81 million! Let that number soak in for a minute….81 million people have experienced Songs of Innocence so far.  The three U2 haters worldwide will scoff at that number claiming victory because the number isn’t a gazillion or that blah, blah, blah, whatever other drivel they can imagine to validate their pathetic lives.  81 million!  Do you know how many purple irises that is?  Well, 162 million, you’re right, but still that number is incredible.  We all know U2 has been the number one band for decades now, but 81 million is a number that baffles me, so I put it into U2 terms that may make it easier to understand.

If you were stuck in 81 million moments that you couldn’t get out of, you’d be stuck for 56,250 days. Remember that when you’re stuck in traffic & you’re not moving anywhere.

81 million one tree hills combined would cover roughly an area the size of New Zealand about 10 times.

81 million is about 10 times the number of known species on earth. The original of those species is currently growing on that sandwich in the workroom refrigerator that everyone uses but refuses to clean.

81 million is about the number of times Bono has said the word “Relevant” the past 5 years.

81 million is the number times infinity that SOI is better than NLOTH.

81 million is about 8 times the number of people that saw the 360 tour.

81 million times is approximately the number of times I’ve played SOI so far.

81 million is almost twice as many sales as Michael Jackson’s Thriller. U2’s Bad VS Michael Jackson’s Bad….Child, please.

81 million times I’ve wondered if Passengers is considered a U2 album.

81 million crumbs from your table would make a pretty nice meal for a starving African family less fortunate than you.

81 million times you were held by this love and you didn’t even know it.

81 million times I’ve wondered how it’s possible to run to stand still?

If a picture is worth a thousand words, SOI is well worth 81 million listeners and then some.