Wow. Some of the online reactions to FREE music from one of the biggest bands in the world has left me baffled. I've seen tweets ranging from "I wouldn't want the album if THEY paid ME," to "it appeared on my i Phone without them asking me,"(horrors!) to, my favorite, "it's exactly like SPAM — rehashed bits of shit with no nutritional value." It is hard to find music with nutritional value these days. The backlash has led Apple to launch a website to help users delete the album. All of this, of course, comes on the heels of the latest Apple i Phone rollout. Stay tuned for the cognescenti to complain how shitty that new product is.
A couple things make me chuckle. First and foremost, was it not so long ago that a generation of music fans decried the "greedy labels" (ignoring the artists of course) and flocked to Napster and other illegal sites to download music for free? Music piracy, of course, still proliferates...but I guess some fans have come to grips with the fact that it's OK to screw their favorite artists out of the money they rely on to pursue a career in music. "They won't mind...I'm a REAL fan and go to their shows."
Funny, then, that it would be a HUGE inconvenience and personal affront to find the new album from one of the biggest bands in the world FREE in your inbox. This is, in my opinion, simply hipster backlash against U2 due to their success. You know you've heard it..."Oh..I loved Boy but after that..." or "They peaked with The Unforgettable Fire."
My guess is that if (insert yourfavoriteundergroundbandhere) had put heir new album, for free, in your mailbox, the reaction would be quite different. "Wow...how cool is that? Reaching out directly to fans" or "That's why they're so great...they give back to their fans." Let's face it: U2 (and perhaps Apple as well) is in a no-win situation for a certain segment of the population. They've set the bar so high that there's nowhere left to go but down. I find that sad. I did, in fact, see U2 on their second US tour, in support of October. I've seen them countless times since; at the Boston Garden on St. Patty's Day (yes, it was everything you think it was..) and on the stadium tours supporting The Joshua Tree and Elevation. This isn't meant to be a fan-boy rant; Pop was an unequivocal piece of shit. But, by and large, I think they've consistenlty challenged themselves artistically more than any other band of their stature. The Stones? Please. Go back and listen to Bridges to Babylon. Even Springsteen, save Wrecking Ball, has had a mediocre run. Who else you got?
Look...I don't love everything they do and it doesn't all work; at times, they overreach, both musically and (especially) from a public relations standpoint. But I also think No Line On The Horizon stands with the best of their output, and "Miss Sarajevo," their ambitious duet with Luciano Pavarotti, stands atop their ouevre; in fact, it's my favorite U2 track. Bono can be a bit irritating and overbearing, but do you really prefer Kanye? Biebs? Nicki Minaj? Let's see if their careers span 30+ years. Or maybe THAT'S the problem?
Which brings us back to "us," as a music audience. Why do we find it so offensive, so appalling and invasive when someone says "Here's something I've created and I would like to give it to you, for free." When did we, as music fans, become so jaded that we can't even find the time to listen? So dismissive that U2's use of punk heroes is regarded as blasphemy. C'mon. Is it that different, other than scale, than when you markered up your favorite jeans jacket or Chuck Taylors with your favorite punk band names?
Look. I don't care if you love, hate or are ambivalent about U2. I think it's cool to get free music. From anyone. I'll listen. So spare me the false outrage. Besides, Apple users are a smart bunch. Delete it. Like you do the hundreds of useless ads you get each month. (You know, the ones you relentlessly blog about...) It's that easy. Just don't complain that nothing comes for free...
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