Calling people who use twitter twatters is as stupid as some if the comments you don't want people to get upset about.
33 million people, according to Apple and Rolling Stone.
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The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
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Calling people who use twitter twatters is as stupid as some if the comments you don't want people to get upset about.
Nick66
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
Hmmmm. What does "listened" mean I wonder. Clearly it doesn't mean downloaded.
Certainly if you listened to all 11 tracks it counts. What if you only listened to 10? Or 1? I have a friend who doesn't like U2 who only streamed the first 30 seconds of each track. LOL...I wonder if people who tried to delete but accidentally started playing a track count as "listening."
My guess is that you're among the 33 million if you clicked on one of the tracks and started streaming for any length of time (on iTunes or Beats), or downloaded it (and they have know way of knowing how among those who downloaded it actually listened).
Certainly if you listened to all 11 tracks it counts. What if you only listened to 10? Or 1? I have a friend who doesn't like U2 who only streamed the first 30 seconds of each track. LOL...I wonder if people who tried to delete but accidentally started playing a track count as "listening."
My guess is that you're among the 33 million if you clicked on one of the tracks and started streaming for any length of time (on iTunes or Beats), or downloaded it (and they have know way of knowing how among those who downloaded it actually listened).
cjboog
Refugee
The key here seems to be 33 million PEOPLE - we are talking about 33 million unique iTunes account holders. It's almost certainly true that "accessed" does not mean "listened to in full" but we are not talking about 1 person getting counted 11 times for listening to 11 songs. This is a monster number of unique people exposed to the music.
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BVS
Blue Crack Supplier
33 million, HMTMKMKM has 33 in it 
It's returning!!!
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It's returning!!!
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Nick66
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
33 million, HMTMKMKM has 33 in it
It's returning!!!
Yeah. And 3:33 was on the clock face.
Calling it now. Conspiracy.
They will want their money back if you are alive at 33 - never mind at 53 
I am quite enjoying all the U2 love and hate again means the band is back in business.
If nothing else they are certainly getting attention and in entertainment any attention is good attention.
I am quite enjoying all the U2 love and hate again means the band is back in business.
If nothing else they are certainly getting attention and in entertainment any attention is good attention.
Niceman
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
It has to mean the album was downloaded 33,000,000 times. Remember, despite claims to the alternative, Apple only added it to the cloud, users had to then choose to download.
Whatever number might have had their systems set to automatically download would have done so in the first day, and been a proportion of the first 200,000. After that? All intentional downloads.
RobertWiscy
Acrobat
It occurs to me that this is going to complicate the chances of getting tix next year...
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Niceman
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
Very much so, especially if U2 is playing arenas.
Nick66
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
LOL...anyone who thinks this record has been "downloaded" 33 million times. If it had been downloaded that many times, Apple would have said so. They didn't say "downloaded", they said "listened" to. If 33 million people downloaded it, that would be astonishing, and historic...the most downloaded record in history ten times over. Adele's record only had 3 million downloads. If 33 million people actually downloaded it, Apple would be taking out a full page ad in Variety and screaming it from the rooftops.
Apparently, some people aren't aware that the record can be streamed directly from iTunes or Beats radio, which is how the vast, vast majority of these 33 million people are hearing it.
Apparently, some people aren't aware that the record can be streamed directly from iTunes or Beats radio, which is how the vast, vast majority of these 33 million people are hearing it.
womanfish
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
Actually streaming is even better. That means they are actually listening to it. There may have been a lot of people that downloaded it but may not have even really bothered with it.
I don't see why there's skepticism on this number. We are talking about 5% of the people that had the opportunity to download or stream it did so. That seems pretty reasonable.
Now the interesting thing will be the final number before October 15th. That's a MONTH away and I can guarantee you a high percentage of people have no clue about this album yet and the downloading/streaming will continue.
My guess is they could hit 60 to 70 million "accesses" or "listens" by October 14th if not more
Moser
Refugee
Sam Smith garnered 80 million views on Youtube just from a rip-off of Tom Petty, so I can totally see 33 million people downloading a free U2 album.
Nick66
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
Yes, that's right...people are "accessing" it, probably by streaming. And my guess is that if someone even clicked on one track for a few seconds, that counts as one of the 33 million. And if they downloaded it, that counts as well...though again, Apple has no way to know if they listened or not.
womanfish
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
I'm not doubting they are squeezing every last number they can. But I think that we could say a good 15 to 20 million people probably gave the album at least a good sampling. And to be honest, that's what I give an album when I'm searching new music. I listen to 30 secs to a minute of 4 or 5 songs. If something doesn't grab me I move on. If it does, I delve in.
I think you're missing the important part that 33 million people had some interest in U2. A band once verging on irrelevance.
Nick66
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
I'm not doubting they are squeezing every last number they can. But I think that we could say a good 15 to 20 million people probably gave the album at least a good sampling. And to be honest, that's what I give an album when I'm searching new music. I listen to 30 secs to a minute of 4 or 5 songs. If something doesn't grab me I move on. If it does, I delve in.
I think you're missing the important part that 33 million people had some interest in U2. A band once verging on irrelevance.
No, I get it, it's all good. There's nothing bad about this for U2, even the gripes about how it's delivered. The worst thing for U2 is not being hated, it's being ignored. No matter what happens from this point out, what they've done in terms of this release is a success. It doesn't matter that had this been a conventional release it would have been lucky to seek as much as NLOTH...no U2 record, no matter how good, is ever going to do Adele type sales. They probably would have sold in the neighbourhood of Ghost Stories, maybe a little more, maybe a little less. In that case, all the stories would have been how U2's time has passed...to the extent anyone paid attention at all. So, for them, there's no bad press here.
But as it is, they've got their hype, their precious relevance, and their credibility is (relatively) intact. They've put out a sold collection of mainstream songs that I think would be hard for anyone to find objectionable. And they're well set up for the tour...which is the whole point anyway.
Harry Vest
Refugee
Are you serious?!?! October in the top 100!!!! That's the best U2 news I've heard in decades!!!!!
gweeps
War Child
Does this include worldwide statistics?
mama cass
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
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that is what i can't get my head around with all the complaining - it took me a while to work out how to download it, especially onto my phone... i had to actively seek it out and click on things lol
"Mr 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."
So basically the 33 million figure is from downloads and streams?
So basically the 33 million figure is from downloads and streams?
Dragonfave
New Yorker
Now up to 77 million, according to Dave Fanning. 
Now up to 77 million, according to Dave Fanning.
Holy Crap
if they can get this figure to over 100 million then they should shout it from the roof tops,release it to every media outlet with a letter saying "screw you"
I wanna see all these reporters that have already written articles saying "its a flop" eat their words!
hasin73
Refugee
prbiker15
Blue Crack Addict
Just heard that. Impressive if it's true.Now up to 77 million, according to Dave Fanning.
Reggie Thee Dog
Blue Crack Addict
LOL, all those reporters writing the 'flop' angle are doing nothing more than providing more publicity for U2. I think this was more a shrewd strategy, than a misguided crapshoot. 77 million listens, whole album or not, pretty impressive.
doctorwho
Rock n' Roll Doggie VIP PASS
In a new interview, Lady Gaga - who has an album coming out on Tuesday - was asked: "U2 released its new album alongside Apple, and Jay Z and Beyonce also released recent albums in unconventional ways. What do you think about that and do you think of innovative ways to release music when readying a project?"
Her response was, "I think honestly what we need to be doing, and this is my opinion, is instead of trying to find ways to trick the world into focusing on the album for a brief moment, I think that artists need to speak more about how media treats the artists and making the distinction between the celebrity and the artist, because everything is all in one pool now isn't it?"
I don't find Gaga's response offensive, but it is naive, which is odd given her success. I get what she's saying regarding "tricks" and people, like the Kardashians and Paris Hilton, being celebrities for no apparent reason. HOWEVER, if she really thinks the media will suddenly be more kind (as she alludes to later in her interview) or more supportive of actors and musicians, then she isn't in touch with reality. Oddly, she even goes on to admit that the media likes to build up, then tear down. With that in mind, unless her new album produces a few really catchy tunes, as she's done in the past, it will not make much noise beyond after its release. That may not be fair, but that's the world we live in now.
SOI apparently now has 77M downloads? While all free, how many would U2 have with a normal release? How many will then go buy the CD or request the songs on the radio? How many will then want to buy U2's next album or see them on tour?
I think this is an interesting experiment and I'm curious to see how it plays out.
Her response was, "I think honestly what we need to be doing, and this is my opinion, is instead of trying to find ways to trick the world into focusing on the album for a brief moment, I think that artists need to speak more about how media treats the artists and making the distinction between the celebrity and the artist, because everything is all in one pool now isn't it?"
I don't find Gaga's response offensive, but it is naive, which is odd given her success. I get what she's saying regarding "tricks" and people, like the Kardashians and Paris Hilton, being celebrities for no apparent reason. HOWEVER, if she really thinks the media will suddenly be more kind (as she alludes to later in her interview) or more supportive of actors and musicians, then she isn't in touch with reality. Oddly, she even goes on to admit that the media likes to build up, then tear down. With that in mind, unless her new album produces a few really catchy tunes, as she's done in the past, it will not make much noise beyond after its release. That may not be fair, but that's the world we live in now.
SOI apparently now has 77M downloads? While all free, how many would U2 have with a normal release? How many will then go buy the CD or request the songs on the radio? How many will then want to buy U2's next album or see them on tour?
I think this is an interesting experiment and I'm curious to see how it plays out.
Lady Gaga has an album out on tuesday?
Its 77 million listens via dowloads or streaming i persume.
It is interesting how this will pan out.some press reports would have you think its flopped after the first week which is a joke. Its a long process and we wont see if this is a success or not until the tour comes round.
100 million downloads and listens
1 million record sales(coldplay have are the top selling album this year with 2.5million)
Sold out tour
That would be the 3 things that would make this apple thing a massive success
CosmoKramer
Rock n' Roll Doggie
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She has been successful but that success is fading fast and these "tricks" she speaks of are going to be part of the new model. Whats ironic is she has marketed herself by putting her songs in car commercials and selling her album for $1.49(I think that was the sale price). Those tactics are just different forms of "tricks"( really marketing ploys) to get people to buy your product.
Oh, and with regard to my "fading fast" comment about her success:
The Fame: ~12 million in world wide sales(#2 selling album of 2009 and #1 selling album of 2010)
Born this way: ~6 million in world wide sales(#2 selling album of 2012)
ArtPop: ~1.7 million in world wide sales(# 25 selling album of 2013)
I imagine her new album (didn't even know about it) will follow the downward trend. Perhaps some new "tricks" would help
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Lady Gaga doesn't want musicians to use gimmicks?
Ummmmm...
Ummmmm...
roy
Refugee
Another U2 article from The Guardian:
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/sep/21/u2-album-protest-apple-free-download
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http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/sep/21/u2-album-protest-apple-free-download
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