The album's not free (not an album quality discussion)

[JTbaby]

I hope everyone loving this "free" release isn't going to complain about concert ticket prices on the next tour !

Not sure this will be positively received by musicians in less-than-superstar bands trying to make a living selling music, it also sends a message (imho) to the joe-public masses that music should be free (if I don't have to pay for U2 why should I pay for insert_artist_here) so the few that have a conscience and were paying for recorded music now have a precedent to justify not paying.

In some ways it's kinda sad to me as a 35-year fan to see them go for the "look at me" stunt rather than just go make a great album. Which this may be, but not on first listen it isn't.

Happy to have new U2, not thrilled about this move though.

Love the album cover though !

 

[bobsaget77]

Some people just cant be happy. This is one of the most amazing/shocking moments ( musically at least) of my life. Yet people are complaining.

 

[rennowba]

Who gives a fuck I'm listening to u2's new album get a grip my friend and enjoy it!


Sent from my iPad using U2 Interference

 

[xmarcx]

Actually they made it quite clear that they are not into free music either--Apple paid them to have it up on itunes until the physical release in October.

 

[Sicy]

How is it a 'look at me' stunt? At this stage in their lives with all the accomplishments and all the money they've made, why not have it free for their fans for a while? I'm sure they do it solely for the love of music at this point vs. money.

 

[xmarcx]

I am not going to go as far as say they are not out to make money--they are just being smarter about where they expect those funds to come from....This is a win win situation

 

[JTbaby]

Oh come on, music megastars announcing a new album giveaway at the biggest worldwide product launch of the year isn't a "look at us" move ?

Wait till the concert ticket prices are announced then tell me they're only doing it for love of music !

 

[powerhour24]

Actually they made it quite clear that they are not into free music either--Apple paid them to have it up on itunes until the physical release in October.

I think that was a joke, Apple has nothing to gain from this really.


As for this whole thing, they are in victory lap stage of their career and can do this, they're not someone that any up and coming artist can really look at their tactics for inspiration because times are very different now. Beyond a few burn bright and fast pop stars no one artist reaches the size of audience rock stars used to. U2 has been very clear that they're reenergized with the thought of getting their music out to the fans, why they do what they do, and this stunt (along with Invisible) sure as hell proved that.

Besides, we're at a point where the vast majority of artists have to live or die by live show revenues. And good, it's harder to be a successful talentless hack in front of people that paid dozens of dollars to be there.

 

[kingofsorrow]

Will you get a discount on tickets if you purchased a new iPhone or the Apple watch


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[singyourlife]

All artists charge a fortune for concert tickets these days. You're looking at £70 average, in my experience anyway. When they release the tickets, and you think the price is outrageous, then just don't go? In all sincerity, not trying to be clever.

 

[JTbaby]

All artists charge a fortune for concert tickets these days. You're looking at £70 average, in my experience anyway. When they release the tickets, and you think the price is outrageous, then just don't go? In all sincerity, not trying to be clever.

I get mine for free now

 

[PennyLanePHINS]

But U2 fans are going to buy the Deluxe Album in October...I bet it even hits #1. (not that it takes much to hit #1 nowadays...some albums do it without even hittin 100,000 copies). There's enough new content to warrant it (4 new songs, plus acoustic versions of these songs). So, while this basic album is free, if you want the whole package you still need to pay.

 

[singyourlife]

I get mine for free now

Not sure if that's a genuine statement, or a witty comment which I'm too slow to understand... but if that's the case, then great - why are you trying to warn us all that we'll be sorry when they release the ticket prices? Let us decide for ourselves what we think?

 

[DaveC]

Let's be real, nobody outside the 16-24 crowd other than big fans was going to drop $10 on a U2 album just to take a listen. It's not 1992 anymore, and I'm glad they realized that. This one is free, and I'm sure lots of people who wouldn't ever think twice about listening to U2 if they had to pay for it will give it a shot. They'll head off most of the piracy this way (why bother downloading a torrent if it's already in you iTunes for free) and get a better idea of the number of people actually listening to the music.

Plus I can guarantee that they want to use this one to build the fan base so they can put out another one before Christmas, at full price of course, and reap the benefits on the back end.

 

[U2BROTHR]

I love how they think outside the box. Jay-Z did this with Magna Carter on the Samsung device.... However..... it didn't count for Billboard sales.

Regardless. LARGEST RELEASE OF ALL TIME......

Amazing. Don't ever doubt this band.

 

[gvox]

The music is great, it's going to make the people who would normally buy the album want to, even more, to get the full quality audio.

And even more people want to come to see them live.

They win. The end.


Sent from my ass crack

 

[JTbaby]

Not sure if that's a genuine statement, or a witty comment which I'm too slow to understand... but if that's the case, then great - why are you trying to warn us all that we'll be sorry when they release the ticket prices? Let us decide for ourselves what we think?

No, it's true, my company has a corporate box at both Honda Center and Staples, and I don't care for Arena sports so I get early dibs on the concerts instead.

And I don't think I ever told you what to think, just repeating the old maxim that there's no such thing as a free lunch.

I'll save the told you so's for when the tour is announced.

 

[Nick66]

U2, like many big artists, make their money on tour these days. The album basically reason to tour...I don't know that they really lose much in terms of dollars, pounds and euros releasing it "free". And it's not like it's totally "free" for them...Apple certainly paid. I will say, I thought Bono was a bit self-conscious about the whole "free" thing...like he knew it would be perceived as kind of a stunt by a band that can't sell records to the "kids" anymore. And Apple will certainly get use out of the commercial, which I presume was a big part of the reason for the deal.

I'll really be interested to hear the wholes story about how all this came together one day. Like I said in the other thread, there will be plenty of time to talk about what this all means for the future of U2 tomorrow, but for today we have new music, and to my ears it sounds pretty damn good.

 

[xmarcx]

Apple did pay---Straight from the WSJ:
‘Songs of Innocence’—and Commercial Experience - Speakeasy - WSJ



“We’re not going in for the free music around here,” Bono joked on stage. Apple didn’t pay a traditional wholesale price for each of the 500 million albums. Instead the company paid Universal and U2 an undisclosed lump sum for the exclusive window to distribute the album. Universal plans to piggyback on the big push for “Songs of Innocence” to promote the band’s 12 older albums, a critical factor for a veteran rock band. The band’s recent albums have shown a steady decline in sales even steeper than the overall industry trend. “No Line on the Horizon,” from 2009, has sold 1.1 million copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan. That’s down from 3.3 million copies for “How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb,” and 4.4 million copies for “All That You Can’t Leave Behind,” released in 2000.

As part of the deal forged by the band, manager Guy Oseary (hired by U2 last year to replace longtime manager Paul McGuinness) and Universal, Apple also made plans to use the first single from the album, “The Miracle (of Joey Ramone),” as a central element of a global, 30-day television advertising campaign for its new iPhones and Apple Watch. The campaign is believed to be worth around $100 million, according to a person familiar with the talks.

 

[adenoid_hynkel]

geez

I've had great seats for U2 on every tour, and have never paid more than $60 for them.

You have zero evidence to back up your fantasy of ticket prices going through the roof.

It doesn't fit the band's history. They're more interested in making their music accessible to the masses than going the Rolling Stones $600-per-seat, playing- for-hedge-fund-managers route.

You just got a great new album for free, and another is on the way. If you can't appreciate that, why do you even follow the band.

 

[trojanchick99]

No, it's true, my company has a corporate box at both Honda Center and Staples, and I don't care for Arena sports so I get early dibs on the concerts instead.

And I don't think I ever told you what to think, just repeating the old maxim that there's no such thing as a free lunch.

I'll save the told you so's for when the tour is announced.

I'd rather pay for floor than see a concert from a suite, especially at Staples. I bet they will be at the new Forum this tour anyway.


Sent from my iPad using U2 Interference

 

[thatsnotmypuppy]

My issue isn't the free aspect or the ticket prices. I am more annoyed that they decided instead of a free download on their website they are using iTunes exclusively.

I flat out refuse to give Apple a goddamn cent of my money (admittedly not a factor with this gimmicky release) or agree to their ridiculous terms and conditions - and thus I will grab the album from a torrent site. I will still buy the physical copy - however I really detest this kind of marketing ploy.

Yay. iTunes has 500 million users. That leaves 6.7 billion that don't. Way to alienate a huge chunk of your potential market.

 

[Izzy.nyc]

Slightly off topic but -- Will the physical release include the second album, "songs of experience"


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[Yahweh]

Oh come on, music megastars announcing a new album giveaway at the biggest worldwide product launch of the year isn't a "look at us" move ?

Wait till the concert ticket prices are announced then tell me they're only doing it for love of music !

The Apple press conferences are all about "Look at us", to me this was a brilliant marketing move by U2, they understand that money isn't made on album sales anymore but tickets flowing out the door on a massive tour.

By the way U2 were also paid an undisclosed amount by Apple to release this exclusively.

I think its a win win situation for U2, old fans and new fans alike - I don't have a problem with what they've done at all, they've always wanted to make quality music for the masses.

 

[U2BROTHR]

I think its a win win situation for U2, old fans and new fans alike - I don't have a problem with what they've done at all, they've always wanted to make quality music for the masses.

AND BE THE LARGEST RELEASE IN HISTORY.......

I think I said that already in a previous thread.

 

[BVS]

I hope everyone loving this "free" release isn't going to complain about concert ticket prices on the next tour !

Not sure this will be positively received by musicians in less-than-superstar bands trying to make a living selling music, it also sends a message (imho) to the joe-public masses that music should be free (if I don't have to pay for U2 why should I pay for insert_artist_here) so the few that have a conscience and were paying for recorded music now have a precedent to justify not paying.

In some ways it's kinda sad to me as a 35-year fan to see them go for the "look at me" stunt rather than just go make a great album. Which this may be, but not on first listen it isn't.

Happy to have new U2, not thrilled about this move though.

Love the album cover though !

I'm not even sure where to start with this one.

Rock N Roll is "look at me", album releases are "look at me".

How this could be sad to anyone, especially a U2 fan is beyond me. After a long career they are giving you a gift. They made someone else pay for it, that is brilliant.

Read Bono's open letter he addresses this.

This thread smacks of a "look at me" stunt.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[david]

Today U2 managed to get their new album distributed to 500 million people.

 

[cobl04]

I hope everyone loving this "free" release isn't going to complain about concert ticket prices on the next tour !

Not sure this will be positively received by musicians in less-than-superstar bands trying to make a living selling music, it also sends a message (imho) to the joe-public masses that music should be free (if I don't have to pay for U2 why should I pay for insert_artist_here) so the few that have a conscience and were paying for recorded music now have a precedent to justify not paying.

In some ways it's kinda sad to me as a 35-year fan to see them go for the "look at me" stunt rather than just go make a great album. Which this may be, but not on first listen it isn't.

Happy to have new U2, not thrilled about this move though.

Love the album cover though !

what? it's a great idea. you're out of touch man.

 

[Elvis]

This is almost better than when Discotheque was leaked.

 

[Yahweh]

Ahhhh those were the days hey Elvis