Put it this way: if this was a Meat Loaf album and Meat and the record company had come up with the idea - would you all be bitching quite so vocally about having had free music 'forced' upon you?

I'm guessing not.

C'mon, it's hardly the crime of the century.

I'd welcome the free music myself, just as some people have done with the U2 album but I'd also understand people's frustration and annoyance if they didn't want it.

After all there's not a single piece of music or artist that is to everyone's tastes and I think that is one of the issues with this automatic download.

I get that :cool: And part of me agrees with the almost-could-be-violating-our-privacy part, but at the same time it's akin to a free CD coming through the door. And I just find it hard to understand the mentality of 'how dare they send me this free CD' over 'cool, look, a free CD'. I know that not everyone likes the band (me included), but I don't think it's as offensive an issue as some people are making out.

After all, it's easily ignorable if you don't want to listen to it.

If a CD arrives through the post and you don't want it, you just give it away, sell it or throw it away. Digital content is there on your computer/device (if you've got automatic downloads enabled) and removing it is not always simple if you're not all that technologically minded (like my parents - they had no idea how to remove the album).

I can appreciate what you and everyone else are saying and the main issue for me was the fact that there was no element of choice about whether the album was added to the accounts of iTunes users. Hopefully if Apple consider offering an album free again, they'll consider putting something like a box for people to tick so people can decide whether they want it or not.

Then surely you just hit delete and stick it in the recycle bin (just like you would with a CD)? If you have automatic downloads enabled, aren't you basically just saying 'sure, I'll accept whatever you send my way'?

But I see what you're saying. Maybe a solution would be for Apple to develop a separate folder for all unsolicited/free downloads? That way there's still choice (to import into your library or delete the album).

I don't use iTunes, but my partner does, and she hasn't had the whole U2 problem as of yet.

However, I still think that if this had come from camp Loaf every single person here (except for Evil One) would be defending this right now!

Rather foolishly perhaps, I didn't think that they'd be adding albums to my devices with it but have since disabled it.

Lesson learned. ;)

You'll probably find that most people would be defending it yes but then again this is a Meat Loaf forum and I'm sure that if you were to go to a U2 forum, you'd find the majority of the fanbase defending it.

I'm not sure that I would be defending it entirely and would certainly be able to appreciate people's annoyance about it. I think this kind of thing could open the artist up to criticism from people who had previously ignored them and their music.

U2
We sold our soul to Rock & Roll and it didn't even cost a thing.

I think we are running away from the original subject. It's not a mater if you enjoy or hate the album. As I stated before, the reason why you enjoy or hate an unaware installed object is subjective to each and everyone.

The issue here is that it was installed unanounced.

If the good people of I-tunes wanted you to download the album they could, instead of let it autom. download it in your library, give you an option: "Do you want the new U2 album for free, click OK or No Thanks".

Once you mindless allow programms to install albums, programms or other stuff on your computer, because it's for free, there is no end to it.

Besides:
doesn't sound like it was something that seems to easy to remove
Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-en...r-9745028.html

And we're not the only ones discussing it:
http://digiday.com/brands/achtung-ap...free-u2-album/ (among many other on line articles)

Although I must say I love some of the tweets, as they made me laugh:

Sounds like a plan to me :cool:

You're probably right (though I have no clue how U2 fans feel), which just illustrates that what some people are reacting to isn't the process, but the choice of artist.

I think herein lies the real issue. I have never used automatic downloads, and I don't use the Cloud.

People complaining about free music....oh my god. GET OVER YOURSELVES. ITS FREE MUSIC.

I'd be more inclined to see it as people react to the process as it was conducted on this occasion, but are no doubt mollified if the choice of artist happens to be one they follow ;)

Didn't affect me at all and doubtless never will .. :lol: But I can understand people viewing it as one more type of uninvited, unsolicited spam which grates

This is a case of wrong promotional tool at the wrong time. Within the past couple of weeks, various CLOUD type services have been hit with hackers, scammers, and information theft has began to run rampant with these types of services. The issue here is perception. Consumer’s negative reactions to the album being automatically uploaded to their cloud without their knowledge is on the outside – just that. However, subconsciously…the consumer is skittish (at best) about their confidence in the cloud at the moment. I really do not believe it is a matter of it being a U2 album or being given away for free. I honestly believe at the root, this is a consumer confidence issue.

That's probably more accurate; I still don't see this as being any more annoying than the normal junk mail, product samples or spam. I do think some of the jokes are funny, though! :lol:

Good points, and maybe a learning experience for some (as Jenna mentioned). I think some people are too eager to sign up for the latest thing in the name of "convenience" or for novelty value, without fully thinking of the implications.