U2 frontman Bono has expressed regret regarding the 2014 release of the band’s album ‘Songs of Innocence’, which was automatically downloaded onto millions of iTunes accounts worldwide without user consent. Speaking to The New York Times, Bono admitted the promotional stunt “went too far,” describing the incident as a “gross invasion” of privacy.
The initiative was part of an experimental distribution model intended to see if companies would pay for music to distribute to the public for free. Bono noted that both Apple CEO Tim Cook and the band’s former manager, Paul McGuinness, had expressed concerns about the strategy at the time. The backlash following the rollout was significant enough that Apple had to develop a tool to help users remove the album from their devices.
While Bono took responsibility for the move, guitarist The Edge defended the band’s approach to experimentation, stating that taking risks and occasionally failing is part of their professional process. The comments come as the band prepares for the release of their sixteenth studio album, ‘Carnaval De Luz’, and a world tour scheduled for 2027.