Apple Music, Spotify, others to stream Beatles catalog on Dec. 24 [u]

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited December 2015
A report on Tuesday confirms rumors that the Beatles will make their streaming music debut on Christmas Eve, with availability on major platforms including Apple Music, Spotify, Google Play, Tidal and Amazon's Prime Music.




Citing industry sources, Re/code reports The Beatles' catalog is to be made widely available on Dec. 24 save for one major streaming service: Pandora. That company's licensing strategy does not include direct deals with content owners, meaning on-demand arrangements like the upcoming Beatles debut are currently impossible, the report said.

Reports last week cited industry insiders as saying most or all of the Beatles catalog would be coming to streaming music services like Apple Music on Christmas Eve.

As for pricing, Re/code's sources say the tunes will be available to free streaming tiers of services like Spotify, though it's not clear whether that same distinction applies to Apple's Beats 1 Radio station.

After years of fighting the digital music revolution, as well as Apple over a long-running trademark dispute, the band's albums finally made it onto iTunes in an exclusive arrangement in 2010. More recently, Apple scored another Beatles exclusive with the "1+" video collection earlier this month. The set contains 50 restored and remastered presentations from the band, including videos of all of the group's No. 1 UK and U.S. singles, alternate takes and rare clips.

Update: The Beatles have confirmed their music will be available for streaming on Thursday.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 17
    A report on Tuesday confirms rumors that the Beatles will make their streaming music debut on Christmas Eve, with availability on major platforms including Apple Music, Spotify, Google Play, Tidal and Amazon's Prime Music.




    I'm so happy to learn that the Beatles will coming to Music in a few days... silly me, I thought half of them were dead.
  • Reply 2 of 17
    Just in time.  I wanted to listen to all the albums in chronological order but didn't want to buy the ones I do have.
  • Reply 3 of 17
    doggone said:
    Just in time.  I wanted to listen to all the albums in chronological order but didn't want to buy the ones I do have.
    Same here. I'm going to listen to all their stuff in chronological order, starting tomorrow!
  • Reply 4 of 17
    doggone said:
    Just in time.  I wanted to listen to all the albums in chronological order but didn't want to buy the ones I do have.
    Same here. I'm going to listen to all their stuff in chronological order, starting tomorrow!
    Even including the covers they recorded when they were still undiscovered?
  • Reply 5 of 17
    Peace and Love. PEACE & LOVE!
  • Reply 6 of 17
    Big fail on Eddy Cue's part that he/Jimmy couldn't get an exclusive here (or didn't even try to), even if it was just for a limited time. And the rumor claims they're coming to Spotify's free tier too. There's little right now that makes Apple Music unique. I've been using Pandora recently because it separates out artists Chistmas music so you can create Christmas only stations. And I've found the selection to be much better than Apple Music and the stations easier to customize. I hope now that Eddy doesn't have App Store responsibilities anymore he can focus on making Apple Music better than the rest.
  • Reply 7 of 17
    Great. Another artist I'll have to tell Siri "Never play this again."
  • Reply 8 of 17
    Big fail on Eddy Cue's part that he/Jimmy couldn't get an exclusive here (or didn't even try to), even if it was just for a limited time. And the rumor claims they're coming to Spotify's free tier too. There's little right now that makes Apple Music unique. I've been using Pandora recently because it separates out artists Chistmas music so you can create Christmas only stations. And I've found the selection to be much better than Apple Music and the stations easier to customize. I hope now that Eddy doesn't have App Store responsibilities anymore he can focus on making Apple Music better than the rest.
    ah yes, of course this news is fail for Apple executive leadership. isn't it always? how can we fault Schiller for this, too? yawn. 

    i could give a crap if AM has unique offerings from Spotify. I don't use Spotify, I use AM. I use AM because I enjoy the single, cohesive ecosystem on my Apple devices. do not give a shit what Spotify has or that Apple has "only" the same music. that's absurd. 
    equality72521lolliverapplepieguy
  • Reply 9 of 17
    Listening now. Wasn't sure if we would get it first thing on the 24th here in Australia or not. Has it launched worldwide already?
  • Reply 10 of 17
    Cool to have the Beatles on board. Not one of my favorites but I do get in a mood to listen to them once and awhile.
    edited December 2015
  • Reply 11 of 17
    Same here. I'm going to listen to all their stuff in chronological order, starting tomorrow!
    Even including the covers they recorded when they were still undiscovered?
    If they are available for streaming on Music - YES!
  • Reply 12 of 17
    Listening now, 11:48CST!
    john.b
  • Reply 13 of 17
    john.bjohn.b Posts: 2,742member
    I got a strange email from Amazon yesterday afternoon telling me that the MP3 of the Abbey Road album was now available in my Amazon music library due to a past purchase of the physical CD.  I only say "strange" because I "re-bought" all of the remasters on CD when they were released in '09, but only Abbey Road shows up.  :-)

    Merry Christmas, AI!
    edited December 2015
  • Reply 14 of 17
    Google had a TV commercial playing yesterday announcing this. Looks like they beat Apple to the punch.

    Also, who at Apple was responsible for approving that crappy looking announcement? Covering John Lennon's head with the Apple logo? That's a big Design 101 no-no. I'd like to have whomever is making these fundamental graphics and design screw ups at Apple very publicly shamed and fired.
    edited December 2015
  • Reply 15 of 17
    trydtryd Posts: 143member
    Great. Another artist I'll have to tell Siri "Never play this again."
    You don't have to like them, but there are few bands that have had a greater influence on the developement og pop-music. Just listen to the other artists from the same period, and also listen to the development they went through in the short time they were recording (october 1962 - 1968). Listen to what they managed to do with just 2 tracks. Their main albums (Rubber Soul, Revolver, Sgt. Pepper and Abbey Road) were done with just 4 tracks. They also introduced new instruments (sitar, moog ++), end a lot of effects (like backwards recording). The guitar solo in "I'm only sleeping" on Revolver was written backwards to fit the music when played "backwards". They introduced the use of classical instuments - a string quartet in "Elinor Rigby", Helter Skelter is called the first heavy metal song, "Sgt. Pepper" the first concept album (even though i probably wasn't - that price goes the The Pretty Things' "S.F. Sorrow")  and so on... One of the most inventive and influential bands ever.
    gatorguy
  • Reply 16 of 17
    trydtryd Posts: 143member
    There are few bands that can claim similar influence on popular music. King Crimson (on symph-rock), Fairport Convention (folk-rock), Led Zeppelin on heavy rock, Bob Dylan singer-songwriter and who else? Some bands were "one-trick ponies", slik the Sex Pistols, and I'm sure that you could argue that Led Zeppelin was a "one-trick pony" - there was not much development in Led Zeppelin's music. Very few bands show development like The Beatles.

    Anyway - I've had my say on this subject.
    edited December 2015
  • Reply 17 of 17
    sphericspheric Posts: 2,540member
    tryd said:
    There are few bands that can claim similar influence on popular music. King Crimson (on symph-rock), Fairport Convention (folk-rock), Led Zeppelin on heavy rock, Bob Dylan singer-songwriter and who else? Some bands were "one-trick ponies", slik the Sex Pistols, and I'm sure that you could argue that Led Zeppelin was a "one-trick pony" - there was not much development in Led Zeppelin's music. Very few bands show development like The Beatles.

    Anyway - I've had my say on this subject.
    King Crimson and Fairport, but no mention of Pink Floyd, Elvis, The Stones, Kraftwerk, or Michael Jackson? Heh. 

    You are right about the Beatles, of course. 
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