This happens every year. Rumors begin to swirl that Apple is holding a music-related event, and after the talk dies down of what new iPods are in store, the focus shifts to iTunes. And from there, it shifts to The Beatles. You know, the most popular band of all time that happens to have no songs from its catalog available for legal purchase anywhere online. Yeah, those Beatles.
So anyway, every year there are rumors of The Beatles coming to iTunes. The rumors seem to start from just about everywhere: From Steve Jobs’ love of The Beatles, to EMI removing DRM on music, to the settlement of lawsuits with Apple Corp, to the appearance of Beatles’ album covers on Apple event promotions. There have even been quotes from Paul McCartney saying he thought such a deal would happen soon. The only problem is that it never ends up happening. But this year could actually be different. Well, maybe.
First of all, The Beatles are definitely releasing their music in video game form for a new Rock Band game. That’s a first for them, branching out of traditional music distribution. This game is launching on 9/9/09, which happens to be the same day as the rumored next Apple event. That, in and of itself, doesn’t really mean much, but there are reports today that on the same day, The Beatles are releasing their entire catalog, digitally re-mastered for the first time, on CD, as Cult of Mac points out.
Wait, CD? People still buy those? Yes, they do, though they’re increasingly going digital and choosing iTunes as their store. So it stands to reason that EMI and Apple Corps (the corporation that handles The Beatles’ affairs, not to be confused with the other Apple we’re talking about here) have looked at the numbers and seen the trends, and realize that if they really want the catalog to explode in sales, they’re going to have to release it online, and preferably through iTunes.
But there’s more. In the press release for The Beatles re-mastered release there’s this nugget:
Each of the CDs is packaged with replicated original UK album art, including expanded booklets containing original and newly written liner notes and rare photos. For a limited period, each CD will also be embedded with a brief documentary film about the album.
What does that sound like? It sounds like the perfect type of album for Apple to try out its new “Cocktail” music format, also set to be unveiled at the September event. While not all the details are known about Cocktail, it is believe that it’s a format that places emphasis on album purchases by giving downloaders all types of goodies like, yes, artwork, booklets, liner notes, photos and films.
The press release says nothing of online versions of the albums, but it’s entirely possible that those are being kept as a surprise, and possibly even for Apple’s event. Or maybe not. But at the very least, you know that while the engineers were remastering the recordings, they were thinking about how the catalog would be dispersed over the web eventually too. It’s not a matter of “if”, but a question of “when”. And 9/9/09 sounds like the perfect date for a full-on assault of Beatles music on the masses.
This is of course all just speculation, that history suggests will be wrong. But if we find out that the Apple event is at the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco on 9/9/09, and that Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr both happen to be in town…I’m just saying. And how would that be for a Steve Jobs return to the limelight after months away on medical leave? Boom!
Yes, will Steve Jobs be giving the keynote?
I would imagine he would want his return to the podium to be a memorable event. A few new ipods and a couple of tweaks to iTunes is rather boring.
The Beatles on iTunes and Ringo and Paul on stage…that would be a major news story!
no word on who will lead the event yet. actually, no even actual word on the event itself yet.
Number 9, number 9, number 9.
exactly
If you play it backwards, it says “wake me up iTunes, wake me up iTunes”
I just thought I would mention that Apple’s current Mac promotion for college students (Buy a Mac get an iPod touch free) ends on 09/08/09 which is why I personally think Apple will have an event on 09/09/09. Nonetheless, it would be awesome to see the Beatles join iTunes.
“One after 909“?
And what about a Beatles branded iPod? (like U2)
there have been rumors of a yellow submarine ipod for years.
Would Buy.
Hell you could write “The Beatles” on a turd and I’d buy it.
I’m instead hoping for the”Bigger than Jesus” iPod.
I don’t think it will happen. This would be great but the laws of the world dictate that great things do not happen, only good things. Imperfections will always exist. The Rock Band game will remain as of now the only way to listen to Beatles songs without a CD.
MG Siegler we’ve got rules around here: The only one allowed to write about the Beatles at TechCrunch is Steve Gillmor! In the meantime you can’t even get an AC/DC album off of iTunes, yet nobody is starting rumors about Angus Young showing up at this latest Apple bash…
a fair point.
you guys will have to twitter something up if they start playing ‘Here Comes the Sun…’ as the opening song.
heh.
Boggles my mind that they would consider an iTunes release when they’re release their entire catolog remastered on CD (pronounced see-dee, for those who haven’t seen those letter next to eachother before).
Why would they do an iTunes release after spending all that money repackaging their whole catalog? That’s like releasing a movie in theatres and then on netflix on the same day. They need to stagger it at least a few months or take a big hit.
Michael Jackson never wanted to allow the songs on iTunes.
It’s all good, but please don’t let Yoko sing.
I’d say this was the lamest post ever… except I’m the idiot who clicked the link. Beatles… um…
It’s a natural fit. Let it be.
i can’t wait, The Beatles on iTunes could be the biggest non-story of 2009
I saw a presentation by EMI for his retailers about two months ago and they clearly stated that will be no digital release.
I like how you turned a non story into a post. Nice touch.
Am I the only one that could not care less about this?
Yes
oh man, the video cuts off before the end of the song &%$!
I’ll admit to loving the Beatles, but there are so many Beatles “revivals” centered around product launches that I can go through before I start feeling diminished returns on even, yes, The Beatles.
Live at the BBC
Anthologies – CDs, DVDs, even Single CD releases
#1 CD
Let it Be Naked
US Catalog
Super-Duper Digitalized British Catalog
Now Rock Band
Maybe iTunes – part 5
Then there will be the super-duper digitalized US catalog and Rock Band Live, B-Sides, and Rarities
….
And by, “reports today that on the same day, The Beatles are releasing their entire catalog, digitally re-mastered,” you mean a fact that has been known, talked about ad nauseam on news sites, blogs and message boards, and anxiously awaited by Beatles fans for months and months right?
Nice detective work Sherlock. I wonder if “today’s report” is true!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
What is the big deal about this? 7 years ago I think we would have been excited. I tunes is having a tough time with competitors.
Yawn….who cares??
The iTunes demographic can’t even spell Beatles, let alone name any members of the band.
The Beatles were interesting 45 years ago, not today. They are irrelevant to today’s youth – and that’s where the money is…..
Beatles Rock Band will be a modest success simply because Beatles fans over 50 will buy anything that is remotely connected with the band and allows them to re-live their youth.
id like to correct you…im a 18 year old who grew up listening and loving the Beatles! they are my favorite band and most of my 16-23 year old friends love them as well… so just because a few of the adolescents out there dont know what good music is doesnt mean the Beatles are irrelevant! Their music has been more influencial to me than any other band! Dont assume every person under the age of 50 doesnt like the Beatles. You know what they say when you assume things….
“There are reports today . . .” ???
You might want to do your homework a little better and go directly to the source. If you had bothered to check TheBeatles.com, you might have learned the news about the digital remastering and repackaging of the catalogue was announced even long before the Rock Band news and the duplexed 09/09/09 release date for the catalogue and the game. Including clips from the ‘mini-documentaries’.
Still, as a Beatlemaniac from way back, I understand it’s nice to dream. And what many of us have been dreaming about is the eventual release of the Let It Be movie. That was my first thought when I glanced at your post headline . . . maybe the online release of the movie will coincide with the introduction of the iPad.
Anyway you look at it, as opposed to this post being a ‘news’ story, it’s a nice digital watercooler gathering of wishful thinking that never hurt anybody.
And for all of us who are still amazed at the creative evolution and unmatched output of this band over the course of 6 short years, it would truly be a ’shock and awe’ event if this all magically came together, and then MC can write a new post saying ‘I told you so’.
oops . . .MG. Sorry, I must have had a Larry King moment . . shades of Daddy vs. Diddy . . .
Why go on iTunes?
The Beatles are British – and who does iTunes rip off more than any other nation?
Apple stole the Beatles company’s name, the logo – now they’ll steal more than their fair share of the profits from the songs.
If the Beatles have real business sense they’ll open an Apple Corps music store, treat their customers far better than Apple ever have, and be a platform that artists will clamour to be a part of.
Win all round …
and Favre is retiring… please just shut up about this.
the only story left to do is WHEN THE MUSIC ACTUALLY SHOWS UP.
keep raping those corpses, music industry