Apple is allowing its iTunes customers to remove U2's new album from their accounts six days after giving away the music for free. Some users had complained about the fact that U2's "Songs of Innocence" had automatically been downloaded to their devices without their permission.

The US tech firm is now providing instructions to the song from users' iTunes music libraries and iTunes purchases.

Users who remove the album and do not download it again before 13 October will be charged for the 11 tracks if they subsequently try to add them again.

Apple made the album available to millions of iTunes customers in to coincide with its iPhone 6 and Watch launch event last week, in which U2 took the stage of the event and performed live.

Despite the huge promotion the rock band received, U2's singer Bono acknowledged at the time that not everyone would appreciate the gift.

"People who haven't heard our music, or weren't remotely interested, might play us for the first time because we're in their library," he wrote on the band's site.

"And for the people out there who have no interest in checking us out, look at it this way… the blood, sweat and tears of some Irish guys are in your junk mail."