Why Did U2 Give Away Its New Album At The Apple Unveiling? (A Comment On The State Of The Music Business)

“U2 surprise-release of their new album – for free – last night for iTunes’ 500 million customers globally could be read as a band was no longer certain of their place in the paid music market and so chose to hide behind a marketing gimmick of faux benevolence. But, more realistically, it could also mark the last gasp of a major act using iTunes downloads as the main way to get their music to a mass audience.”