Yesterday Apple and U2 announced that the band’s newest album Songs of Innocence would be given away to all 500 million iTunes customers for free. Most users likely assumed that they’d have the option of downloading the album if they wanted it, but that’s not exactly how it worked out.
In order to claim the record for “biggest album launch in history,” U2 and Apple needed every single iTunes customer to own the album, so they added it to everyone’s account as a purchase automatically. If you go into your iTunes purchase history right now, you’ll see it there. There’s another place you might see it as well, even though you weren’t expecting it…
Because iOS devices and iTunes on desktop machines are usually configured to automatically download any new purchases made elsewhere, all of your Apple devices may have started trying to download the album all on their own. Assuming every iTunes customer downloads the album to just one device, Apple has sent well over 50,000 TB of U2 music to customers.
Not to worry, there’s a way around this automatic behavior that doesn’t involve turning the feature off. Just open up your iTunes library on your computer, locate the album (you may need to enable “Show iTunes in the Cloud purchases” in the Store preferences tab), right-click it, and hit delete. This will hide the album from your iCloud account and stop it from automatically downloading to other devices. It will also remove it from your library.
You can also do this by opening the iTunes Store on a Mac or PC (doesn’t seem to work on iOS right now), going to the Purchased link in the sidebar, clicking the X button on the album in the Music section. This will also hide it from the Purchased list on your iOS devices. If it’s already been downloaded to an iOS device, you’ll need to delete it manually.
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I still don’t get all this U2 thing. I mean… Why did Apple had to do this?
Did they really used 1/3 of the iPhone6 stage time just to have an awkward conversation between Cook and Bono in order to do the biggest album launch in history? I really like Apple, but I felt embarrassed for them at that moment…
Interesting. I wonder how much U2’s publisher paid for this.
Well I’m not certainly gonna complain about getting a brand new album from a hall of fame rock band for free.
The on-stage interaction did “expose” itself as scripted but I’ve seen far worse (game developers role-playing their game demos at game conventions have made me feel embarrassed for them) but I don’t think it was bad at all. I thought it was a really nice touch and was actually one of my favorite moments of the presentation.
Think for a moment about how many free copies of this album are being given away and confidently assume somebody to paying some pretty piece change to make this happen because I doubt U2 isn’t seeing a penny from this. When I do, I’m grateful.
I too wondered this, then I realised the explanation is quite simple. Apple just launched a new payment system that can allow you to pay with your phone using the card registered to your iTunes account. In order to get this offer you need to have an iTunes account with a card on file. I’m sure a good number of people would love to get the new U2 album for free. When the sign up and register a card Apple can then boast even more numbers of “iTunes accounts with valid cards” when they talk about their payment system with potential parters and investors. Not a bad move on their part.
1/3rd?
Granted I tuned out when the music started playing but did it last more than 5-10 minutes at the end of a two hour keynote?
The music caused me to tune out. I like U2, but their love song was not their best.
Who would do that? Even though you delete the download to save space, there’s no need to hide the album. It’s great and free.
It’s just another form of spam.
Much like your posts.
Hahaha! Good one.
No, because people read my posts. Including you.
You are angry at yourself for liking my posts.
YOU JUST PWNED HIM ! u2 hooked meh :3
That pawn for herb screwer
I like U2 sort of but not enough to want their album even for free.
Then you don’t like them at all.
I liked South Park’s take on Bono
It isn’t in my purchase history… Oh well..
Not the purchase history in your account page, it’s the ‘purchased’ link on the front page. It’s also on the new releases section.
Yea!! I was shuffling all songs and the one from the keynote came on. I’m starting to like it, but it’ll take a few more listens
Yes, but not downloaded yet! unless if you “clicked” on that cloud!
I literally do NOT see a problem with this. The opt out is to go and delete from purchases. Fact is, you get a free album you may like. I like it. I’m not a ‘fan’ of U2 but it’s a good album, easily listenable, and free. For the record, it did not download to my desktop or iPhone. It only appeared in my iTunes match albums. Hardly an inconvenience.
It’s free, I might as well give them a listen a little later on. I may like end up liking them.
You’ve never heard U2 before to decide if you like them or not? Still one of the most popular and beloved bands on the planet with fan distribution as wide or wider than anyone else still in the business today. Stats aside, they have some great material, past and present.
This, too shall pass.
It’s on ios, downloading on ipad2 now!
The ‘free’ album is just spam as far as I’m concerned. Now every time I look through my list of albums I’m going to have to look at a piece of marketing fluff that I didn’t want, don’t want and can’t get rid of. What on *Earth* were Apple thinking of. Underhanded, to say the least. Thanks Apple. And thanks Bono, you ridiculous tit.
Yeah, I also don’t like this at all. Better to have made an option for you to choose whether or not you’d like to download it or not.
Just because U2 is a known brand, dosen’t mean everyone likes their music.
Furthermore, to get the “biggest album launch in history” isn’t really fair. Its literally forced down many Apple users throats.
Back in the ‘old days’ you’d have to buy the LP/CD/Tape whatever and then you could really call it “biggest album launch in history” because people who wanted it could go spend the money.
This is just “cheating” in a way.
Wow I cant believe people are complaining because they received something for free
Jamie,
Its not complaining about getting something for free. Its complaining that now you’ll always see it in your iTunes library.
Do you want a newspaper thrown in your letterbox each morning, that you don’t read? Its free so why complain?
Same principle.
And another thing. just because Apple seemingly loves U2, dosen’t mean the rest of us do!!!
Same goes for the Beatles and other bands that Apple likes to promote.
If its that bad (which its not), that you cannot bare to see it listed in the iTunes library that probably contains the listings of random things you can’t even remember buying. Then go to the account settings of iTunes and simply remove it from the purchased music section and never again will it pester you when skimming the iTunes history much like that groundhog day newspaper that pesters you so. Such a simple solution to solve this, what must be such a challenging time for you. Some might say that it really is nothing at all to worry about. They might go further and say that you are simply looking for a reason to find fault. Very harsh of them to say it but then again some people need a dose of reality no matter how harsh it might seem.
Graham,
Thanks for your viewpoints. I don’t like things “shoved” in my face, be they free or not.
I think it would have been better to have offered “free to download” option, instead of pushed automatically to devices.
At least the offer will run out after October and so hopefully we won’t see anything in iTunes or Music apps on iPods/iPhones.
Come on it’s not been shoved in your face. If they charged people without asking or if there was no simple way for it to be undone then I would see where the outrage is coming from. If it made its way onto a device you own and not just in the purchased list then that’s easy to prevent in the future too with a settings change that’s very easy to do. The fact this reaction of people annoyed by it has gone too far, it was on the news this morning. Even the music expert guy they had on BBC breakfast couldn’t keep a straight face when he was saying “out of principle I’m trying not to listen to it, it played when I tried to delete it and i listened to 2 tracks.” You could see on his face he was reaching when making his argument. Worse things happen to people on a daily basis for this to be making news. This has had no impact on anyone at all, other than the impact they want it to have for something to mention. When you read what’s typed in terms of “Apple gave me a free album and I feel it was shoved in my face, it’s not right of them to give me a digital removable item for free!” Does it really sound right?
@Graham,
Sigh, I know what you say makes sense. Theres plenty of real issues in the world to worry about than a free album.
But nonetheless, it apparently DOES indeed irritate people (myself included) I wish it didn’t, really, because that would have been easier.
Now I’ve had to toggle the “show all music” in my settings on my iPhone so as not to see it available in the cloud, but that means my other music, which I did purchase also disappears.
So you’re slightly wrong when you say you can just magically “hide” it or delete it, without it affecting other music, because you can’t and THAT is the reason for complaining.
I know that Americans seem to have a lax attitude towards advertising, you guys are bombarded day&night with it. When I travelled the USA I was so surprised to see all those damn neon signs in the streets at night. they almost blinded you as you were driving down the road. Then when day time came, it was equally bad, as signs of all sorts of gibberish were shown right there on the side of the road. Sometimes with so much text & BS that you can’t possibly have time to read whilst driving.
Then the TV in the hotel, my goodness, 100 TV channels but so many advertisements ramming you, I almost fell off my bed from the shear force of it all.
There was an interview with Steve Jobs, Scott and Tim on a stage and some dopey guy from the audience asked why they didn’t put “Intel inside” stickers on their boxes, to which Steve replied “we don’t like advertisements, we like nice and clean design blah blah…”
So now sadly, this “glitch” with U2 is the first of such advertising unfortunately.
Anyway, I hope that after October, after the U2 promotional thing is over, then it won’t longer appear and then I can switch my iPhone back to “show all music” again.
I’m not American, nor do I live in America. There is no reason to hide anything, all you have to do is go into iTunes, go to purchases, go to the offending album and click the cross that appears. Like magic it will never show again unless you want it back. No need to hide anything else in the iTunes account. Very easy, no hassles and all the music you want and want to see is there no problem. Having a album you do not want has no comparison to a physical sticker stuck to the outside of ur device. No one would ever know the U2 album was on ur device, Apple are not sending a technician to ur house and branding it. So Im kind right when I say its really not a problem at all and its really easy for it to be gone forever.
October will not make the album go away. October is just when the exclusive deal Apple made with U2 ends. Meaning it can be bought anywhere that wants to sell it. It also means that if you create an iTunes account after that time you will not be given the album free. So if you want it to go away u will need to do as I mentioned above, waiting till October will not help.
Graham,
Sorry, but I think you misunderstood me. I’m not speaking about iTunes, but about iOS devices. iTunes on my Mac is fine – no spam showing.
Its a different story for my iPhone/iPod/iPad – hence the need to alter the “show all music” toggle in settings.
Most people leave this on by default and therefore the album automatically downloads to their devices without them even knowing (until the next time they search through albums)
Thats why after October, when the album is no longer free, you can re-toggle the settings on “show all music”.
(Look for it on your iPhone – you’ll see what I mean)
Ok, I just presumed you lived in USA. Then you’re safe from mass-bombardments of adverts :)
I dont misunderstand, no matter what device you have if you remove it from the purchased section of iTunes on ur computer then it will not show up on any iDevice you own, even the computer. I have looked at my devices and it shows as a iCloud playable item. If I wanted it to stop I wouldn’t need to switch show all off, all I need to do is what I have mentioned before, as I have done with many things I have gotten free from Starbucks and 12 days of xmas app that I only downloaded to see what it was like. Now I have show all items on and auto download on all my devices and I never see them because I have removed them from my iTunes showable account!!!! They are gone unless I go into iTunes and ask it to restore all my removed items.
Honestly please, October will do nothing to anyone that already has a iTunes account!! Its been added to ur account October will not change this! Its added to the purchased section in iTunes – Apple is not removing this come October just like if you download the track of the week for free – come the next week when they charge for it again, it does not disappear from the peoples files that have gotten it for free. When you get something added to the iTunes purchased list stays there forever as it belongs to u. Look it up.
See here for the official method from Apple on how to get rid of the album: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4919
Graham, please, no no no no no.
The offer for free ends in October, so if you duly “ignore” the iCloud download link on your iOS device, then come October(or end of October, I think it was the 15th) then it will no longer appear on your account.
UNLESS I misunderstood this, and it was for new accounts created after October that won’t see it.
But I’m really hoping it WONT show at all after October.
I’ll never give starbucks or others my Apple ID, so they wont pester me with free crap.
You say you can just turn it off in iTunes, but what about OTHER songs that I purchased, then they will also not show.
I don’t see anywhere there is a link to “hide” or “delete” U2 album – as I never cliked “download” or similar.
iTunes works in a pretty specific way. If u buy something or have something added to your account then it stays there till steps are taken to do otherwise. If u follow the link I posted it makes it’s very very clear how make it go away and still allow all the other things you have on iTunes to still show at all times. At least follow the instructions before telling me I am wrong. They have even just brought out a handy super easy way for people that simply cannot be given something for free without it being a cause for uproar. The link I’m sure you can find on the front pages. U didn’t seem to look up and read the last link so I won’t waste my time posting the new one.
You have missunterdetood it. They gave it to everyone. It’s listed as a purchase. Not please download me or if you click here I am all yours. It was a publicity stunt to say all these people “own” the album. If it was a optional u have till x in October to be part of it then it wouldn’t be 500,000 million owners. It would be a percentage of that. They said 500,000 million people now own this album. If u make an account after x date the. U do not get it free. October will change nothing for those that have it listed as purchased already. That’s you, me and the other 500,000 million or so people that have a valid iTunes account.
Sooo Graham, as time passes, just proves how right indeed I was.
Apple has created a software removal tool, to not only “hide” the album, but actually remove it and they also state, in black&white:
” The album is free to everyone until October 13, 2014 (PDT) and will be available for purchase after that date.”
So you see I was absolutely 100% right with regards to the mid October thing about not being able to download it after that. (for free that is)
And because Apple has reacted, it just shows how many people there are, that found this “free album” so irritating and quite a serious concern.
Heres the link:
https://buy.itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZFinance.woa/wa/offerOptOut?at=10l6Xd&ct=1ut6tgdefcxkt
I think an apology from your side is in order and we’ll call it a day :)
So it is October 29th, 2014. Why is this awesomely unwanted music STILL showing up on my phone?
@James Dean,
Because you had already downloaded it at the time. Either manually, or your iPhone was set up to automatically download new purchases.
You need to read the user guide for your iPhone – so that you’ll understand how it works.
This is not Apples fault per se, but a user fault.
There is a tool you can use to remove the album. Just google it.
I just downloaded U2’s latest album, Songs of Innocence, for free on iTunes. After listening to it, my review is the sound of a cat not quite coughing up a hair ball. It was free but I still feel I’m entitled to some amount of compensation.
I’m disgusted I hate U2 I did not ask for this bunch of overrated #unts!
Then That Means You Hate Apple, Right? APPLE LOVES U2 IF THRY CRAM THE GREAT STUFF DOWN OUR THROATS. #NBD ITS. FREE. ANYWAYS.
They*
Although the music was placed in our iTunes account, a person needs to download it first. If you don’t want it then, leave it in the cloud!
P. S.
friend of mine said that U2 music automatically appeared on his iPhone. In that case, we agreed that he would just delete any songs he doesn’t want. Again, NBD (no big deal).
If this was a rap song you would all be selling your iPhones. If they can send this crap they can send countless other crap I don’t want. If I didn’t order, don’t send it, plain and simple. And whose bright idea was it to list it in the Purchased History? My next call was to y credit card company. Epic fail.
fuck you U2!
They delete all my songs on Iphone for this new album. I don’t even listen to U2. What a waste of time!
sweet hayzoos! I thought somebody got my account info and bought a bunch of shit music with it! thanks for clearing that up for me!!!