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

That's huge!

Now, we need to consider all the nuances of this...but 33 million users...unique users I assume...

 

[Irvine511]

"Listened to" is different from "downloaded."

I get that, for U2, the listening is the important part, but I wouldn't be waving that flag based on a technicality. This isn't "Thriller."


Sent from

 

[RobertWiscy]

"Just six days after its release on iTunes, a record-breaking 33 million people have already listened to the album."

My first response sounds offensive, I know, but:

33 MILLION PEOPLE! HOLY F---ING S--T!

 

[RobertWiscy]

"Listened to" is different from "downloaded."

I get that, for U2, the listening is the important part, but I wouldn't be waving that flag based on a technicality. This isn't "Thriller."

Sent from

I'm curious, and times are totally different, but did Thriller (one of the hugest albums of all time) really approach 33 million listeners in less than 1 week? That would have been basically impossible, no?

33 million is an absolutely incredible number...and in 6 days to boot. There has been nothing like it that I know of, ever.

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

Downloaded, listened to...that's a lot of people...period...

 

[Mrs. Garrison]

WoW

thats some good shit right there

 

[Irvine511]

I'm curious, and times are totally different, but did Thriller (one of the hugest albums of all time) really approach 33 million listeners in less than 1 week? That would have been basically impossible, no?



33 million is an absolutely incredible number...and in 6 days to boot. There has been nothing like it that I know of, ever.

I think Thriller sits at around 25m owned in the US alone ... Not going to Google that.

I'm just saying that while this is interesting information and in sure U2 is pleased, this isn't anything like selling 33m albums.


Sent from

 

[purpleoscar]

That's huge!

Now, we need to consider all the nuances of this...but 33 million users...unique users I assume...

It would make sense since if you add up all the illegal downloads you would get similar numbers to lots of popular albums. Look at youtube views (even if you count for repeat views) of popular albums. I'm sure they are similar numbers if not more.

Now if 10% or more want to buy tickets they'll be aware of the new songs.

I'm interested in back catalog sales.

 

[Boglin]

My first response sounds offensive, I know, but:

33 MILLION PEOPLE! HOLY F---ING S--T!

That about sums it up in my book

 

[RoKKeR]

God damn, more than I thought to be honest.

 

[RobertWiscy]

I think Thriller sits at around 25m owned in the US alone ... Not going to Google that.

I'm just saying that while this is interesting information and in sure U2 is pleased, this isn't anything like selling 33m albums.

Sent from

But it's more than "interesting information." It's 33 million listeners in 6 days which is incredible.

THIS is also why virtually their entire back catalog essentially dominated the iTunes charts for the past 6 days, e.g., October incredibly cracking the Top 100 (which warmed my heart so).

 

[mama cass]

getting upset at twatters is like getting upset at dust

 

[Reggie Thee Dog]

33 million people have heard this album...that's the point...I'm sure download numbers will be posted tomorrow or shortly thereafter...great news for U2!!

 

[david]

Well, they didn't have a choice. (Just kidding.)

 

[owl]

Well, they didn't have a choice. (Just kidding.)

Easy now.

 

[bono_212]

Here's some fun, as far as Unique listeners on just a single website goes for ya:

U2 – Free listening, videos, concerts, stats and pictures at Last.fm

 

[prbiker15]

33 million? Wow!

 

[Earnie Shavers]

So what does that number actually mean? It sounds like a heavily inflated number to combat the 'how-to-delete' news round earlier today. Betting it's 33m song starts?


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Int

 

[RobertWiscy]

The question that was discussed before this approach was taken was, "How do we get this to as many people as possible?" I think they hit on the answer for the current times and it makes me think of prior decades' mass marketing successes.

2010s: 33 million people on iTunes listen to U2's SoI in 6 days in September 2014
2000s: I don't know...iPods? YouTube too, prolly.
1990s: MTV Total Request Live? Then the WWW and MP3s.
1980s: MTV: Millions watch Springsteen, Jackson, Madonna, Duran Duran, Prince...and U2, boosting record sales and making them international stars
1970s: Probably radio? For example, Casey Kasem's weekly 4-hour show, America's Top 40 countdown which pretty much everyone listened to.
1960s: 73 million in the US watch The Beatles on Ed Sullivan in February 1964.
1950s: 60 million in the US watch Elvis on Ed Sullivan in 1956. (The New York Times screamed that Elvis' performance was vulgar and did a disservice to the nation's youth.)

Now imagine people back in 1956 if Twitter were around:

Angry TV Viewer, calling out Panasonic or whoever: How do I get this Nasty Unwanted Television Program off my TV screen?

Panasonic Customer Service Rep: There is an Off button on your TV set. Or you can change the channel.

Angry TV Viewer: Well, this was an assault upon my family, in the sacred confines of our living room, without our consent. By a vulgar longhaired punk singer who sounds Black. How dare you! I demand recompense for this invasion of my home!

Panasonic Customer Service Rep: Okay, we can offer you a refund on your TV.

Angry TV Viewer: That's not enough!

Panasonic Customer Service Rep: We can remove the channel number on which the offensive program aired, from your dial.

Angry TV Viewer: No! That's not good enough!

Panasonic Customer Service Rep: How about we'll come to your house to get your TV set and reimburse you 100%, and we'll throw in $25 for your troubles so you shut the F up?

Angry TV Viewer: Okay, fine, but I am still going to write letters to the editor, phone my Congressman, kvetch to the neighbors over the fence, and enlist the local PTA and our area chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution to put a stop to this garbage. This will not stand! This Elvis punk will be the death of our civilization if we don't stop him now!

 

[mikal]

So what does that number actually mean? It sounds like a heavily inflated number to combat the 'how-to-delete' news round earlier today. Betting it's 33m song starts?


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Int

I'm curious about this as well. Back when newspapers existed, they used to inflate readership all the time, especially when things got desperate.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[Dragonfave]

That's an amazing number. Now, I'm more curious than ever to see how many of those 33 million are willing to buy the physical release next month.

 

[Earnie Shavers]

I'm curious about this as well. Back when newspapers existed, they used to inflate readership all the time, especially when things got desperate.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

Don't think it's dodgy, probably just the largest figure they could find. Streaming film sites count a view/stream of a title as anything longer than 5 seconds. It's probably something like that. 33m times, 11 tracks, but how many unique people and for how long? I'd love to see the data across the album.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Int

 

[JTbaby]

That's an amazing number. Now, I'm more curious than ever to see how many of those 33 million are willing to buy the physical release next month.

I wouldn't imagine more than a couple hundred thousand.

No, this was about Back Catalog Sales, Ticket Sales, Generally keeping U2 in the public eye and maybe even about the mythical SOE.

 

[Moser]

 

[Hewson]

I'm curious, and times are totally different, but did Thriller (one of the hugest albums of all time) really approach 33 million listeners in less than 1 week? That would have been basically impossible, no?

33 million is an absolutely incredible number...and in 6 days to boot. There has been nothing like it that I know of, ever.

Its vague, I doubt 33 million people listened to the entire album, so one could say that more folks listened to some parts of Thriller its first week as a couple of the songs were in massively heavy rotation on all types of radio stations and MTV (even AOR stations were playing Beat It thanks to EVH's solo).

Obviously its great exposure for U2 either way.

 

[prbiker15]

"Accessed" is probably the right word to describe this development.

Apple: U2 Album Accessed by 33 Million Users | Billboard

Apple Inc. says 33 million iTunes account holders have accessed U2's free album.
The company issued a statement Monday (Sept. 15) from Senior Vice President Eddy Cue with the first usage numbers for the surprise Songs of Innocence release by the company. Apple gave the album to 500 million iTunes account holders last week during the company's iPhone 6 unveiling news conference.
Cue called the number record-breaking, but did not elaborate. The figure includes customers who downloaded the album from their iCloud account, streamed it or used iTunes' radio player to hear it. Apple paid the Irish rock band for a five-week exclusive window during which the album is only available to its customers. "Songs of Innocence" will be released Oct. 14 to the general public.

 

[Moser]

"Accessed" is probably the right word to describe this development.

Apple: U2 Album Accessed by 33 Million Users | Billboard

Wouldn't access then mean listen?

 

[Irvine511]

This is nice, but it's also intended to counter the negative press.

Every album is a campaign.


Sent from