Yoko Ono: 'Don't hold your breath' for Beatles on Apple's iTunes
The on-again, off-again rumors of the Beatles' music catalog coming to iTunes continue, this time with John Lennon's widow saying she doesn't expect it to happen anytime soon.
"Steve Jobs has his own idea and he's a brilliant guy," Ono said in an interview with Reuters. "There's just an element that we're not very happy about, as people. We are holding out."
She continued: "Don't hold your breath... for anything."
Last year, the entire Beatles catalog was remastered and re-released in a box set that came on on Sept. 9. That was the same date that Apple introduced its updated line of iPods, and the timing led some to expect that a deal would be announced. But the dates turned out to be purely coincidence.
Rumors of the band's songs appearing on iTunes have existed for years. Apple and the parent company of The Beatles, Apple Corps, were engaged in a lengthy and bitter trademark dispute for decades, but that issue was resolved in 2007.
Even though those issues were patched up years ago, the legendary band has been reluctant to allow its recordings to be made available in a digital format.
Reuters noted that Apple Corps has been unable to come to terms for digital downloads with EMI Group, which licenses the Beatles' recordings. From there, another deal with iTunes would need to be struck.
"Steve Jobs has his own idea and he's a brilliant guy," Ono said in an interview with Reuters. "There's just an element that we're not very happy about, as people. We are holding out."
She continued: "Don't hold your breath... for anything."
Last year, the entire Beatles catalog was remastered and re-released in a box set that came on on Sept. 9. That was the same date that Apple introduced its updated line of iPods, and the timing led some to expect that a deal would be announced. But the dates turned out to be purely coincidence.
Rumors of the band's songs appearing on iTunes have existed for years. Apple and the parent company of The Beatles, Apple Corps, were engaged in a lengthy and bitter trademark dispute for decades, but that issue was resolved in 2007.
Even though those issues were patched up years ago, the legendary band has been reluctant to allow its recordings to be made available in a digital format.
Reuters noted that Apple Corps has been unable to come to terms for digital downloads with EMI Group, which licenses the Beatles' recordings. From there, another deal with iTunes would need to be struck.
Comments
Buh Bye, Beatles!
The on-again, off-again rumors of the Beatles' music catalog coming to iTunes continue, this time with John Lennon's widow saying she doesn't expect it to happen anytime soon.
"Steve Jobs has his own idea and he's a brilliant guy," Ono said in an interview with Reuters. "There's just an element that we're not very happy about, as people. We are holding out."
She continued: "Don't hold your breath... for anything."
Last year, the entire Beatles catalog was remastered and re-released in a box set that came on on Sept. 9. That was the same date that Apple introduced its updated line of iPods, and the timing led some to expect that a deal would be announced. But the dates turned out to be purely coincidence.
Rumors of the band's songs appearing on iTunes have existed for years. Apple and the parent company of The Beatles, Apple Corps, were engaged in a lengthy and bitter trademark dispute for decades, but that issue was resolved in 2007.
Even though those issues were patched up years ago, the legendary band has been reluctant to allow its recordings to be made available in a digital format.
Reuters noted that Apple Corps has been unable to come to terms for digital downloads with EMI Group, which licenses the Beatles' recordings. From there, another deal with iTunes would need to be struck.
I might understand the issues between EMI/Beatles and Apple, but I don't care.
If you're a fan, you already own their cds and can easily rip into iTunes.
If you're a new fan, just buy their Greatest Hits cd anywhere for $9.99 and go from there.
It's not like they'll be releasing any NEW music, so it really shouldn't matter.
The title of the article could be interpreted to mean that the Beatles recordings are available on other digital music sites and that only iTunes is being denied. Then the article rehashes the trademarked name battle, further supporting the idea that iTunes is the real problem. Why do editors do stuff like this? Words plant ideas and I can't believe AppleInsider didn't do this intentionally. The editor intended to spin this as a purely Apple vs Beatles issue when the truth is something else.
It is unlikely then, that I will ever buy another Beatles song.
Buh Bye, Beatles!
Ridiculous statement. Do you really think anyone cares - least of all McCartney.
last time i checked, i could not download original Black Sabbath records either... so why all the hype over the Beatles. Ozzy was just as influential as Lennon.
Led Zeppelin, man... Led Zeppelin.
last time i checked, i could not download original Black Sabbath records either... so why all the hype over the Beatles. Ozzy was just as influential as Lennon.
?? Maybe close, but not as influential as Lennon ? imho
Skip
Gawd youre a pest Ono - surely you cant have too much longer on the planet annoying everyone can you..?
So you'd wish death on another human being just because she's said something that rankles with you? The polar opposite of what her late husband advocated I believe.
(With the launch of the Voyager probe in 1977, NASA, under the suggestion of Carl Sagan, wanted to include "Here Comes the Sun" on the Golden Record. The Beatles loved the idea, but EMI refused to release the rights.)
Led Zeppelin, man... Led Zeppelin.
All of LZ is available on iTunes. (Now, if they could get on to Rock Band, that would be something else....)
Oh wait, I ripped them from the CD I bought from the second hand store and if I remember correctly, all the song added up to less then $0.99 each, and they are higher quality then the ones you get form itunes.
I wonder if Okon Ono and Paul got their royalty payments form the second hand store....
Now all of this is just speculation on my part, but since the article states that Apple Corps. has failed to make a deal with EMI, I assume that's the case. If it is, I'm completely behind The Beatles move. Honestly, the people that create the music we listen to, don't get much of the bounty. I had a friend that was in a Salsa band that was big in Miami a few years back, when Ricky Martin went big time, and they were in negotiations for a record contract. The way he laid it out to me was that the record company paid $0.07 for every record sale, which $0.04 went to the song writer, and the other $0.03 went to the recording artist. And, everytime a song is played on the radio, TV, or an event, the song writer got $0.02 and the recording artist $0.01, IIRC. This pales in comparison to what the record company takes in. However, they do take the risk, at first, with a new artist, and there is substantial costs to get the records played and distributed. But, digital distribution, and thanks to YouTube, these costs have come down some. I remember watching a TV show, where Queen Latifah said that she only got about $200,000 for her break out, smash hit album. Considering how well that sold, that's nothing. She said she quickly realized that they were going to have to do a lot of touring to make money.
So, to wrap it all up, I can't blame them. The record companies and RIAA have been on a money grab since iTunes has become a success, yet the artists haven't shared in that success with the price increases that came later.
?? Maybe close, but not as influential as Lennon ? imho
Skip
depends on the genre of music you listen too..
But her music did suck.
So did her personality.
She's the original harpie.
And yes I suppose she is on my top ten list of people that the world could probably do without.
Don't wish death on her. Just silence.
So you'd wish death on another human being just because she's said something that rankles with you? The polar opposite of what her late husband advocated I believe.