Bono is eating a healthy plate of crow right about now.
On September 9, via deal with Apple, U2’s “Songs of Innocence” album was automatically downloaded to iTunes on ALL Apple devices, whether users asked for it or not.
Many were unhappy with the intrusion, prompting Apple to actually come out with a tool to remove the album from one’s iTunes Music Library if so desired.
And during a Facebook chat yesterday, user Harriet Madeline Jobson wrote to the band, asking:
“Can you please never release an album on iTunes that automatically downloads to peoples playlists ever again? It’s really rude.”
To Bono’s credit, he at least came right out and admitted a mistake was clearly made.
“Oops,” the artist said. “I’m sorry about that. We had this beautiful idea – we got carried away with ourselves. Artists are prone to that kind of thing.”
The philanthropic star chalked up the error in judgment to a “drop of megalomania, touch of generosity, dash of self-promotion and deep fear that these songs that we poured our life into over the last few years mightn’t be heard…
“There’s a lot of noise out there. I guess we got a little noisy ourselves to get through it.”
Somewhere, Sharon Osbourne is likely having a good laugh right about now.
She actually use the term “meglomaniacs” herself in a rant against U2 not long after their latest album came out.