Confirmed or Not Confirmed ! 2014

Many sites have reported news of U2's album release dates and possible push backs and delays and Bono's writers block and blah blah blah. 

Previously reported Rolling Stones story suggested that the band pretty much would not make the date and almost over a month pasted and now RS reports a new album is in fact on the way this year. 

Now sources have told The Sun that “The U2 comeback is very much on for this year. This album has been a real struggle for them to make. It’s taken a long time and Bono didn’t find it easy.

But they’re very confident now and are convinced the wait has been worth it.” Also we have heard Bono playing music from his lovely home which he has done in the past.

However wait more news that this could be the year for the release the boys have been working on a video shoot and we also well as others have reported the news of some video production work.

What can say to you is that while all of us that follow the boys know that U2's machine is strong and alive and well. The marketing power around U2 has done some pretty amazing work. Yes some fans will say its not official until its on U2.com.

However sometimes we catch a worm from time to time ( yea like the reference ) and we ( U2 blog sites) release the news ahead of the official page.  Now of course that's that not saying anything negative about the official sites or fan pages. The U2 fan pages have sources that are willing to share their information outside of the marketing machine rules. Allow us a few minutes in the sun.  

The fact is that many news agencies report the possible release date of the next U2 project and at this point all of us are running on speculation and of course our sources which all could be wrong or right depending on the source and the information that is released to the public.

Our goal is not to create any more hype or cause anyone to post nasty messages on forums where the release date will be posted.  Lets look at the facts and from that information we can wait just like the rest of the world. U2 will release new music and all is right with the world meantime go back and listen to some classics and enjoy.

Paul McGuinness lashes out at Google

Paul Paul slammed Google calling them a “monopoly” and is speaking out against the way it displays illegal download sites in search results.

Why has Paul been so vocal? Google may have poked a nerve with its campaign against proposed legislation aimed to stop this type of online piracy.

Paul said: “Never underestimate the ability of a monopoly to defend itself.” While speaking at MIDEM, in Cannes.

“It amazes me that Google has not done the right thing.

The experience of people when they go on Google and look for U2 music, or PJ Harvey music, is a shopping list of illegal opportunities to get their music. They have done nothing meaningful to discourage it,” said Paul.

What he wants is easy to do. Block all Internet sites that offer illegal downloads of anything that has a copyright. Music, Books and Films should all be considered protected.

He said that companies such as Google were “incredibly clever people with enormous resources”.

“Why are they not trying to solve the future in a more generous way? Ultimately it is in their interest that the flow of content will continue, and that won’t happen unless it’s paid for.”

SpotifyThe U2 manager said he would be more likely to give previews of U2’s next album to traditional radio than an online service like Spotify.

“At the moment I’m inclined to treat it (Spotify) as a promotional medium. If we have to choose where to put records on their debut we’re unlikely to give it to Spotify.

“We have arrangements like that around the world with people we’ve worked with over the years.

Spotify has yet to become popular with artists because artists don’t see the financial benefit of working with Spotify.”

10 million tune in to U2 gig

U2TOURFANS 2009

For U2 it was just another outlet for video footage but it may well prove to be the moment when the internet showed that it could generate audiences to rival broadcast television.

On ten million occasions viewers clicked on to YouTube to watch U2 perform live at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Calfornia at the end of last month, a record for simultaneous viewing on the video website.

Malcom Gerrie, the chief executive of WhizzKid Entertainment, the company that filmed the event, said that both the band and YouTube were shocked and surprised by how many people watched online. “This achieved the kind of audience you might see for a television hit show, but it was far greater than you would see for a music show on television in any single country,” he said. “In Britain, they are cracking open the champagne if Later with Jools Holland gets seen by 600,000 people.”

YouTube, owned by Google, traditionally shows short video clips, and the U2 concert was one of only a handful of live broadcasts the website has undertaken. It was persuaded into doing so when Bono, the band’s frontman, took advantage of his friendship with Sergey Brin, one of Google’s two billionaire founders, to force a change of policy.

Previous attempts to broadcast major concerts live on the internet, such as AOL’s transmission of Live 8 in 2005, have proved to be disappointing for viewers because the prevailing internet technology had not been able to handle video well. As household connection speeds increase, transmitting live television online is becoming more practical.U2TOURFANS 2009/Rose Bowl

The high viewing figures came as such a surprise that neither the band nor YouTube capitalised financially. Paul McGuinness, U2’s manager, said: “YouTube were a little unsure of themselves. They were supposed to sell a sponsorship for the event, but somehow they didn’t manage to.”

YouTube also refused to pay U2, although the Irish quartet accepted the lack of fees because they saw the exercise as a promotional experiment. The Rose Bowl gig was being filmed anyway, so the band could release a DVD of the event early next year as part of their contractual obligation to their music company, Universal.

Mr McGuiness said that in future U2 would consider charging viewers to watch live online when the band comes round to touring again in about four years. “We might do pay per view next time, and we don’t think that will cannibalise any sales of DVDs because the audiences are separate,” he said.

In Britain, few programmes top 10 million viewers. Coronation Street and other soap operas; Champions League and other football finals; and Saturday night entertainment shows are the only programmes able to breach that figure. Last week the X Factor elimination show on Sunday night was watched by 15.8 million, making it one of the most-watched programmes of the year.

U2 were able to exceed the 10 million level because the concert was made available to 187 countries, including China, North Korea and Iran, although a third of the 10 million audience for the Rose Bowl show came from the United States.

After the gig, YouTube is understood to be considering a change in strategy that would turn it into a regular rival to the BBC and ITV and any traditional TV station. A spokesman for YouTube would only describe the event as a “big win”, but Mr Gerrie said: “We think a whole new business model has emerged here.”