U2 have parted company with Universal's Island Records after over 25 years together following reports that the band were becoming increasingly frustrated with the label as they worked on their upcoming greatest hits package. The weekend's newspapers reported that things came to a head when no representative of the label was on hand during recent recording sessions in London where new tracks for the best of album were being produced.
However the band will stay within the Universal Music Group, signing to Island's sister label Mercury Records. This suggests that the move may have been in the pipeline for longer than some reports say, because there they will be able to work again with former Island Records General Manager Jason Iley, who moved over to the role of MD at Mercury Records last year.
Mercury will now release the band's upcoming greatest hits and charity records.