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14 'u2' stories September 2013 - October 2014

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Trent Reznor discusses his new role at Apple, the Beats acquisition, and U2’s free album

Zac Hall Oct 31 2014 - 10:18 am PT

2 Comments

<em>Trent Reznor with Beats co-founders Jimmy Iovine and Dre Dre</em>

When Apple announced plans to acquire Beats Electronics and Beats Music earlier this year, Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor’s involvement with the streaming music service under Apple’s ownership quickly came in question. A spokesperson for Beats Music said Reznor was still with the company at the time and we reported that Reznor would in fact join Apple despite major staff changes at Beats during the transition. Reznor, who has been credited as Beats Music Chief Creative Officer, has finally opened up about his current role at Apple in an interview with Billboard revealing that he’s “fully in it right now” on an unannounced music project…
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Amazon teases Apple over U2 album giveaway blunder as Prime users get deluxe version for free

Zac Hall Oct 14 2014 - 10:31 am PT

18 Comments

At your own risk, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NX53H2W/ref=tsm_1_tw_s_dm_ndg14u?tag=n003f1-20" target="_blank">stream U2’s album for free from Amazon Prime Music</a>

Now that Apple has finally wrapped up its U2 album giveaway to iTunes customers, a promotion that warranted its own removal tool named after the “Songs of Innocence” album, Amazon is picking up the record and giving it away to Amazon Prime subscribers through Prime Music… but not without taking a shot at Apple first.

While Apple rather aggressively added the U2 album to every iTunes library automatically (prompting automatic downloads if the setting was enabled) and upsetting many customers, Amazon took to Twitter today to promote their copy of the “deluxe” version of the album while taking a shot at Apple in the process. “Add it to your library—we won’t do it for you,” Amazon said in a tweet followed by a teasing winky face.

Not bad, Amazon, not bad.

For its part, Apple boasted last week that 81 million customers experienced the free U2 album, which Apple is now selling for $9.99, through iTunes, iTunes Radio, and Beats Music.

Apple now says 81 million customers ‘experienced’ free U2 album, 26 million full downloads

Zac Hall Oct 9 2014 - 1:30 pm PT

10 Comments

U2 Tim Cook free album

Apple’s controversial U2 album giveaway is about to wrap up as the record is only scheduled to be free through October 13th, and the company is sharing some numbers about the promotion to celebrate.

Apple SVP of Internet Software & Services Eddy Cue told Billboard that more than 81 million customers ‘experienced songs’ from U2’s Songs of Innocence album either through plays or streams over iTunes, iTunes Radio, or Beats Music where the album was exclusively available to users. The Apple exec added that 26 million full downloads of the album were measured by Apple. Cue also shared that U2’s music had previously been purchased by 14 million customers through iTunes since 2003.

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Bono says Apple has 885 million iTunes accounts, complained to Steve Jobs that iTunes looks like a spreadsheet

Benjamin Mayo Sep 22 2014 - 8:10 am PT

19 Comments

In an Irish radio interview, Bono discusses his various collaborations with Apple, as transcribed by TUAW. Interesting, Bono claims Apple now has 885 million iTunes accounts (up from 800 million as officially announced in April). With his work on a mysterious new music format, he aims to help Apple cross the billion accounts mark. The new medium has apparently been underway for a while, spanning back to a conversation with Steve Jobs in 2009.
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Conan weighs in on Apple-U2, takes removal tool to the next level (Video)

Benjamin Mayo Sep 19 2014 - 4:47 am PT

3 Comments

Although the U2 ‘crisis’ has subsided, Apple and U2 remain in the news with rumors of special projects to encourage music sales. Now Conan has weighed in on the situation, with a rather amusing spin on the U2 removal tool. Enjoy!

Apple and U2 reportedly working on ‘secret project’ to bolster music sales

Benjamin Mayo Sep 18 2014 - 5:24 am PT

18 Comments

According to TIME, U2’s partnership with Apple goes far beyond a free album in your iTunes library, much to the chagrin of some users. The group is reportedly working with Apple on a ‘secret project’ to rejuvenate digital music scales.

Details, however, are thin on the ground. Bono is quoted as saying he is developing a new music format that will somehow inspire consumers to buy complete albums once more. Without more information, it’s impossible to tell whether this is a silly pipe dream or an actual possibility. In the age of streaming music, the sales potential for individually bought songs is waning.

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Apple creates tool for removing free U2 album from iTunes library after public reaction (U: Eddy Cue comments)

Zac Hall Sep 15 2014 - 10:35 am PT

89 Comments

U2 Tim Cook free album

Tim Cook and U2 announced that the band’s new album “Songs of Innocence” would be automatically gifted to Apple’s over 500 million iTunes users last week following the announcement of the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, but many iTunes users were not happy with seeing music from U2 added to their iTunes libraries (even for free).

While iTunes supports a way to “hide” previous purchases, the complaints and confusion apparently grew loud enough to warrant a dedicated support site for permanently removing the free U2 album from iTunes purchase history. Apple says once you remove the free album from your iTunes purchase history and library, you will need to “get it again” if you decide you want it. The U2 album is available for free until October 13th next month when the album will then be available for sale at various retailers. View below for information on how to remove the free U2 album…
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Wondering what it cost Apple to give away that U2 album to every customer?

Ben Lovejoy Sep 12 2014 - 6:57 am PT

32 Comments

If you were wondering how much it cost Apple to give away a copy of U2’s Songs of Innocence album to every customer, the answer, according the the New York Times, is more than $100M.

To release U2’s album free, Apple paid the band and Universal an unspecified fee as a blanket royalty and committed to a marketing campaign for the band worth up to $100 million, according to several people briefed on the deal. That marketing will include a global television campaign, the first piece of which was a commercial that was shown during the event.

Yep, that album that ended up on many people’s iPhones uninvited cost Apple whatever the royalty fee is for half a billion downloads plus a further $100M spend on marketing it. Nice. Perhaps the band will be donating a portion of it to Project RED?

Bono and Cook joked around about the cost during the keynote, with Bono telling Cook “you would have to pay for it, because we’re not going in for the free music around here.”

U2’s new album might be on your iOS devices right now even if you haven’t downloaded it

Mike Beasley Sep 10 2014 - 7:27 pm PT

52 Comments

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…

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Apple publishes new iPhone 6, Apple Watch pages on redesigned website

Mike Beasley Sep 9 2014 - 12:05 pm PT

24 Comments

Apple has just wrapped up its media event and has pushed several new pages online. The first is a new page dedicated to the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, and the second is a page for the Apple Watch. But Apple has gone even further, revealing a whole new look for its entire website that features a flattened navigation bar.

A new page about the U2 “Songs of Innocence” album is also live, and includes details on how to redeem your free copy of the album.

Apple has also, for the first time ever, released an iPhone-optimized version of its site. Check it out below:

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Despite denial from band, U2 still set to perform at Apple event tomorrow says New York Times

Mike Beasley Sep 8 2014 - 5:16 pm PT

27 Comments

Recent rumors that indicated U2 would be involved in the launch of tomorrow’s iPhone 6 and iWatch have been shot down by the band, but the New York Times said today the musicians will in fact have a role in the event. According to three sources who spoke to the Times, U2 is scheduled to perform during the event and announce an “integration” of its upcoming album with one of Apple’s new devices.

Apple and U2 have had a longstanding relationship since the launch of the original iPod, when the band revealed a special edition black and red “U2” model. Tomorrow’s event is one of the most-hyped Apple events in recent years, and has been given a full-page countdown timer on the company’s home page. Earlier today ABC News called the upcoming announcement “groundbreaking” and “historic.” It would make a lot of sense for Apple to team up with U2 again for such a big reveal.

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Apple’s (PRODUCT)RED contributions have reached over $65 million

Jordan Kahn Sep 26 2013 - 12:09 pm PT

1 Comment

Product-RED

Apple has contributed to Bono’s (PRODUCT)RED charity for quite sometime by donating a portion of profits from sales of special red editions of iOS devices and accessories. Today, the official PRODUCT(RED) Twitter account (via TheLoop) revealed that Apple’s contributions to fighting AIDS through the charity have now topped $65 million, making it the largest contributor to the charity out of all participating companies.

U2 singer Bono, who cofounded the charity back in 2006, commented that “Apple is certainly leading the crew” when it comes to donations from (PRODUCT)RED partners.

Apple currently sells red versions of the iPod shuffle, iPod nano, iPod touch, iPad Smart Cover, and iPhone 4S bumper under the (PRODUCT)RED branding.

Bono at #CGI2013 on @RED partners: "Apple is certainly leading the crew" Thank you Apple for raising over $65 million to fight AIDS.

— (RED) (@RED) September 26, 2013