We're still dealing with this s***

I know Vulture is not some amazing publication, but I can't believe I'm still reading articles about people complaining about the SOI release.

U2’s Songs of Innocence Has Haunted Me for 6 Years. Until Now.

Paywall, but you can around it easily in incognito mode.

I think it was a really good idea that was executed very poorly.

I totally understand the logic of them wanting to get their new music out into some fresh ears, but having it show up on everyone’s phones in their music library was intrusive.

I’m surprised they didn’t understand how intimate the experience of collecting music is to people in that shoving their own into someone else’s collection would make them pretty angry. I think it would’ve been received a lot better if it had been something people could’ve opted into instead of having to opt out of.

I think we're going to be dealing with this shit for a very long time. For good or bad, that release is going to go down as a touchstone moment. We're well on our way to 20 and 25 year look back debates regarding the merits or demerits of doing it that way. U2 really swung for the fences in this case. The gambling side of the band on full display and who knows maybe a few people will actually listen to the album in upcoming years that wouldn't have otherwise.

I think we're going to be dealing with this shit for a very long time. For good or bad, that release is going to go down as a touchstone moment. We're well on our way to 20 and 25 year look back debates regarding the merits or demerits of doing it that way. U2 really swung for the fences in this case. The gambling side of the band on full display and who knows maybe a few people will actually listen to the album in upcoming years that wouldn't have otherwise.

I had a thread a little while ago about exactly that - found some younger people who were too young to be aware of the 2014 release but either came across the album on a handmedown phone, or back in 2014 their parents, having no other music on their phones, played SOI driving them to school, leaving fond memories and no outrage.

A weird phenomenon.

I read the article and had a laugh about it.  Whether one still feels positively or negatively about the SOI release, it's a feeling either way.  I imagine that's better than nothing at all.

What's really a shame is that I think Songs of Innocence is a fantastic album - a heck of a lot better than what I've heard out there by U2's contemporaries. And yet I feel it will forever be associated with the Apple release strategy.

What's really a shame is that I think Songs of Innocence is a fantastic album - a heck of a lot better than what I've heard out there by U2's contemporaries. And yet I feel it will forever be associated with the Apple release strategy.

True, but U2 chose to risk that by releasing it in this manner. While the noise surrounding the release has and will continue to dominate the conversation regarding Innocence, there appears to be evidence that the music has gotten out there more than otherwise it would have. I suspect that will continue to be the case going forward. Whether that music is liked or not is another matter. The band really wanted this album to be heard and they knew it would probably be a struggle for a band in their early 50's, at the time to get their new stuff heard through a more conventional release strategy.

What's interesting to me, at this point are the influence connotations of the whole matter. Large band teams with large corporation to organize essentially a music influence campaign. There is something in your face about making people hear whether they want to or not. Maybe some punk attitude in there, but then there's the behemoth corporation using its substantial economic leverage to force it on people. Kind of an interesting confluence to me.

Honestly, how can someone under the age of 80 still be bitching about this six years later...  Glad he took the time to write and share this...  ahem...  six years later.  Poor little princess...

And honestly, should anyone value this guy’s music tastes if songs from SOI come up THAT often on random?  What, he’s got three dozen songs on his phone, or what?  I can’t remember the last SOI song to come up on random on my phone, off the top of my head.

All that being said, “A-Punk” by Vampire Weekend used to come up so often on one of my past devices (because alphabetically it was my first song) that I’d contemplated driving off the road to make it stop, once or twice...  and I actually bought that song willingly.

Honestly, how can someone under the age of 80 still be bitching about this six years later...  Glad he took the time to write and share this...  ahem...  six years later.  Poor little princess...

And honestly, should anyone value this guy’s music tastes if songs from SOI come up THAT often on random?  What, he’s got three dozen songs on his phone, or what?  I can’t remember the last SOI song to come up on random on my phone, off the top of my head.

All that being said, “A-Punk” by Vampire Weekend used to come up so often on one of my past devices (because alphabetically it was my first song) that I’d contemplated driving off the road to make it stop, once or twice...  and I actually bought that song willingly.

Anybody know exactly why this happens sometimes? In my case, the song is “A Blessing” from The Leftovers soundtrack (an instrumental). It’s not driving me crazy, but I would like to know why the song just starts to play every now and then when I plug the phone in the car.

they were jerks for not giving you the option to decline or accept the album. they knew that too. they wanted to bully their way in and "make" new fans.

they were jerks for not giving you the option to decline or accept the album. they knew that too. they wanted to bully their way in and "make" new fans.

Yep, they felt backed into a corner and panicked thinking this was the only way to stay relevant.  And of course, it massively backfired and killed whatever shot at a hit or critical acclaim they might have had.

Quote from: THRILLHO on November 01, 2020, 10:06:36 AM

they were jerks for not giving you the option to decline or accept the album. they knew that too. they wanted to bully their way in and "make" new fans.

Yep, they felt backed into a corner and panicked thinking this was the only way to stay relevant.  And of course, it massively backfired and killed whatever shot at a hit or critical acclaim they might have had.

yup. they killed any new fan interest they could have had. its a shame cuz like others said, SOI IS the best post-Pop, or at least a big step in the right direction

By the time the next U2 album comes out, there will be a whole new generation of music fans who do not remember U2 being a current band and do not remember the iTunes fiasco.

I wonder how they will react - if at all - to them.

too funny