“The most proud moment”: The U2 album Bono defended against controversy
Any attempt to think outside of the box in the music industry is always going to be a gamble. While some choose to play it safe and release music in a more traditional manner, some prefer to take risks, prioritising ingenuity over potential setbacks, even if it means losing a portion of respectability or credibility. Bono perhaps understands this balance more than anybody.
Perhaps it’s the fact that U2 still struggle to be taken seriously even after four decades, or that some see them as a band that can do no wrong, that leaves Bono often readily poised for any calibre of self-defence. Sometimes, this just means explaining their different approaches to albums, and how, most of the time, the general premise stays the same; it’s their perspective that changes.
Other times, however, it means repeatedly addressing the different turning points in their storied history and whether these were the right choices, even if they ultimately enhanced the band’s credibility in an increasingly brutal playground. While Bono rarely shies away from holding his hands up in surrender when admitting they were wrong, one moment in particular seems to appear more than others.
The move became so instantly controversial that it’s now simply known as the “iTunes incident”, simplistically referring to the moment in 2014 when the band teamed up with Apple for the release of Songs of Innocence. Despite some legitimate pushback from the tech giant CEO Tim Cook at the time about the value in pushing music out for free, Bono maintained his position, and the album found its way onto iTunes libraries around the world unbeknownst to the user.
While acknowledging the backlash, Bono still believes his intentions were in the right place, despite the persistent urge for others to consistently address the ways it dishonoured audience connections and expectations, intrusively pushing something onto people who didn’t necessarily want it in the first place. “As one social media wisecracker put it, ‘Woke up this morning to find Bono in my kitchen, drinking my coffee, wearing my dressing gown, reading my paper,'” he said. “Or, less kind, ‘The free U2 album is overpriced.'”
Elsewhere, however, and years before people had the benefit of time to firm up their opinions on such a daring move, Bono discussed the project with glowing pride, even in the fresher light of reaction. When asked why he apologised after the album release, he reflected on the prematurity of such a backtrack, arguing that “it was the most proud moment of U2’s history” because it “was a chance to get our music to all these people”.
“We know a tiny fraction of people didn’t like it and found it offensive,” he continued, “But the intent from Apple was a beautiful thing, because these are people who pay for music, and the gift was from Apple to them.”
Evidently, Bono’s appreciation for the idea remains centred on artist payment and allowing access to music without traditional barriers, but unfortunately, many didn’t see the positive at the time, only viewing it as an egotistical marketing ploy to push an album that wasn’t necessarily good enough for such a commotion.
