Iggy Pop criticises U2 iTunes giveaway

Iggy Pop has shown his disapproval of U2's recent album giveaway on iTunes.

The Irish group surprised fans and hundreds of millions iTunes users in September when they gave away the new album 'Songs of Innocence' via the Apple platform.

Many criticised the move - which concluded with the physical release of the record on Monday (October 13) - because the album infiltrated peoples' accounts without their knowledge.

Speaking during the John Peel Lecture at the Radio Festival in Salford on Monday, Pop said that the U2 situation was unfair on listeners.

He said: "The people who don’t want the free U2 download are trying to say, ‘Don’t try to force me’, and they’ve got a point. Part of the process when you buy something from an artist, it’s kind of an anointing, you are giving that person love.

“It's your choice to give or withhold. You are giving a lot of yourself, besides the money. But in this particular case, without the convention, maybe some people felt like they were robbed of that chance and they have a point."

Referring more generally to the industry in general, the veteran singer added:

"The biggest bands are charging insane ticket prices or giving away music before it can flop in an effort to stay huge and there is something in this huge thing that kind of sucks."

Watch Iggy Pop in action below: