'Remember Us?'

9 Sep 2014244
A letter from Bono, on the arrival 'of our new baby' - Songs of Innocence.

'Hello, bonjour, ciao, hola, hallo, zdravo, dobar dan, Dia duit, hæ, hej,hei, cześć, olá, ćao, namaste, sawatdee, jambo, pozdravi, Γεια σου, привіт, שלום, مرحبا, こんにちは, , سلام, 你好, Привет….

Remember us? Pleased to announce myself, Edge, Adam and Larry have finally given birth to our new baby… Songs of Innocence. It’s been a while. We wanted to get it right for you/us. We just finished it last week and thanks to Apple and iTunes it’s with you today. That’s already amazing to me as it normally takes a few months to turn this stuff around.

Part of the DNA of this band has always been the desire to get our music to as many people as possible. In the next 24 hours, over a half a billion people are going to have Songs of Innocence… should they choose to check it out. That is so exciting. People who haven’t heard our music, or weren’t remotely interested, might play us for the first time because we’re in their library. Country fans, hip hop afficionados from east LA, electro poppers from Seoul, Bhangra fans from New Delhi, Highlifers in Accra… might JUST be tempted to check us out, even for a moment. What a mind blowing, head scratching, 21st century situation. Over 500 million people… that’s a billion ears. And for the people out there who have no interest in checking us out, look at it this way… the blood, sweat and tears of some Irish guys are in your junk mail.

You’ll have noticed the album is free to U2.com’ers from the band. It’s also free to everyone on iTunes thanks to Apple. To celebrate the ten year anniversary of our iPod commercial, they bought it as a gift to give to all their music customers. Free, but paid for. Because if no-one's paying anything for it, we’re not sure “free” music is really that free. It usually comes at a cost to the art form and the artist… which has big implications, not for us in U2, but for future musicians and their music... all the songs that have yet to be written by the talents of the future… who need to make a living to write them.

We’re collaborating with Apple on some cool stuff over the next couple of years, innovations that will transform the way music is listened to and viewed. We’ll keep you posted. If you like Songs of Innocence,  stay with us for Songs of Experience. It should be ready soon enough… although I know I’ve said that before…

I hope after listening to our new long player a few times, you’ll understand why it took so long. We really went there… it’s a very, very personal album. Apologies if that gets excruciating… actually, I take that back. No apologies if it gets excruciating. What’s the point in being in U2 if you can’t go there?
There is no end to LOVE.'
BONO
Comments
244
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Shellthekiwi
I cant stop smiling LOVE IT !!!
lovin Volcano takes me back to the tracks we used to listen to at the beginning of the long but very very exciting road of being a U2 fan so excited about the next tour now!!!
monghi
Amazing job!!!
Gentlemen... it´s pleasure for me to hear your new album after 5 years again... "California" is a beautiful song but my most favourite from new album is definitely "Sleep Like A Baby Tonight"... Thank you!!!! Looking forward to your new tour ...
gerryrockstar
iris
Thank you for the new album . Iris in particular which I will hold dear to my heart where I hold my mom as well
kite65
Ciao Amico
Grazie per questo Grande Regalo, siamo pronti per partire in Tour... saremo quelli con la bandiera dei 4 MORÌ a presto LOVE
l_ozza
From Oz - don't forget us when you're sc
Bono and U2 - you are awesome!!! You have made my day, week, month and year! Love you guys!!! Yours is the music to my life. xx
chrisyles
Bono, You had me at "hello"
Love it, love it, love it!! Thank you!!! Can't say enough, still getting acquainted to the new songs, but each one is unique and reminds me of bits and pieces of songs of U2 past with a fresh upbeat and soulful twist. Enjoying very much! Welcome back boys!
pitjoaquin
Ayayayay Mexico!
All I can say to u guys is:"THANK U SO MUCH FOR THE WONDERFUL GIFT.. to me.. to us.. to the entire world!!" Cozumel, Mexico
Mahdik
Thank you, I love you!
Really great, thank you! My favourites: Every Breaking Waves and The Troubles.
allhorizonbomb
Songs of Experience
Why must Songs of Experience be mentioned and now that's all I'm going to be thinking about after I listen to Songs of Innocence a few hundred more times. Can't wait for part two.
Rosarph
Nice end to a bad day... Thank you
What a nice surprise! I had a bad day and when I checked my e-mail received the best gift ever. I listened to it today and LOVE it. Thank you.
Songs of Innocence and Experience
Eternity is in love with the productions of time.
chicagoflyguy
It's great to hear the evolution
Near the end, Volcano has the power hook from "Glastonbury," the song the boys played a few times on the 360 tour. It's great to hear how that evolved from a Zeppelin-like rocker (thanks to Edge hanging with Jimmy Page) to something that screams U2 and will be incredible on its own in a live show. If I didn't know better, Raised By Wolves could have been an outtake from the Unforgettable Fire. Embrace your roots! I do wish TIWYCRMN sounded more Clash (love them too), but it's still a terrific song, distinctly U2. Now I can't wait for Songs of Experience -- and the next tour!
Vox98
Phenomenal!
Remember Us?? We'll never forget!! Amazing work! And to be getting another album right after (so we'll see lol) is insane! Can't wait to hear the renditions of this masterpiece live! And maybe my dream comes true of singing with Bono on stage! Dream Out loud... One Love
shielamarie
Just amazing
You are one of the only bands and probably will remain the only, that I have stayed with since the 80"s for a myriad of reasons. Thank you for all the inspiration and emotion you continue to share. I can't wait for the future. Thank you.
balinor
A very, VERY nice surprise - on so many
First, let me just say congratulations on the new album, and for managing to surprise most of the world by outright giving this album away. I haven't been surprised by the music industry in a VERY long time, and this was by far the best part of Apple's release news yesterday. More importantly, you guys really outdid yourselves this time. My wife and I have been eagerly awaiting this new album, and when we finally had time to sit down last night and give it a listen, we were blown away. It seems to encompass everything that is, was and will be U2. There's a little bit of everything you guys have ever done, and yet you manage to reinvent yourselves at the same time. The result is a moving, rocking, thoroughly enjoyable collection of tunes that I'll be listening to for years to come. I can truly feel the emotion in each of the songs, and actually see the stories unfold. Thank you for sharing such personal experience with the masses, and for free to boot. Hoping to see you guys out on the road next summer!
danny37
danny37
I have been listening to u2 from the start and its been a long time since i can say i can`t pick a favorite track really really blow away
marcellin
Great job !
What a gift ! Songs are made to be listened several times to find what's really in them. That's what makes a good album that we we'll still listen for years and years !
Roxanne_D
LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!!!!
I am listening to it now, and I am just blown away by how great this album is! I have no doubt that it is going to be a HUGE success, and I am going to be hearing songs from all over TV & radio. Big congratulations guys, you have found your muse. Thank you so much for the free album on iTUNES. I can't wait to buy the CD. U2 has been my favorite band for well over 2 decades. I love all of you. XOXOXOXO
ShellBeThere
is it wrong to play the first track a ga
Because I know U2 often does albums meant to be whole-works, but I really like being stuck on this first one, "The Miracle (of Joey Ramone). It is fun to think of it as the decade-later "apple" song follow-up to Vertigo, punk-riff meditation on U2's beginnings. And fun to really let the idea of its being an introductory "song of innocence" soak in, to let that riff settle in deep first. It also allows me to re-interpret the last happy surprise we got from U2, "Invisible", which I really didn't love...I 'get it' better now. And so far I love this first song i'm stuck on! And when I sampled some of the later tracks they had me in tears, which I'm not quite ready for yet...wow. So excited to have these tracks in my library; thanks Apple! Happier surprise than even the new products ;-) ....
Jenwins
It's been a while...
Since I've been truly obsessed by with new U2 tune. Can't stop listening to The Troubles, and can't get it out of my head when I'm not listening. Made my day, week, month yesterday!
lamspa
Thanks!
So glad you're back! We've missed you...
amaurihtdaab
Surely remember you!
Great album, great songs, the balcony was a marketing genius, it's amazing can of reinventing itself, to reach various places, people, mainly the youngest, who surely loved the disco band. Congratulations, thank you for giving us this gift.
christyblue
welcome back U2 !!!!
I am now on my 6th listen and the album keeps on growing on each listen, sometimes growers become the best albums !!!! And I think this will become maybe U2's best work yet, maybe that's all I will say for now. It was surprisingly refreshing, I really like it :) & thanks guys for free download although I will be getting the physical copy :). Favourites so far............ The Miracle of Joey Ramone(, The Ramones were legends) Every breaking wave Song for someone Iris(hold me close) Volcano Raised by wolves Cedarwood road The troubles Most of album really lol Volcano rocks !!!!! Cannot wait for Songs of Experience :):)
bonovox4u2
PURE MAGIC
Fantastic surprise..........Volcano is rocking,,, Hope you still come to Scotland as part of the UK tour (or maybe not)......Thanks guys
letzrev
I like surprises...
Awesome. Just thank you guys. What a unique gift to us all at U2.COM and the masses!
pepebasabeleoz1
Thanks thanks thanks
As always, you made my life happier.
shaneOHara
You had me at Hello :-)
Want to give you all a cuddle for raising the hairs on the back of my neck.... and Im a boy, who does not cuddle damn it. :-) I still have a faint hope that the four of ye will pop round for a cuppa some time... we can all talk shite for an hour ;-)
Dennis G
What a relief. A wonderful, impressive,
I'll admit: I was nervous. VERY nervous and afraid I'd be disappointed. What a pleasant surprise to see I was worried for nothing. On the contrary, I'm overwhelmed at how good these songs are. I loved the album on the first listen, which hasn't happened to me since ATYCLB. Please release "Every Breaking Wave" as a single. You guys have got a hit here!
ladyhawkmoon
ohhhh so happy!
What can i say! i am HAPPY!!!!!!
tank
Cracker job guys
Don't forget about us down under, Australia awaits you for the next tour with more beautiful songs to be heard and sung.
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