The Beatles set to join digital music revolution

News

The Beatles set to join digital music revolution

Music fans will soon be able to download digital versions of classic songs by the Beatles. David Munns, head of EMI Music’s North American division, said at a web industry conference in San Francisco that the Beatles’ catalog would be available for download “soon.” Munns did not offer specifics such as a timeframe or which online music stores would be selling the Beatles tracks. Following its legal win earlier this year against the Beatles’ Apple Corps, Apple expressed interest in selling the band’s music on the iTunes Store. “We certainly will do everything we can to get them on iTunes,” Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of iTunes, said in May. “The Beatles aren’t available in any digital format today but they are going to be one day. We certainly hope that happens on iTunes.”

« Apple teams up with airlines for in-flight iPod connectivity

VUUM debuts iPod-compatible vacuum tube stereo »

Comments

1

Uh, the last time I checked CDs were a digital format.

Posted by Galley in Greenville, SC on November 13, 2006 at 2:44 PM (PST)

2

Way to go, pedantry!

Posted by jesse on November 13, 2006 at 3:59 PM (PST)

3

They know they need digital downoading to sell the new cd they have coming out in November. So I guess having the Beatles on Itunes could mean just one album.

Posted by absentiabanish on November 13, 2006 at 5:48 PM (PST)

4

Check out the Zune Marketplace.
http://zunecorps.com/

Posted by Rush on November 13, 2006 at 6:54 PM (PST)

5

If you go to the zunecorps link, then click on the “source” underneath the Beatles story, it shows that Beatles on Zune was a false alarm.

Posted by Mark on November 13, 2006 at 7:30 PM (PST)

6

Cool that the Beatles music will finally be available online, but personally I’ve already bought pretty much every Beatles album. Still, good for it to be available to new fans, etc.

Posted by Zadillo on November 13, 2006 at 9:18 PM (PST)

7

I bought all of the CDs, but since they were the first band I ever listened to much (the White Album was my first album ever) the CDs got totally scratched up. Capitol/EMI got their money for my CDs, so I don’t feel bad going with AllOfMP3 on this one.

Posted by Zeke on November 13, 2006 at 9:43 PM (PST)

8

I wonder if these songs are mixed for digital age such as mp3, ACC etc. Not long ago it was mentioned that these songs are going to be mixed again for balanced and such. Now that would be interesting for most fans already, like myself.

Posted by Oliver on November 14, 2006 at 1:47 PM (PST)

9

....YAWN….like people are really foaming at the mouths waiting for the Beatles Catalog to be released for download. Most Beatles fans already have the music on CD anyway and have already added the songs to their iTunes libraries. Apple Corps can wait as long as they like, but the longer they wait, the less relevant it is. People just wont care and won’t buy.

Posted by Tenchi211 in California on November 14, 2006 at 2:52 PM (PST)

10

“Most Beatles fans already have the music on CD”

Real Beatles fans have their music on original vinyl records.

They say that CD mixes differ quite a lot from original vinyl mixes. And the earliest Beatles records were in fact published in mono.

Posted by S on November 15, 2006 at 1:01 AM (PST)

11

The initial run of Beatles CD’s were released by EMI nearly 20 years ago and reflect the standard of CD mastering at the time, meaning that by today’s standards they leave quite a lot to be desired. Give a listen to the Yellow Submarine ‘songtrack’ released in 1999, or to the ‘1’ singles collection, and compare them to the rather thin, anemic sounding CD’s from the late 80’s. Also witness the excellent upgrades to the CD catalogues from the Stones, the Who, etc which have rolled out in recent years. The Beatles catalogue has been in need of a similar upgrading for quite some time, so maybe their imminent availability on iTunes means it’s that much nearer to happening.

Posted by RMH on November 15, 2006 at 10:38 AM (PST)

12

And Tenchi211 dear, I beg to differ: anything Beatles-related will always, ALWAYS sell. They are the yardstick by which all other pop music is measured, their influence and hold on popular culture has never been equalled much less surpassed, and their music has long since proven its capacity to endlessly fascinate, thrill, challenge, and convert and make fans of each successive generation which comes along. There’s always some young person just discovering the Beatles, and will be for the foreseeable future. That means an ever-continuing revenue stream, as well as new Beatles product each time a new technology comes down the pike. In other words, there are a helluva lot more people foaming at the mouth waiting for downloadable Beatles tracks than you might imagine.

Posted by RMH on November 15, 2006 at 10:52 AM (PST)

13

“Real Beatles fans have their music on original vinyl records.

They say that CD mixes differ quite a lot from original vinyl mixes. And the earliest Beatles records were in fact published in mono.”
Posted by S on November 15, 2006

Yeah, that is so true!! in fact i like to only listen to my Beatles recordings in mono through a transister radio. it adds to the authentic effect.

Get off your high horse

Posted by T on November 16, 2006 at 10:49 AM (PST)

14

Yay for the world’s best garage band.

Posted by DSM on November 16, 2006 at 11:17 PM (PST)

If you have a comment, news tip, advertising inquiry, or coverage request, a question about iPods/iPhones/iPad or accessories, or if you sell or market iPod/iPhone/iPad products or services, read iLounge's Comments + Questions policies before posting, and fully identify yourself if you do. We will delete comments containing advertising, astroturfing, trolling, personal attacks, offensive language, or other objectionable content, then ban and/or publicly identify violators.

Recent Reviews

New Deals

Shop for Accessories: Cases, speakers, chargers, etc.

iLounge

News