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U2 Releases New Album for Free on Apple’s iTunes

By JON PARELES  / The New York Times

From left, Timothy D. Cook, the Apple C.E.O., with the Edge, Bono and Larry Mullen Jr. of U2 on Tuesday in Cupertino, Calif. Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

With virtually no advance notice, U2 has released “Songs of Innocence,” its first album since “No Line on the Horizon” in 2009. Like Beyoncé and Radiohead before them, U2 skipped the elaborate promotional buildup that usually precedes a long-awaited album release. Instead, at 2:55 p.m. Eastern time Apple announced that the album was being given free to every iTunes store customer in 119 countries through Oct. 13. It includes 11 songs and a “digital booklet” with liner notes by Bono, U2’s singer.

The album’s producers, who worked with U2 at various times over the last three years, include Danger Mouse, who is listed as the album’s main producer, along with Ryan Tedder (of One Republic) and Paul Epworth, who has collaborated with Adele. Earlier reported sessions with dance-music producers like David Guetta and RedOne were apparently set aside.

Between albums, Bono and U2’s guitarist, the Edge, wrote songs for the Broadway musical “Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark.” U2 also released two songs, “Ordinary Love,” from “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom,” and the single “Invisible,” that do not appear on “Songs of Innocence.”

“Songs of Innocence,” a title drawn from William Blake, refers to the autobiographical themes of the songs, described in Bono’s liner notes as a collection of “first journeys.” “Iris (Hold Me Close)” is named after Iris Hewson, Bono’s mother (he was born Paul Hewson), who died in 1974. “Cedarwood Road” is the street in Dublin where Bono grew up. Other songs pay tribute to Joey Ramone, of the Ramones, and Joe Strummer, of the Clash, both cited as inspirations in the liner notes.

Apple claims that the album is now owned by half a billion people.

Stragglers, Luddites and high-fidelity sticklers can await the physical release of the album by Interscope Records on Oct. 14.

Reference: The New York Times