Did U2 want it to leak? - Album to stream on My Space - ARTICLES REGARDING THE LEAK

[BWU2Buffs]

I'm seruiously betting that U2 will release the album any sec now. They may as well take advantage of all the marketing that goes along with a leaked album.

Maybe, but if I"m WalMart and Target I want them to hold off -- releasing it now suggests that most sales will be digital / online purchases -- WalMarts of the world probably want that date held and U2 to do everything possible to shut down leaks since a hefty chunk of their sales will come from in-store sales.

If I were WalMart or BestBuy ready to promote the shit out of the album and then U2 released the whole thing to iTunes, I would throw serious tantrum and threaten legal action.

 

[Niceman]

I pre-ordered the deluxe version, LPs, and a basic version of the album all from Amazon. Then when amazon.uk had their deluxe priced briefly at 17 pounds or so; I ordered one of those without canceling the first order. I'm not a thief. I'm putting Bono's kids through college! LOL! I feel no guilt over downloading a couple of weeks early what I'm going to buy multiple copies of as soon as its available!

And I don't think my plans are unusual at all for interferencers!!!

 

[ndmaxfield]

The people/persons that are going to get in trouble are whoever put those files up on the web for download/buying purposes. This is why we dont allow direct download links. I'm pretty sure they cant do anything to us since we are not the ones that made the original files available for download, and there are not download links all over this site.

ETA: Back when I think it was HTDAAB leaked.. there were download links posted all over this site.. ysi send space, etc. We got a few C&D letters from Universal by email as well as by regular mail telling us to remove them immediately. This is why those sites are censored here and you cant type them out. But really, what can they do to us if there are no links? I'm sure they have bigger fish to fry.

So what would happen if someone tried to get a copy of the album to a local radio station like WMNF in Tampa? Do you think they'd play it and would the sender (i.e., me) get in trouble? I paid for my copy Tuesday night, and I really want it blaring all over community radio.

 

[sue4u2]

And yeah....I'm buying the album anyway. Having the leak only makes me want it more!

and everything associated with it. B-sides, DVD, book, posters. It's on pre-oder. I'm listening to the downloads, but it won't compare to the delivery of the hard copies. I can't wait, well.. I will.

Exclusive: U2's new album 'No Line on the Horizon' will premiere on MySpace Music on Friday
Feb 19, 2009, 08:48 PM | by Adam B. Vary

Categories: Music, U2, Web/Tech

In a move that's becoming commonplace in the current fractured music landscape, U2 will premiere their highly anticipated new album, No Line on the Horizon, on MySpace Music starting tomorrow morning, the website revealed to EW.com exclusively. At 5 a.m. EST (2 a.m. PST) on Feb. 20, listeners can stream the entire album for free on U2's MySpace page (U2 on MySpace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music Downloads), meaning fans will be able to catch No Line on the Horizon well over a week before its official U.S release on March 3.

Technology is what it is.
My favorite local DJ is just chomping at the bit to play what she already has. She loves it and has played what she legally could.

 

[ramblin rose]

I still don't get how supposedly Napster Mobile had NLOTH for sale on it's website for almost a week and no one noticed except someone at @u2.com.

To be honest, I've been a bit skeptical about this Napster Mobile story. Something just doesn't add up. Did Atu2 actually post any real proof other than a reader saying he bought it over a week ago from there?

 

[flybabe]

when did HTDAATB leak cause I have no idea now. I heard somewhere it was 2 weeks before it actually release...Is this right??

 

[diamond]

From Allen Cross' Blog
The Music Geek Blog

The U2 Leak: Was It Staged?
Thursday, February 19, 2009


If there's one thing I've come to admire most about U2 it's their business savvy. Having dealt with their entire organization on a variety of professional levels over the years, I'm always impressed with how together the band and their management is.

Paul McGuinness, their chief overseer an Obi-wan went it comes to money, marketing and strategy, is one of the smartest people in music.

Could this have been...premeditated?

Think about it. U2 would have been monitoring the pre-release hype and the semi-tepid reaction to "Get On Your Boots" in certain quarters.

Why not crank everything up a notch by engaging in a little guerilla tactics on the marketplace? Why not arrange for an "accidental" release of the album through what, for most,

It wouldn't take much. Getmusic
is a legitimate online seller of music.

They also just happen to be the official digital portal of the Australian branch of Universal.

And to which label is U2 signed? Universal. And who owns the masters, the publishing and the copyright of all U2 songs? U2 themselves. In other words, it's there music and they do whatever they damn well please with them.

These tracks weren't pirated, either. From what I understand, they were actually purchased from Getmusic. .

U2's whole modus operandi
I’m still sceptical .

See.

This is what I meant.

<>

 

[Sicy]

So what would happen if someone tried to get a copy of the album to a local radio station like WMNF in Tampa? Do you think they'd play it and would the sender (i.e., me) get in trouble? I paid for my copy Tuesday night, and I really want it blaring all over community radio.

Send it anonymously? lol.

 

[Danny Boy]

when did HTDAATB leak cause I have no idea now. I heard somewhere it was 2 weeks before it actually release...Is this right??

HTDAAB leaked on a Saturday, a little over two weeks before the official release date.

I keep seeing these news stories saying the leak was from the disc stolen from a photo shoot, but I think the actual leak was from a disc stolen from a pressing plant. That CD from the photo shoot disappeared way more than two weeks before the album release.

 

[pmcgrath]

Yes. There's a torrent up at 320 now. Slightly better sound. I still want the bloody CD and DVD.

How can there be a 320 torrent out ? If the GetMusic tracks are 256, then that would mean there is another (new) rip/leak at 320....no ??

 

[Acrobatic]

So what would happen if someone tried to get a copy of the album to a local radio station like WMNF in Tampa? Do you think they'd play it and would the sender (i.e., me) get in trouble? I paid for my copy Tuesday night, and I really want it blaring all over community radio.

Excellent - do it! Although, regardless community radio or not, I guarentee they already have a copy. Radio stations get all kinds of stuff from the major labels so they get it on the airwaves. If we haven't heard it yet, it's b/c they are holding out.

I live on MNF, probably one of the best stations (definitely the best in Tampa). I gave up on them playing it though. Since Wednesday I don't think I've even turned on a radio, it's been all NLOTH, all the time. Best bet would be Sonic Detour -maybe tonight!! Call and request something off of it and see what they say. Hell, I'll do it on my drive home this afternoon during the Sonic Detour. I'll report back this evening.

I'm not too surprised I haven't heard GOYB yet but would bet if and when they start playing off of NLOTH it will be MOS, UC or WAS -first.

BTW - regarding MySpace. . .doesn't look like it's streaming yet, have only seen it on U2.com as reported in a separate thread and the sound quality is excellent.

 

[ponkine]

I have no idea why it happened, but thank fuck that it did!

 

[bugo]

It's almost as if the interference forum willed it into leaking. I thought you guys were all nuts thinking it would leak with your plethora of leak threads. I thought U2 would be extremely careful - and oh how they tried - to keep this album away from the internet. But no, interference interfered and got their way. Bravo.

 

[ramblin rose]

How can there be a 320 torrent out ? If the GetMusic tracks are 256, then that would mean there is another (new) rip/leak at 320....no ??

Maybe there has been a real leak from a CD (the type of leak we were originally waiting for).

 

[fullautoreverse]

The whole Get Music thing is totally premeditated.. its too close to home for that sort of blunder. A company of that magnitude would have testing servers etc..

Don't get me wrong, it was a great 'blunder' - and they got my $18 bucks.

PLEBA are a marketing machine. Good on them

 

[T_Mack]

Two local radio stations in my area are both playing the whole album this morning, a song every half hour or so. I'm not sure if they have permission or how all that works but it seems a little strange.

The general reaction from listeners calling in has been very positive so far...

 

[last unicorn]

But isn't the album supposed to be on Irish radio today, too?

 

[partygirl2u]

Fm96 London, Ontario are playing the album, a track an hour. They have stated "they have been given permission to play it. Track 5 next at 10:00am.

 

[T_Mack]

Fm96 London, Ontario are playing the album, a track an hour. They have stated "they have been given permission to play it. Track 5 next at 10:00am.

That's the station I'm listening to too... I love Tucker and Tazz.

 

[partygirl2u]

I Love fm96 ! Tucker and Taz are awesome

 

[Acrobatic]

Whatever happened to MySpace?? Only GOYB is streaming. I think EW received some mis-information or got so excited they heard streaming online and immediately assumed MySpace when in fact it is U2.com? Oh well. The U2 stream does sound nice, definite quality difference vs. Leak #1 (@256)

 

[Dragonfave]

4 ways U2 could have plugged the leak | musicradar.com

The author's suggestions:

a) Do a Radiohead
b) Turn it down!
c) Avoid putting material in public bins, suitcases
d) Make a fake album

 

[drumkeeran]

So I've been trying to be "good". After finding out the release date was going to be when I'm nowhere near a bricks/mortar store, I preordered the big package from Amazon (ship date in the middle of March). I download GOYB and preorder the download full package, cause I figure I can listen off my laptop and kids' shuffles. I'm trying to listen to the official U2.com member torrent AND NOTHING! I feel so freakin' old!! and starting to feel very foolish


OK I'm listening now on myspace music. I really don't feel like downloading mozilla and IE stinks! Thanks Save the Bird.

 

[Snowlock]

HTDAAB leaked on a Saturday, a little over two weeks before the official release date.

I keep seeing these news stories saying the leak was from the disc stolen from a photo shoot, but I think the actual leak was from a disc stolen from a pressing plant. That CD from the photo shoot disappeared way more than two weeks before the album release.

That's correct. It leaked first to Usenet (that was a fun afternoon, trying to figure out Usenet downloading lol) before funneling here and to torrent sites. The more I think about it, I think this was inentional.

1. Leaked from Universal itself. That's the big clue. Typically leaks go from Usenet to Torrent. And they're initially free. By leaking from Universal itself, they would be able to control initially the amount of downloads. And make a little cash in the process. I'm not aware of a paid leak before... And last, they didn't come from torrent sites first.

2. Quality of the tracks. Typically, leaks are of multi-bit rates. These were all the same and higher quality.

3. One time poster identified it. If this poster was from Australia or NZ, it'd weaken the argument. But if we could find out where the poster is from, (LA, London, NYC ) it would be quite the coincidence that they just happened to be on a little known Australian site, just happened to be on their at the time the album was available and just happened to waltz into a U2 message board to let us know via a hint and nice little nudge to go check it out.

4. Luke warm reception to first single. Boots debuted in the US at #35 (I think) on the Hot 100 and then fell out of the top 50 the next week. It hasn't faired better on rock/alt radio. And lets face it, everyone was talking about Coldplay, not U2 after the Grammys. Reviewers were stressing that Boots wasn't typical of the rest of the album and fans even on this very board weren't exactly raving. Buzz was ebbing, not building, among the non hard core and they needed a boost.

With one swoop, it's reversed. They need to follow up though with another single now. Just like Coldplay did. Violet Hill failed, and VLV came hot on its heels. Whichever they choose, Mags, SUC, or Crazy, they should strike now while buzz is building again.

Only thing I can't understand is why they didn't flood torrent sites a couple days prior with fakes. It was a good plan to let the die hards have an early look (if it was a plan) but to so easily let it go to the torrents where the casual fans can easily get a hold of it doesn't make sense.

Or it could have been a drunk intern. Fun conspiracy theory to ponder on a Friday anyway..

 

[U2girl]

U2 leaking intentionally ? Not with their protective-of-material history.

Plus if that happened, what's the point of a) releasing the album to radio or b) releasing it on MySpace ?

 

[ramblin rose]

3. One time poster identified it. If this poster was from Australia or NZ, it'd weaken the argument. But if we could find out where the poster is from, (LA, London, NYC ) it would be quite the coincidence that they just happened to be on a little known Australian site, just happened to be on their at the time the album was available and just happened to waltz into a U2 message board to let us know via a hint and nice little nudge to go check it out...

The thing was he didn't say anything about being able to buy the tracks. He actually came on to say he had found a site with longer samples, 1min. When everyone from here got on the site, someone else noticed that the buy button worked if you chose the tracks individually (not if you chose buy album). When he posted again he said he hadn't even noticed the tracks could be purchased. Apparently he was from the US.


I picture it this way. U2 figured the album would leak no matter what. It was just a matter of when. They put Larry in charge of monitoring the fansites so that they could be aware when the leak actually happened. By this last Tuesday, McGuinness gets a call from Larry saying,

"look this bloody thing has not leaked yet and I think the "leak" thread on Interference is about to start with the fucking Leak Puns again which I cannot take anymore . Please call one of your contacts at Universal and tell them to please give these people something else to obsess over. We need to help this leak along."

McGuiness says "okay no problem. I think I even have a way for them to pay for it. "

 

[Snowlock]

Well, I'm not trying to specifically defend my conspiracy theory because I'm not sure I believe it myself. But..

U2 leaking intentionally ? Not with their protective-of-material history.

Yeah, but a lot has changed since 2004. Plus if I were to really invest in the conspiracy theory (which I'm not prepared to), I'd say the reception/chart performance/buzz (lack of) of GOYB would really have been the catalyst for an official leak.

Plus if that happened, what's the point of a) releasing the album to radio or b) releasing it on MySpace ?

Well, that doesn't really make sense either way does it? I mean, whether the leak is official or not, why release to radio/my space now anyway? Its out there.

Rambling Rose; if the guys was from the US it heightens the argument I think. Regarding that he was talking about the clips, well, it would be exceptionally fishy if he had come right out and said "hey, go buy the album from this unknown site from the other side of the world that's available right now!"

 

[U2girl]

If they're worried about GYOB, they can always release a 2nd single sooner.

 

[Snowlock]

If they're worried about GYOB, they can always release a 2nd single sooner.

And if they chose the wrong one, risk sinking the album.

Speculating again of course, but NLOTH seems to be meant to be taken as a whole, rather than bought for a couple interesting songs. Are there any big cross over songs on this album? If (God forbid) U2 were to do another iPod commercial that could be broadcast during such disparate shows as Desperate Housewives, 60 Minutes or a Lakers game, is there any song other than Boots, that has the potential for that kind of mass appeal?

And if not then better to release the whole album early to regain some momentum lost by Boots' lukewarm reception...

 

[MMP]

If (God forbid) U2 were to do another iPod commercial that could be broadcast during such disparate shows as Desperate Housewives, 60 Minutes or a Lakers game, is there any song other than Boots, that has the potential for that kind of mass appeal?

Stand Up Comedy I think.