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Thread started 09/09/14 12:35pm

2020

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New Surprise U2 Album!

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/u2-surprise-album-songs-of-innocence-apple-itunes-free-20140909

U2 surprised the world today by releasing Songs of Innocence, their first album in five years, as a gift from Apple, available for free immediately to anyone with iTunes. The band made the announcement with Apple CEO Tim Cook at a Cupertino press conference for the new iPhone 6, capping the event with a performance of the album's first single, "The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)." After a standing ovation, Cook said, "Wasn't that the most incredible single you ever heard? We would love a whole album of that."

RelatedBono of U2 performs in New Jersey.

"The question is now, how do we get it to as many people as possible, because that's what our band is all about," Bono said. "I do believe you have over half a billion subscribers to iTunes, so — could you get this to them?" "If we gave it away for free," Cook replied. And five seconds later, the album was unleashed in the largest album release of all time.

"We wanted to make a very personal album," Bono told Rolling Stone's Gus Wenner the day before the press conference in an exclusive interview. "Let's try to figure out why we wanted to be in a band, the relationships around the band, our friendships, our lovers, our family. The whole album is first journeys — first journeys geographically, spiritually, sexually. And that's hard. But we went there."

The band worked on Innocence for two years with producer Danger Mouse (a.k.a. Brian Burton), then brought in additional help: Flood, their collaborator since 1987's The Joshua Tree, plus Adele producers Paul Epworth and Ryan Tedder. "I think having them around really helped," says Bono, "Some of the music out there now that people call pop, it's not pop – it's just truly great. And we wanted to have the discipline of the Beatles or the Stones in the Sixties, when you had real songs. There's nowhere to hide in them: clear thoughts, clear melodies."

To begin, the band went back to its roots: Bono says the group listened to the music they loved in the Seventies, from punk rock to Bowie, glam rock, early electronica and Joy Division. The album kicks off with "The Miracle (of Joey Ramone)," a loping pop song laced with distinctly punk-ish power chords. "I found my voice through Joey Ramone," says Bono, "because I wasn't the obvious punk-rock singer, or even rock singer. I sang like a girl — which I'm into now, but when I was 17 or 18, I wasn't sure. And I heard Joey Ramone, who sang like a girl, and that was my way in."

The driving, reggae-tinged "This Is Where You Can Reach Me Now," is a tribute to the Clash, with slinky guitars from the Edge that nod to Sandinista!. "After we saw the Clash, it was a sort of blueprint for U2," says Bono. "We knew we couldn't possibly hope to be as cool, and that's proven to be true, but we did think we could get behind a sort of social justice agenda."

RelatedU2 and Steve Jobs

There is also an intensely personal song about Bono's mother, Iris Hewson, who died when he was 14. "Forty years ago, my mother fell at her own father's funeral, and I never spoke with her again," he says. "Rage always follows grief, and I had a lot of it, and I still have, but I channeled it into music and I still do. I have very few memories of my mother, and I put a few of them in a song called 'Iris.'"

The most joyous track on Songs of Innocence is "California (There Is No End to Love)," which unexpectedly nods to the Beach Boys in its intro. "It's like the sun itself," says Bono. "It's about our first trip to Los Angeles." The darkest track, meanwhile, is "Raised by Wolves," which tells of a deadly car bombing in Dublin. "It was a real incident that happened in our country where three car bombs were set to go off at the same time in Dublin on a Friday night, 5:30," says Bono, "On any other Friday I would have been at this record shop, just down the corner, but I cycled to school that day."

At times Songs of Innocence feels almost like a concept album about Bono's early years – there's even a track named after the street where the singer grew up, "Cedarwood Road." "It has a lyrical cohesion that I think is unique amongst U2 albums," says Bono, "I don't want it to be a concept album, but the songs come from a place. Edge laughed and said this is our Quadrophenia. We could be so lucky."



[Edited 9/9/14 12:35pm]

The greatest live performer of our times was is and always will be Prince.

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Reply #1 posted 09/09/14 12:40pm

SoulAlive

it's on my iTunes and I didn't even order it lol I guess every iTunes user gets a free copy?

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Reply #2 posted 09/09/14 12:45pm

Identity








The track listing:

''The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)''

''Every Breaking Wave''

''California (There Is No End to Love)''

''Song For Someone''

''Iris (Hold Me Close)''

''Volcano''

''Raised By Wolves''

''Cedarwood Road''

''Sleep Like a Baby Tonight''

''This Is Where You Can Reach Me''

''The Troubles''



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Reply #3 posted 09/09/14 12:54pm

Identity

SoulAlive said:

it's on my iTunes and I didn't even order it lol I guess every iTunes user gets a free copy?




It's very much like the million free copies of Jay-Z's Magna Carta Holy Grail album that Samsung delivered last summer via an Android app.

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Reply #4 posted 09/09/14 1:37pm

PANDURITO

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Viva U2! woot!

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Reply #5 posted 09/09/14 2:51pm

3rdeyedude

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free? they just won a shitload of new fans, even though they don't really need anymore

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Reply #6 posted 09/09/14 2:52pm

Cloudbuster

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music

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Reply #7 posted 09/09/14 2:57pm

Identity

Well, that was fast. No need for me to install iTunes; the album has now appeared on several file-sharing sites. wink

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Reply #8 posted 09/09/14 3:08pm

Cinny

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I wonder if they have another mammoth world tour planned? Saw them over 3 years ago (and that was delayed from what was supposed to be 4 years ago).

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Reply #9 posted 09/09/14 3:22pm

Poplife88

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What a nice surprise! A very good album after a couple listens. The Miracle has been on repeat.
[Edited 9/9/14 15:24pm]
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Reply #10 posted 09/09/14 4:00pm

Gunsnhalen

I expected to be completely disappointed. But i liked a few tracks!

But there still on that arena rock binge. They have no more balls with their music. Every song is a ''rock anthem''they used to take chances (Achtung Baby, Zooropa, War, All that you can't leave behind) Hell even Pop was a bit of a departure. The last 2 albums are just ''yeah rock anthem yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah''

But much like Prince... they have a good discography. I just don't get excited for new music from them cool

Pistols sounded like "Fuck off," wheras The Clash sounded like "Fuck Off, but here's why.."- Thedigitialgardener

All music is shit music and no music is real- gunsnhalen

Datdonkeydick- Asherfierce

Gary Hunts Album Isn't That Good- Soulalive
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Reply #11 posted 09/09/14 4:04pm

Gunsnhalen

Damn! Iris is stuck in my head though... wtf.

Pistols sounded like "Fuck off," wheras The Clash sounded like "Fuck Off, but here's why.."- Thedigitialgardener

All music is shit music and no music is real- gunsnhalen

Datdonkeydick- Asherfierce

Gary Hunts Album Isn't That Good- Soulalive
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Reply #12 posted 09/09/14 4:45pm

IstenSzek

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the back to back punch of "Iris" and "Volcano" is killing me right now.

interesting album. a lot more surprises than the last few, at least on

the first listen. great surprise release, and free at that. this deserves

a bow bow

and true love lives on lollipops and crisps
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Reply #13 posted 09/09/14 4:45pm

IstenSzek

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vol--ca--noooo dancing jig

and true love lives on lollipops and crisps
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Reply #14 posted 09/09/14 5:36pm

missfee

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YES!!! Just found out about it a couple of hours ago and have downloaded. What a wonderful surprise on a Tuesday evening!!!! excited music Oh yeah, I'll finally be purchasing a new iPhone and will opt for the iPhone 6 Plus...it's finally time to retire my iPhone 4 that I've had for 4 years. thumbs up!

I will forever love and miss you...my sweet Prince.
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Reply #15 posted 09/09/14 8:29pm

purplethunder3
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Great music surprise on a blah Tuesday. Listening to it now... Thanks U2! wink

"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything." --Plato

https://youtu.be/CVwv9LZMah0
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Reply #16 posted 09/09/14 8:29pm

alandail

Identity said:

SoulAlive said:

it's on my iTunes and I didn't even order it lol I guess every iTunes user gets a free copy?




It's very much like the million free copies of Jay-Z's Magna Carta Holy Grail album that Samsung delivered last summer via an Android app.

except it's 500 million free copies

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Reply #17 posted 09/09/14 8:32pm

SoulAlive

what do you guys think....is that a smart promotional idea? U2 is getting tremendous media attention right now and with a world tour on the way,this seems to be a very effective idea,imo.

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Reply #18 posted 09/09/14 8:38pm

SoulAlive

Times have changed and artists have to come up with new,exciting ways to present their music to the world.The 'old model' doesn't work anymore.I think we're gonna be seeing alot of "surprise albums" in the future...albums that will be released in a non-traditional way.

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Reply #19 posted 09/09/14 9:03pm

Identity

alandail said:

Identity said:




It's very much like the million free copies of Jay-Z's Magna Carta Holy Grail album that Samsung delivered last summer via an Android app.

except it's 500 million free copies




Indeed, Apple achieved a brilliant marketing coup by delivering a loss leader on steroids!

I would be lying if I said the move didn't render me speechless.

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Reply #20 posted 09/09/14 9:39pm

alandail

SoulAlive said:

what do you guys think....is that a smart promotional idea? U2 is getting tremendous media attention right now and with a world tour on the way,this seems to be a very effective idea,imo.

U2 also got paid by Apple and got their music in the hands of a ton of people who would not have bought it otherwise. it's interesting the way they did it too. Anyone with an iTunes account, the album is already in your library ready to play (via the cloud) and ready to get included in shuffle mode.

Prince has given albums away before, but never on this scale or this easy to obtain.

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Reply #21 posted 09/09/14 10:02pm

luv4u

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U2 woot!

canada

Ohh purple joy oh purple bliss oh purple rapture!
REAL MUSIC by REAL MUSICIANS - Prince
"I kind of wish there was a reason for Prince to make the site crash more" ~~ Ben
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Reply #22 posted 09/09/14 11:41pm

Dancelot

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SoulAlive said:

it's on my iTunes and I didn't even order it lol I guess every iTunes user gets a free copy?

same here.

that is actually my first iTunes and/or MP3 purchase eek woot!

Vanglorious... this is protected by the red, the black, and the green. With a key... sissy!
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Reply #23 posted 09/10/14 1:16am

PatrickS77

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Well, obviously they will get a shitload of money from apple, but really that's the way to go. Instead of bitching like a little child, who's toy got taken away (I'm looking at you, Gene Simmons), they just create their music and give it away, to anyone that wants (or doesn't want) it and in the best case pickg up some more fans, who will maybe not buy the album (the "old school" fans will do that), but show up on one of their concerts, where they make the real money (not that they need it anyway).

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Reply #24 posted 09/10/14 4:50am

missfee

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Identity said:

alandail said:

except it's 500 million free copies




Indeed, Apple achieved a brilliant marketing coup by delivering a loss leader on steroids!

I would be lying if I said the move didn't render me speechless.

nod I like U2 anyway, but as Guns said, haven't been very much excited with their music in the last 10 years or so....but this strategy is brilliant. If the album wasn't free, I probably wouldn't have bought the whole thing, only the songs that I liked (so far "Cedarwood Road" has been on repeat). It's a win-win for both Apple and U2, the way I see it. A good way to promote the new generation of iPhones along with the announcement of the Apple watch. thumbs up!

I will forever love and miss you...my sweet Prince.
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Reply #25 posted 09/10/14 4:54am

Neversin

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And in the meanwhile Prince is back with WB trying to get his shit released...
I guess U2 will overshadow him yet again by a great marketing move...

Neversin.

O(+>NIИ<+)O

“Is man merely a mistake of God's? Or God merely a mistake of man's?”

- Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
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Reply #26 posted 09/10/14 5:51am

peedub

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while i can't argue with the brilliance of the release strategy, and i'm admittedly not a big fan (i wouldn't listen if it weren't free), i find this to be an utterly bland album. it just sounds like a u2 album. big whoop.

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Reply #27 posted 09/10/14 6:01am

BartVanHemelen

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Neversin said:

And in the meanwhile Prince is back with WB trying to get his shit released...
I guess U2 will overshadow him yet again by a great marketing move...

.

Note how this was a complete secret until after it happened, while Prince's "mega announcement" on GMA was spoiled hours earlier. But then he didn't bother turning up anyway and the "mega announcement" involved three people nobody cares about saying absolutely nothing interesting while a song was barely audible.

.

Wouldn't be surprised if we're heading for a new Rave-like disaster. The simple fact that Funkenberry is already talking about a compilation with a bunch of tracks missing from the two albums is just frikking hilarious, even if it's just him making shit up.

© Bart Van Hemelen
This posting is provided AS IS with no warranties, and confers no rights.
It is not authorized by Prince or the NPG Music Club. You assume all risk for
your use. All rights reserved.
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Reply #28 posted 09/10/14 7:20am

linus4000

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Nice to have a new U2 album, but kind of a sell out...
Bono is more and more becoming a good business man rather than
writing a song one remembers...
I can't remember one song from the last albums...
[Edited 9/10/14 7:21am]
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Reply #29 posted 09/10/14 8:46am

luvsexy4all

so how do they make money off this release? from itunes?

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