The Londoners have slammed a move by iTunes and U2 that they see as "invasive".

English rockers Bombay Bicycle Club aren't too enthused about yesterday's free release of the new U2 album 'Songs of Innocence', it would seem.

The album was automatically uploaded to the accounts of more than 500 million iTunes account holders yesterday - a move which, according to Bombay Bicycle Club's Jamie MacColl, raises questions over privacy.

"I thought the movie was quite invasive", MacColl told NME. "A lot of people are up in arms because they don't like U2. I don't have an opinion on the band itself, but I do think the method is a little bit in your face."

He continued: "When you sign up to use an Apple product, you're giving them your information, so this album is part and parcel of that. But that still doesn't mean they need to use that information in such an invasive way."

Meanwhile, Bombay Bicycle Club have been installed as one of the favourites to win this year's Mercury Music Prize after being named on yesterday's shortlist.