After U2 released its latest LP, Songs of Innocence, to Apple's iTunes free of charge, NME reported that, despite being distributed to 500 million people, the album only notched 200,000 downloads.
Now, a rep for Universal Music Group, tells Billboard that the number is "completely inaccurate."
Songs of Innocence is available to all iTunes account holders in the 119 countries where the service is available. While Apple places the album in a user's "purchased" list, those who listen to it are likely short of the half billion Apple claims.
According to the U.K.'s Official Charts Company, free downloads are ineligible for the U.K. Albums Chart:
"Copies of the U2 album Songs Of Innocence which have been delivered free to consumers' iTunes accounts will not be reflected in the Official Albums Chart - the Official Charts only count music which consumers have made an active choice to acquire. The album will only count when consumers have made an active choice to buy it."
Songs of Innocence officially debuts October 17.
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