Microsoft has apologized after fans criticized the company for capitalizing on Amy Winehouse’s death by reminding people to download her “Back to Black” album on Zune.
“Remember Amy Winehouse by downloading the ground-breaking ‘Back to Black’ album over at Zune,” Tweetbox360, based in the U.K., wrote over the weekend, and was soon berated with comments like “crass much?” and “Microsoft – failing at social media,” according to Mashable.
Soon after, Microsoft made amends. “Apologies to everyone if our earlier Amy Winehouse ‘download’ tweet seemed purely commercially motivated. Far from the case, we assure you.”
Zune wasn’t the only music downloading service publicize Winehouse’s death. Apple’s iTunes also featured an image of the singer, and Amazon published an obituary that linked to a sales page for “Back to Black.”
The album shot to the top of iTunes in the hours following her death, and has re-entered music charts five years after its release.
Many companies have come under for for linking sensitive events to sales on Twitter. Kenneth Cole was forced to apologize after comparing his new clothing line to violence in Egypt, and Entenmann’s pastry company said it was sorry after Tweeting about pastries and the Casey Anthony verdict.