Apple releases U2 album removal tool - Polidicks

[IMG]http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/77606000/jpg/_77606634_9fab9aa6-c2fa-400d-8621-e33e2a9a74f7.jpg[/IMG] [QUOTE]Some users had complained about the fact that Songs of Innocence had automatically been downloaded to their devices without their permission. It had not been immediately obvious to many of the account holders how to delete the tracks. The US tech firm is now providing a one-click removal button. "Some customers asked for the ability to delete 'Songs of Innocence' from their library, so we set up itunes.com/soi-remove to let them easily do so. Any customer that needs additional help should contact AppleCare," spokesman Adam Howorth told the BBC. Users who want to remove the new U2 album can now click a button to do so Users who remove the album and do not download it again before 13 October will be charged for the 11 tracks if they subsequently try to add them again. "It's embarrassing for Apple that it's had a bit of a backlash," commented Ian Maude from the media consultancy Enders Analysis. "It was giving something away to its customers - so that part was really good - but what it should have probably done was make it optional. Not everybody's a U2 fan as it's just discovered. "Is there any long-term impact? No. It's moved very quickly to fix the problem." 'Blood, sweat and tears' Apple made the album available to about 500 million iTunes customers in 119 countries to coincide with its iPhone 6 and Watch launch event last U2's singer Bono acknowledged at the time that not everyone would appreciate the gift. "People who haven't heard our music, or weren't remotely interested, might play us for the first time because we're in their library," he wrote on the band's site. "And for the people out there who have no interest in checking us out, look at it this way… the blood, sweat and tears of some Irish guys are in your junk mail." Bono added that Apple had "paid" for the giveaway, and reports have suggested that prime placement of banner ads publicising the album on the iTunes store and other publicity provided by the tech firm might be worth as much as $100m (£62m). Sales of earlier U2 albums have re-entered iTunes' charts and the band has also raised its profile ahead of an expected tour as well as a planned follow-up album called Songs of Experience.[/QUOTE] [url]http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-29208540[/url] The end of the dadcore

I didn't mind at all, but then again, I've never hated U2. They're not amazing, but they aren't terrible either.

[quote]"It's embarrassing for Apple that it's had a bit of a backlash," commented Ian Maude from the media consultancy Enders Analysis.[/quote] It's embarrassing that people cared this much about it to begin with. Is deleting songs or simply not downloading them so hard?

[QUOTE=Sir Whoopsalot;45988485]It's embarrassing that people cared this much about it to begin with. Is deleting songs or simply not downloading them so hard?[/QUOTE] three songs are just there, already downloaded, and i can't delete them

[QUOTE=Sir Whoopsalot;45988485]It's embarrassing that people cared this much about it to begin with. Is deleting songs or simply not downloading them so hard?[/QUOTE] A lot of people have automatic downloads. Even then some [i]shitty[/i] music is still sitting in their library waiting for them to download it again.

[QUOTE=Sir Whoopsalot;45988485]It's embarrassing that people cared this much about it to begin with. Is deleting songs or simply not downloading them so hard?[/QUOTE] I don't want music that I never explicitly downloaded taking up space on my phone, or showing up when I shuffle. I don't even have an iPhone anymore and this story bothers me

Should I just start mass printing copies of this image and hand them out like candy to just shut everyone up? [img]https://sophosnews.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/apple-album-499.png[/img] It really goes to show the intelligence of a large majority of iPhone owners, considering they don't know the difference between "it's on your device, play it whenever" and "it's listed, but it's not necessarily on your device until you download it when attempting to play it".

Songs of Innocence? I liked it better when William Blake did it.

[QUOTE=wickedplayer494;45988536]Should I just start mass printing copies of this image and hand them out like candy to just shut everyone up? [img]https://sophosnews.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/apple-album-499.png[/img] It really goes to show the intelligence of a large majority of iPhone owners, considering they don't know the difference between "it's on your device, play it whenever" and "it's listed, but it's not necessarily on your device until you download it when attempting to play it".[/QUOTE] [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/M5l9qlG.png[/IMG] There's your problem.

There were a couple of decent tunes on this record, most of the people complaining didn't even give it a chance.

[QUOTE=Stick it in her pooper;45988743]There were a couple of decent tunes on this record, most of the people complaining didn't even give it a chance.[/QUOTE] Nor should they have to give it a chance. People buy iPods, iPhones and shit to download [i]their[/i] music and be familiar with what they can see. They want to be able to shuffle around their music. Then Bono steps in and it gets a bit awkward :v:

[QUOTE=wickedplayer494;45988536]It really goes to show the intelligence of a large majority of iPhone owners, considering they don't know the difference between "it's on your device, play it whenever" and "it's listed, but it's not necessarily on your device until you download it when attempting to play it".[/QUOTE] You're so above them all, dude.

[QUOTE=geogzm;45988781]Nor should they have to give it a chance. People buy iPods, iPhones and shit to download [I]their[/I] music and be familiar with what they can see. They want to be able to shuffle around their music. Then Bono steps in and it gets a bit awkward :v:[/QUOTE] Yeah they should have given people the option to opt-in or out, I could see how that could piss someone off.

Would have preferred an U2 removal tool, but I guess you can't have everything.

[QUOTE=wickedplayer494;45988536]Should I just start mass printing copies of this image and hand them out like candy to just shut everyone up? [img]https://sophosnews.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/apple-album-499.png[/img] It really goes to show the intelligence of a large majority of iPhone owners, considering they don't know the difference between "it's on your device, play it whenever" and "it's listed, but it's not necessarily on your device until you download it when attempting to play it".[/QUOTE] hey i bet you feel really great about yourself after that awesome burn

They should have just made it a free download on iTunes without adding it into everyone's libraries. That way, people who want the album can have it but it isn't forced on everyone.

[QUOTE=wickedplayer494;45988536]Should I just start mass printing copies of this image and hand them out like candy to just shut everyone up? [img]https://sophosnews.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/apple-album-499.png[/img] It really goes to show the intelligence of a large majority of iPhone owners, considering they don't know the difference between "it's on your device, play it whenever" and "it's listed, but it's not necessarily on your device until you download it when attempting to play it".[/QUOTE] But maybe I don't want them in my library?

This thread sounds like my brother.

I once had a Tori Amos cassette that my ex-girlfriend played endlessly. I frisbee'd it out of our 2nd floor window while holding onto the tape part. It's guts waved gloriously in the west Texas wind. Like some sort of evil spirit looking for a way home. So much more satisfying than a delete or remove button. Digital killed my music experience.

[QUOTE=tirpider;45990632]I once had a Tori Amos cassette that my ex-girlfriend played endlessly. I frisbee'd it out of our 2nd floor window while holding onto the tape part. It's guts waved gloriously in the west Texas wind. Like some sort of evil spirit looking for a way home. So much more satisfying than a delete or remove button. Digital killed my music experience.[/QUOTE] [I]Just frisbee the iPod away. Duh.[/I] :v:

I just looked my itunes, and i dont have no shit u2 album on there, im pretty happy

I just deleted it and it went away forever

Even with automatic downloads on it didn't automatically download for anybody in my family, even then it's not hard to remove from your account (It's a setting in the account page). Edit: They've made it even easier, open the iTunes store and click on "Purchased".

It's not about how easy it is to remove, it's the fact that there's an album in my library that I didn't ask for, don't like and don't want. Stored on the cloud or no, this shouldn't be a thing. They should have just offered it for free on iTunes. This is stupid, intrusive marketing and I'm not surprised about this backlash. It's well deserved.

This sounds like something you would hear on The Onion.

[QUOTE=agentgamma;45989085]They should have just made it a free download on iTunes without adding it into everyone's libraries. That way, people who want the album can have it but it isn't forced on everyone.[/QUOTE] Yeah, but then they won't be able to pander about "OMG world's largest record release evar!" It doesn't count for shit if you're forcing it on to unsuspecting people for free, idiots.