Why is Bono saying sorry??

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that follows U2.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
Scorpionac said:
I still think the band should have simply released the album with a "Download? Y/N" prompt on iTunes. And preload it onto all new iPhones as a bonus. That would have solved the whole issue. It's when people aren't given a choice to accept or deny the "gift," that's when they perceive the band as presumptuous. What do you bet many people would have said "why not?" and downloaded the album, just to check it out.

News story becomes "World's biggest band offers new album for free" rather than "World's biggest band forces new album on you."
Click to expand...

I tend to agree with you, but the problem goes back to insecurity though...what if that many people just didn't download it...when it's free? That would be a disaster of epic proportions. Sure, as you said, a lot of people would have checked it out, but it would have been a gamble. And the story would have been about how less people download the new U2 record for free than paid for the new record from X (whatever the hot record was that week).

And if they went the "opt-in" download route, they couldn't say it was the "biggest record launch in history". It was dumping the album in people's iTunes library that enabled them to be able to make that claim...that was kind of the whole point.

BWU2Buffs said:
How could the band be disappointed in "actual sales" after giving the thing away for free? That does not calibrate IMO.
Click to expand...

Well, they did create a deluxe version of the record with 11 bonus tracks, have apparently shot several (probably expensive) videos, and are doing lots of promotion starting about now, all presumably to get people to buy the record, so they must have have some hope and expectation for how many copies they'll sell. I think we can all agree that if they sell zero copies of the record they'd be disappointed...so somewhere between 0 and X there's a number they're hoping for, and anything below that is a disappointment.

And certainly they have hopes that the record will sell for other digital content providers (like Amazon) and in particular the brick and mortar retailers who have been their long term partners. Not to mention their label.
 
I wonder how many downloaders had iTunes set to automatically download purchases. I've always had that feature turned off. When U2 surprise released the album I had to physically go in and download the album. It didn't automatically appear for me.


The owls are not what they seem.
 
mikal said:
I wonder how many downloaders had iTunes set to automatically download purchases. I've always had that feature turned off. When U2 surprise released the album I had to physically go in and download the album. It didn't automatically appear for me.


The owls are not what they seem.
Click to expand...

Same here. In fact, it took me a few minutes and a text from my friend to figure out how to actually download it. I had to adjust my preferences and everything. That's why I was surprised when some people were like "OH MY GOD I CAN'T GET THIS VIRUS ALBUM OFF MY ITUNES!!! I HAVE BEEN RAPED AND VIOLATED!!!!" I thought "just don't download it", but then I realized some have it set automatically.

I'll bet U2/Apple were also mystified by the backlash. They knew many people wouldn't want it, some would be mildly annoyed at having to go to the effort of deleting it, but who could've predicted this? I don't agree with the way they released the album, just because it's a little too "LOOK AT ME", but this doesn't deserve that strong of a reaction.
 
So my daughter just told me that Jimmy Kimmel's opening monologue tonight included voice overs of Bono's Facebook iTunes response and it was very funny. I missed it. I'll have to see if it shows up on youtube. :hmm:
 
mikal said:
Exactly, I don't understand how anyone could think this was a "PR hit" or a "Blunder" on the band's part. The positives far outweigh the negatives here and my only concern is that it may be much harder to get tickets now because so many more people checked out this album than NLOTH.
Click to expand...

Abso-fucking-lutely :up:

Brilliant marketing. Once the smoke clears in another week or two, the negative release bullshit will disappear. 81 million or whatever number people listened, only a small percentage would have without this type of release. People who were fans before and still fans and they've converted ton of people who wouldn't have listened.

*pinky to lower lip* one million people
 
I have a 2 year old who occasionally drops his Goldfish crackers on the floor, and look up with an impish grin to say, "Uh oh! Oops!". But we know he's doing it on purpose most of the time these because he likes it when we come over and he gets to say "Oops!".

I think Bono's "apology" is about as earnest.


Sent from my fingertips.
 
mikal said:
Exactly, I don't understand how anyone could think this was a "PR hit" or a "Blunder" on the band's part. The positives far outweigh the negatives here and my only concern is that it may be much harder to get tickets now because so many more people checked out this album than NLOTH.
Click to expand...


I agree. This release really wasn't a fuck up. The people bitching are the same ones who hate U2 and never would've bought it in the first place. The sheer magnitude of the release served to amplify the voices of the haters, but it still won new fans which is what they seem to really care about.



Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference
 
The_acrobat said:
Absolutely. They shot themselves in both feet with this release, and then tried to run a marathon. This may have done irreparable damage to their image. Yes they'll still sell tickets, but that's not the end all be all of the situation. We have a PR backlash that will make Pop and Rattle and hum look like nothing,

They should have just released the album normally. It would've gone to #1, beating Florida-Georgia-Whatever. Yes, the album would've dropped like a rock after that, but who cares? People would've seen it for the great collection of music it is, not this controversial press story.

The hipsters/haters would be nowhere to be found near this band/album. Sure, it might have only sold 3 million copies, but U2 wouldn't be getting drug through the mud right now, and people would like the album or not on it's own merits.



To say this release method was a success is not entirely accurate. You got the album to a lot of people who either hate the band, hate apple, or who just buy into the press's stories. They botched this release, plain and simple.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference
Click to expand...

What if they didn't want 3 million to buy...and instead wanted 26 million to listen?
 
sorry ???
is he making peace with the almighty?
with all the time he has spent in Africa and this Ebola pandemic
I am getting worried


I hope Bono is okay :pray:
 
mikal said:
Exactly, I don't understand how anyone could think this was a "PR hit" or a "Blunder" on the band's part. The positives far outweigh the negatives here and my only concern is that it may be much harder to get tickets now because so many more people checked out this album than NLOTH.
Click to expand...

Those iTunes stats come without context or insight. A lot of the people who "accessed" it never wanted it in the first place and were annoyed that they stumbled into it. There are no positives in the press right now, none. They became a joke in the media. And no one outside of U2 fan circles gives a crap about this album at this point. The release stunt, while unique, was desperate and unnecessary.

All this being said, the major issue here is that once again there is no single to carry a slightly above average U2 album. This thing sank like a rock.
 
U2 would know the really interesting stats. It was accessed x times, but what was, and how? What % gave each song a few seconds and then deleted the thing? Because no matter who it was - even an artist I really did not like - I'd certainly still do this. Which songs are leading in listens (basically single release strategy focus group on an immense scale)? Things like that.

And the 'success' of that figure vs the 'blunder' of the release can co-exist, and that's the point. If U2 see the release as a success, they'll want to control the narrative so the success story leads. It's not at the moment. You know almost every U2 article has that paragraph in there with the little rundown of the bands career, always per the accepted standard narrative. The big moments, the tough times, the successes and the failures. They can now control what the blurb on SOI will be in 5, 10, 15 yrs time. Maybe it will be split ("despite the controversy..."), maybe it will end up being wholly positive, maybe it will end up being wholly negative.
 
What exactly happened that it matters for them the most to be the biggest band in the world (which is the reason why last three records before the Innocence ended up the way it did)?

I remember Bono US interview in 1984 where he said for them the music is their focus and they don´t consider charts or if certain kind of audience will like it. He also said in 1992 they do their thing and they don´t care if they may loose some pop kids.

Later on, I think after Pop fiasco, they started more and more focus on being relevant in charts instead of being relevant with their music. I don´t say their next 3 records were bad, but something changed in their attitude and it impacted those records. Like Bono said, their job is to be the biggest band in the world and they need to be on top of the charts to make sense.

Why do you think they chose to walk on with such heavy weight on their shoulders? I don´t think it´s money or popularity. I can´t figure out what it is that makes them want to aspire so badly for that role.
 
The Kimmel thing is good. Because, like it or not, the story that Bono "apologized" for the "botched" release of the album is presently a thing. At least when they discussed it this morning on MSNBC the brief discussion was more like "those ungrateful brats complaining about a free album" rather than "OMG, boh-noh, what a jerk."

But, hey, attention again right as the album comes out officially.

They continue to Madonna that shit.


Sent from
 
thavidesco said:
Why do you think they chose to walk on with such heavy weight on their shoulders? I don´t think it´s money or popularity. I can´t figure out what it is that makes them want to aspire so badly for that role.
Click to expand...


Some mix of honesty (what they said in the past was probably not entirely true), ego and legacy.
 
I also think they've had a sense of "destiny" from the very beginning. That they were destined to be one of the greats if they could only live up to their potential, and I think that motivates and also allows them to bounce back from adversity rather admirably over the years. Lately, since there's now 3 decades to protect, it's made them more defensive and reactive (rather than proactive), but this sense of destiny is their greatest strength and weakness.


Sent from
 
thavidesco said:
What exactly happened that it matters for them the most to be the biggest band in the world (which is the reason why last three records before the Innocence ended up the way it did)?

I remember Bono US interview in 1984 where he said for them the music is their focus and they don´t consider charts or if certain kind of audience will like it. He also said in 1992 they do their thing and they don´t care if they may loose some pop kids.

Later on, I think after Pop fiasco, they started more and more focus on being relevant in charts instead of being relevant with their music. I don´t say their next 3 records were bad, but something changed in their attitude and it impacted those records. Like Bono said, their job is to be the biggest band in the world and they need to be on top of the charts to make sense.

Why do you think they chose to walk on with such heavy weight on their shoulders? I don´t think it´s money or popularity. I can´t figure out what it is that makes them want to aspire so badly for that role.
Click to expand...


Another misunderstanding of the "pop kids" quote...


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference
 
Hell, I want Bono to apologize for apologizing :grumpy:



(Seriously: Media is crazy. They don't get that it was totally tongue-in-cheek. Sometimes it's so frustrating to see those stories spread all over the internet and knowing that they aren't true or entirely true)


Btw, the Kimmel thing is great :up:
 
"It's really rude to have your album in my playlist."

Big fucking deal. If this is all people can come up to complain about, I'm considering starting a national crisis of hate crimes across dickwrinkles.
 
Jimmy must really want them to be on his show this go round! Yay Jimmy! You are my new hero! The audience agreed w/ Jimmy, and thus, with us! :up:

At least $50 next go round! Ha! :sexywink:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

A
The Little stranger chapter 1
Replies
0
Views
980
annj
A
A
The little stranger chapter 13
Replies
0
Views
566
annj
A
A
The Little Stranger chapter 14
Replies
0
Views
518
annj
A
A
The Little stranger chapter 16
Replies
0
Views
988
annj
A
A
The little stranger chapter 10
Replies
0
Views
675
annj
A

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom