Archive notice: This article was originally published on February 25, 2009. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
Irish band U2’s new album “No Line on the Horizon” appeared online in CD quality a week before its official release. In this case, however, neither journalists nor people in the band’s circle of friends were apparently responsible for the unintended early release. Ironically, Universal’s Australian division made a major blunder by briefly offering the album for sale online. Some music fans gratefully accepted the offer on getmusic.com.au. Unsurprisingly, the entire album appeared shortly afterward on all the well-known illegal download platforms.
The record company’s error is not without irony, since the band had tried by every possible means to prevent the songs from leaking early for this particular CD release. In recent weeks, Universal representatives toured the globe to play the album to selected journalists at “listening parties.” All recording devices, including cameras and mobile phones, were prohibited so the unreleased tracks could not find their way prematurely onto illegal file-sharing networks and fan forums by indirect means.
Long-standing U2 manager Paul McGuinness in particular is known for his critical attitude toward online piracy and new digital distribution methods. Alongside harsh criticism of internet service providers, which he holds partly responsible for the success of illegal file-sharing networks, he also described Radiohead’s experiment of allowing its latest album to be downloaded at a self-selected price as a failed experiment.
Whether planned or not, the band has already responded to the songs appearing online and apparently now intends to stream the new album in full on its own website. The offer is apparently intended only for paying members of the website. Universal Australia, which the Sydney Morning Herald says was responsible for the error, has so far declined to comment on the incident. At press time, Universal in Europe had also not commented on the failed secrecy strategy.