U2 has returned in stunning fashion: the legendary rock group has released a new album, Songs of Innocence, for free on iTunes, following its performance at the Apple event today (Sept. 9). The album is available for free to all iTunes users weeks of rumors that the band would announce its next project at the Apple event, as well as confirmation at the group’s first album in five years would be arriving before the end of the year. “We hope to have it out some time this year, and to have [the music] shortly,” Interscope chairman John Janick told Billboard in its Fall Album Preview.
According to U2.com, the album was recorded in Dublin, London, New York and Los Angeles, and its 11 tracks were largely produced by Danger Mouse, Paul Epworth and Ryan Tedder, with Declan Gaffney and Flood also contributing to the production. “Invisible,” a song U2 debuted in a Super Bowl commercial in February in partnership with Bank of America and (RED), does not appear on the Songs of Innocence track list.
Songs of Innocence will be released physically on Oct. 14 with a 24-page booklet. A deluxe edition with four additional tracks and an acoustic session of album tracks will be also released that day.
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