[NewsPoster]

While many users were happy to get a free album from iTunes, the recent promotion of U2's Songs of Innocence LP done through Apple -- where every iTunes user had a copy added to their past purchases list -- rubbed some listeners the wrong way. Bono, the lead singer for the group, has issued an apology for what he characterized as an overzealous move that resulted from a combination of "a drop of megalomania" and "deep fear" that the songs wouldn't be widely heard.

Physical album CD cover

In particular, iTunes customers who are not fans of the band and had their mobile devices or desktop computers set up to automatically download any new purchases found that the freebie triggered that action as well. Initially, users who didn't want the album found it difficult to delete the record from their purchases list, but Apple later provided a web tool to do so. The iPhone maker initially apologized for any unintentional downloads early on after the initial backlash from customers.

In an interview on Facebook, Bono addressed a question from a fan about the unintentional downloads. "I'm sorry about that," he said. "We had this beautiful idea, we got a carried away with ourselves, artists are prone to that kind of thing. Drop of megalomania, touch of generosity, dash of self-promotion and deep fear that these songs that we poured our life into over the last few years mightn't be heard."

The album, the first since 2006, was released in a world that had changed greatly in terms of music promotion since the group's last album. Apple's own iTunes Radio routinely streams advance copies of albums to jog sales, and bands have taken to issuing surprise releases as a promotional tool. Both Beyonce (who issued an unexpected album with a complete set of videos on iTunes) and David Bowie have taken the latter route to great success. U2's album had been expected for years, but kept getting delayed.

Bono added to his apology that the idea of the world's largest-ever album release led to the idea of just adding it to every user's iTunes account, in an effort to bust through the many other "event" releases: "There's a lot of noise out there, I guess we got a little noisy ourselves to get through it."

Despite some protests, however, the promotion was a roaring success. Apple, mindful of the criticism from some quarters, reported 26 million intentional downloads of the album, and 81 million streams of at least some songs from the record through iTunes Radio or Beats Music, making it U2's most successful album ever (and by far the largest-"selling" digital only-release of all time) after just four weeks in release.

The album was produced mainly by Danger Mouse. Overall critical reception has been good, with the general consensus that the album is one of the strongest from the group in quite some time. The band was paid an unspecified amount for the rights to release the album as part of a total of $100 million spent on a worldwide campaign that mutually benefitted the band and Apple's iTunes service. The album is now available for purchase in standard and deluxe editions on CD and digital download, with the deluxe version containing an extra 10 tracks.

[Stuke]

I'm not one of the biggest U2 fans, but I like the album and appreciate the gift. No big deal to get it off of any iDevice...people just like to whine and moan! Thanks Bono and U2!

[JackWebb]

I agree with you Stuke. I don't think I'd be mad about it unless it were something obviously offensive/vuglar pushed on me. I removed myself from popular stuff some 30 years ago but don't mind getting this gift.

[fpiman22]

I thing the people who complained about the free LP is wrong. We as Americans don't get much for free now a days. This was not pushed on you to download it to your iTunes list. I am glade that they did this. It was nice to watch them perform on the iPhone event and to top it off was the free LP. I wish to Thank You Apple and U2 for the free LP.

[Mr. Strat]

Boner is just a pretentious jag-off.

[Spheric Harlot]

So are you. How is that relevant to this article?

[Laphroaig]

The people who are mad are probably the same ones who believe Fox is news, listen to Rush Limbaugh and think Obama is a socialist. Giving something away for free is just unconscionable. How dare they shove this liberal #$%! down our throats. ;-}

Thanks for sharing Apple. Nice job U2. Two thumbs up!

[xomniron]

Laphroaig, take your bigoted, hateful political crap somewhere else.

[Spheric Harlot]

Yes. How dare somebody named after that fine whisky sully these boards with the mention of such bigoted, hateful political crap as Fox news and Rush Limbaugh!

I agree entirely.

[MitchIves]

Laphroaig, you're an idiot... and an uneducated one at that...

[davoud]

Was this really an auto-download, or was it people not knowing the difference between "in the cloud and ready for download" and "on the device?" The album did not auto-download to any of my devices;l I clicked the iCloud icon to get it.

[Spheric Harlot]

Same here: I had to search it out on the computer's iTunes Store to actually download it.

[Laphroaig]

My apologies Spheric. I shall sully no more.

[Spheric Harlot]

Accepted. With a wee drop of water.