Filed under: Apple Corporate, iTS, Rumors, iTunes, Apple
UK papers say Beatles coming to iTunes, no, really we mean it this time
UK newspapers such as the Daily Mail and the Telegraph are reporting on an expected deal between Sir Paul McCartney and Apple, Inc. to bring the Beatles catalog to iTunes. According to the Telegraph, the deal could be worth as much as £300 million ($600 million US). An Apple Corps label spokesperson said that the date "has not yet been set." The Daily Mail story suggests that Sir Paul may be motivated to do the deal now as a means of funding his divorce settlement. Ouch.The Telegraph also reports that albums like Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, the White Album and Help "will be available from iTunes," and are expected to top the charts for downloads. They also say that there is no word yet on how the the two surviving Beatles, and the heirs of Lennon and Harrison, will split the revenue from music sales on iTunes.
Is this the first time we've heard reports of the Beatles catalog coming to iTunes momentarily? No. Does this seem a bit more credible than earlier stories? Yes. To be fair, the tech columnist for the Guardian paper says he's spoken to Apple Corps flacks and they say no deal is finalized. Still, happiness is a warm Beatles/iTunes story.
Thanks to everyone who sent this in.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Dylan Lukes said 1:14AM on 3-08-2008
that sounds great. Now I can get my sister the present she wanted for her birthday! ^_^
my site - itouchreg.wikidot.com
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ZeroCorpse said 1:21AM on 3-08-2008
With all due respect to Paul and Ringo, they dragged their heels too long for this to be as profitable as it would have been four years ago. By this time, most people who want The Beatles on their iPod have found other ways to manage that, whether it be some of the Russian sites with quirky laws, or the straight-up illegal downloads, or a trip to their local library or garage sale to score the CDs.
It's unfortunate they couldn't settle all this ages ago, when it would have mattered a lot more and their presence would have stemmed the tide of illegal downloads of Beatles music. Now, I fear it's a little too late to show up and expect to top the charts.
Of course, I encourage people to get their Beatles albums on their iPod the most legal way possible, but I'm not so blind as to believe all the Beatles fans were sitting on their hands waiting for Paul to stop being such a curmudgeon about the word "Apple" and just let them download legally.
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Sam Major said 1:35AM on 3-08-2008
I must echo Zero's sentiments and add that I already have more Beatles songs than maybe any other in my iTunes library as well as my iPhone, and there's no reason for me to buy another copy of all those albums - it's not my fault Paul didn't sign a prenup..
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Chris Powell said 3:28AM on 3-08-2008
Why now? So Heather wouldn't benefit perhaps.
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Jono said 3:22AM on 3-08-2008
I don't really get why everyone seems so desperate/excited for The Beatles on iTunes. Go out and buy their CDs from ANY music store (probably for cheaper than they'll be on iTunes). Though if you're this desperate for The Beatles, you're probably enough of a fan you have their CDs already. So why pay again for something you already have, in poorer quality, (possibly?) DRM'd? I just don't get it.
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JimB said 4:32AM on 3-08-2008
To mirror the others' comments: I don't understand why The Beatles coming to iTunes is such a big deal and expected to be a $600 million cash cow? Are we really expected to believe that there are people out there who have held off buying Beatles music on the hope that some day the group's catalogue will be available as a download through iTunes? It's not like Beatles CDs are exactly hard to come by and can be used to get their music on your iPod quite legally already.
Will Beatles music on iTunes make money for both Apple and the Beatles? Undoubtedly. But is it really worth the years of hype and speculation and somewhat mind-boggling excitement?
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shaun said 5:44AM on 3-08-2008
If it's in the Daily Mail take it with a truckload of salt
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NowhereMan said 5:55AM on 3-08-2008
Good points, but I seem to remember reading somewhere that the forthcoming Beatles tracks would be new remasters.
The recent album, Love, was an interesting indicator of the sound quality that has been newly squeezed out of the original multitracks, I thought.
shaun said 5:58AM on 3-08-2008
Yea I like that album.....lol it literally just came on shuffle mode: "sgt. peppers lonely hearts club band" (the song not the album)
Ian said 6:14AM on 3-08-2008
According to 'The Word' magazine this month, Apple Corps (The Beatles' company) won't agree to EMI releasing digitally until a legal dispute over back royalties is resolved.
Once Beatles music is on iTunes there will probably be a DRM free option because that's the deal EMI have with Apple (okay, maybe at a higher price per download).
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James said 6:46AM on 3-08-2008
An Apple store opens in Liverpool on 29th May, maybe that'll be a good excuse for Sir Paul to turn up an announce the Beatles on iTunes?
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Brett said 7:55AM on 3-08-2008
Oh my god!!!!
The Beeeeetles!
How could i just live without them being on itunes!!?
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Galley said 8:19AM on 3-08-2008
Too late; I just bought all 15 CDs. It only cost me $160 including shipping.
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Britboyj27 said 7:19PM on 3-08-2008
Let me know when you have them on vinyl and we'll consider it an accomplishment.
Kthnksbye.
yakov chodosh said 10:37PM on 3-08-2008
I have them on abacus
WhatMeWorry said 9:56PM on 3-09-2008
I agree with ZeroCorpse also. I feel I have had my chain jerked on this too, too many times to even care anymore. The rumors, the hints, the teases...how many years and how many "this time for sure!" times have there been? Even if this one pans out, which I now dobut because of the patter, I have ZERO interest at this point. Whoever was responsible for ever bringing this about has simply now fooled around and waited too long. They've screwed themselves out of any demand there might be left. I mean at some point their music will have to be relegated to the "Classics" or even "Classical" section. There won't be anyone alive that remembers any of it or knows who the Beatles were, and if they are they will be so old they won't be all that inclined to get it from iTMS anyway. I'm afraid the Beatles as a business have dinked around and lost the opportunity they had to make their music available in this way to yet another generation. "Now we know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall." True indeed.
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E Turner said 11:20AM on 3-08-2008
So, except for Paul, who are the two remaining Beatles?
Surely you mean just one?
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Jordan said 12:17PM on 3-08-2008
There is Paul, and there is Ringo.
ZeroCorpse said 1:52AM on 3-09-2008
...And there is Yoko, who always considered herself a Beatle, even if everyone else didn't.
E Turner said 1:22PM on 3-09-2008
Oh yes, My bad