U2 give away surprise album

U2 have offered surprise album Songs Of Innocence as a free download as part of a tie-in with iTunes.

The band’s first album in five years will be available to the service’s 500 million users until next month, when it will be put on standard sale.

Bono and co performed at Apple’s press event in California last night, where the latest iPhone and the first Apple Watch were unveiled.

The singer said of the follow-up to 2009’s No Line On The Horizon: “It’s kind of mind-blowing – the most personal album we’ve ever written can be shared with half a billion people by hitting ‘send.’ If only songwriting was that easy.”

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Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.