U2’s Bono defends Apple LP giveaway, says ’38 million people’ have listened to ‘Songs Of Innocence’

The U2 frontman has responded to 'Songs Of Innocence' criticism saying it's his band's job to 'stir things up a little bit'

U2 frontman Bono has responded to criticism of the release of ‘Songs Of Innocence’.

Appearing on Jo Whiley’s BBC Radio 2 show earlier this evening (September 18), he said that it was the band’s job “to stir things up a little bit.” He explained of the album ‘giveaway’, which saw 500 million people receiving the LP directly into their iTunes: “That’s always been the way. It was the same on our first album. That was kind of why you got into a band, to stir things up and annoy people. That’s the whole punk rock thing… the only thing that could have gone wrong would have been being ignored.”

He then explained that 38 million people had listened to the album in the last seven days. “If you’re a songwriter, if you’re in a band, that’s all you can ask for. Whether they take them to their heart is something else.” When Whiley asked about the criticism the band had found themselves facing because of the release, he commented: “Oh for God’s sakes… Really and truly – we get people who might want to delete it but nobody has deleted more U2 songs in the last five years than U2!”

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NME REVIEW: U2’s ‘Songs Of Innocence’

U2 and Apple ‘gifted’ 500 million iTunes users with their new album earlier this month, however, after some users complained about the record being automatically downloaded onto their Apple products without their permission Apple released a tool to allow its customers to remove ‘Songs Of Innocence’ from their devices with just one click.

Bono said that Apple had bought the album as a “gift to give to all their music customers”. Reports have suggested that the price paid by the tech firm could be as much as $100 million (£62 million).

Earlier this week Apple released a tool to consumers who wanted to delete the album from their handsets. The album was given away free last week as part of Apple’s latest product launch, which also saw them unveil the iPhone 6.

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