The Beatles catalog comes to Apple's iTunes

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2014
Legendary music group The Beatles finally arrived on iTunes Tuesday, with tracks from all of the band's albums available for purchase individually or as complete iTunes LPs [updated].



The tracks went on sale just after 9:30 a.m. Eastern, before Apple's planned announcement of 10 a.m. All of the band's classic albums are now available for download, including "Abbey Road," "Revolver" and "Rubber Soul."



Full albums run $12.99 for an iTunes LP, and individual tracks are available for $1.29 each. The entire Beatles box set can also be purchased for $149.



Apple announced the arrival of the band's catalog on its website at 10 a.m., with a picture of the "Fab Four" taking up the front page. A special section of Apple's website dedicated to The Beatles was also launched.



All 13 of the band's remastered studio albums are available, as well as the two-volume "Past Masters" compilation and the "Red" and "Blue" collections. The digital box set also includes the "Live at the Washington Coliseum, 1964" concert film, an iTunes exclusive.



Also available on Apple's Beatles site are five commercials heralding the debut of the band on iTunes. One clip shows the band's legendary arrival in America, before concluding with, "In 1964 they came to America, now they're coming to iTunes."



The parties involved in the deal commented on the arrival of the legendary songs from The Beatles on iTunes in a press release issued Tuesday:



"We?re really excited to bring the Beatles' music to iTunes," said Sir Paul McCartney. "It's fantastic to see the songs we originally released on vinyl receive as much love in the digital world as they did the first time around."



"I am particularly glad to no longer be asked when the Beatles are coming to iTunes," said Ringo Starr. "At last, if you want it?you can get it now?The Beatles from Liverpool to now! Peace and Love, Ringo."







"We love the Beatles and are honored and thrilled to welcome them to iTunes," said Steve Jobs, Apple?s CEO. "It has been a long and winding road to get here. Thanks to the Beatles and EMI, we are now realizing a dream we?ve had since we launched iTunes ten years ago."



"In the joyful spirit of Give Peace A Chance, I think it is so appropriate that we are doing this on John's 70th birthday year," said Yoko Ono Lennon.



"The Beatles on iTunes?Bravo!" said Olivia Harrison.



"The Beatles and iTunes have both been true innovators in their fields," said EMI Group CEO Roger Faxon. "It?s a privilege for everybody at EMI to work with Steve Jobs and with Apple Corps' Jeff Jones and their teams in marking a great milestone in the development of digital music."







Media outlets first reported on Monday that Apple would announce the debut of the entire catalog of The Beatles on iTunes Tuesday. Apple had teased an "exciting announcement" for 10 a.m. Eastern, 7 a.m. Pacific.



The arrival of The Beatles on iTunes was a long and difficult road, completed more than 7 years after the iTunes Store first began selling music. Apple and the Beatles' parent company, Apple Corp, were engaged in a trademark dispute for years, before it was finally settled in 2007.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 377
    asdasdasdasd Posts: 5,686member
    *meh*
  • Reply 2 of 377
    saareksaarek Posts: 1,520member
    So this is their big announcement?! This is what caused so much speculation and excitement? A popular band finally comes to iTunes and they deem it worthy of their websites front page?.. WTF



    Don?t get me wrong the Beatles are great and all, but I think Steve Jobs classes them as way more important than they are to Apple?s bottom line, it?s not like Apple even makes much money out of selling music.



    Now how about announcing something good like the rest of the world finally gets all of the TV shows and movies that the American customers gets at the same price (fat chance)?. Now that would be big or something like the Apple TV gets an app store!
  • Reply 3 of 377
    I listened to Help on the way to work today on my iPod (bought the CD a couple years ago).



    Excellent stuff.



    Wall Street Journal has a short article today that The Beatles were the number 3 album/CD selling group in 2009. Looks like a pretty good revenue stream for Apple.
  • Reply 4 of 377
    nkhmnkhm Posts: 928member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by saarek View Post


    So this is their big announcement?! This is what caused so much speculation and excitement? A popular band finally comes to iTunes and they deem it worthy of their websites front page?.. WTF



    Don?t get me wrong the Beatles are great and all, but I think Steve Jobs classes them as way more important than they are to Apple?s bottom line, it?s not like Apple even makes much money out of selling music.



    Now how about announcing something good like the rest of the world finally gets all of the TV shows and movies that the American customers gets at the same price (fat chance)?. Now that would be big or something like the Apple TV gets an app store!



    Nope, no announcement has yet been made.



    Also noticed I can now 'like' these tracks for facebook through the iTunes store...
  • Reply 5 of 377
    Seriously, I could have went down the street to the dollar store and gotten any Beatles album...
  • Reply 6 of 377
    I am sure it matters to some. And SJ probably finally feels some personal satisfaction.



    Meh/bleh/yawn is right.



    (Although, the media hyperventilation over this today is quite something to behold. More press than that other British story, William and Kate....)
  • Reply 7 of 377
    oh no.



    please let there be something more than a 1960s boyband rehash.
  • Reply 8 of 377
    This is the most important music news of 2003.
  • Reply 9 of 377
    ...and here I was expecting a Beatles-only cloud.
  • Reply 10 of 377
    asdasdasdasd Posts: 5,686member
    Ii got the first comment in on St. Pepper on the UK store. Said it was cr*p.
  • Reply 11 of 377
    bageljoeybageljoey Posts: 2,004member
    "A long and difficult road?" Seriously??

    They couldn't have picked a more appropriate adjective?

  • Reply 12 of 377
    I think what should be noted is that the film 'Live at the Washington Coliseum, 1964' is being streamed. This, I think, is a pointed to the announcement we can expect.
  • Reply 13 of 377
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nkhm View Post


    Nope, no announcement has yet been made.



    Also noticed I can now 'like' these tracks for facebook through the iTunes store...



    Exactly, why release them @ 9:30am and have another announcement at 10?
  • Reply 14 of 377
    asciiascii Posts: 5,936member
    The free concert video is worth a watch. It's amazing to see the reactions of people (especially women) to rock and roll back when it was new.



    I can't imagine such hysteria to even the biggest stars of today.
  • Reply 15 of 377
    nkhmnkhm Posts: 928member
    No announcement has been made and people are already giving their verdict?



    This is the problem with guessing what's coming - why not sit back and see what is coming?



    I've already noted full facebook integration with the iTunes store that I'm pretty sure wasn't there before...



    EDIT.



    LOL -announcement made - now you can be disappointed!



  • Reply 16 of 377
    solsunsolsun Posts: 763member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nkhm View Post


    No announcement has been made and people are already giving their verdict?



    This is the problem with guessing what's coming - why not sit back and see what is coming?



    I've already noted full facebook integration with the iTunes store that I'm pretty sure wasn't there before...



    Facebook integration has been there for several months since PING and iTunes 10 were introduced.
  • Reply 17 of 377
    saareksaarek Posts: 1,520member
    What a waste of time, any genuine fan would already own the god damn cd's, stupid shitty announcement!
  • Reply 18 of 377
    nkhmnkhm Posts: 928member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by solsun View Post


    Facebook integration has been there for several months since PING and iTunes 10 were introduced.



    Thought it had all disappeared again following Apple's overly eager introduction of the links..?
  • Reply 19 of 377
    solsunsolsun Posts: 763member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by nkhm View Post


    Thought it had all disappeared again following Apple's overly eager introduction of the links..?



    The "like" buttons have always remained..
  • Reply 20 of 377
    Good for Steve. I am sure that this is a major personal musical accomplishment for Apple.
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