iTunes has FINALLY landed THE BEATLES.
Yesterday . . . after YEARS of dead-end rumors and speculation . . . Apple CEO Steve Jobs announced that the Beatles were finally ending their digital holdout.
All 13 of the Beatles' re-mastered studio albums are now available on iTunes . . . along with compilations and anthologies. Complete albums are being sold for $12.99, individual tracks cost $1.29 each, and the double albums will run you $19.99.
For now, it seems like Apple has the EXCLUSIVE digital rights to the catalog. There's no indication that the Beatles will pursue deals with other online retailers.
All four members of the Beatles had to sign off on the iTunes deal: PAUL MCCARTNEY, RINGO STARR and the estates of GEORGE HARRISON and JOHN LENNON.
Paul released this statement: Quote, "We're really excited to bring the Beatles' music to iTunes. 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."
Meanwhile, Ringo is just relieved to not be bothered about it again.
He says, quote, "I'm particularly glad to no longer be asked when the Beatles are coming to iTunes. At last, if you want it . . . you can get it now . . . The Beatles from Liverpool to now! Peace and Love, Ringo."
Within hours of being unleashed, the Beatles were climbing up iTunes' album and singles charts. Five albums . . . including "The White Album" and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" . . . cracked the Top 20.
And "Here Comes the Sun", "Let It Be" and "Blackbird" were among the six Beatles singles that had infiltrated iTunes' Top 100 individual downloads.
Just to be clear, the Beatles may have been the most prominent iTunes holdout . . . but they weren't the last. The remaining holdouts include: AC/DC, Garth Brooks, Kid Rock, Bob Seger, Def Leppard and Tool.
Most of these artists are refusing iTunes either because they're unhappy with the royalties they'd receive . . . or they don't want their tracks sold individually online.
Check out a rundown of these artists' positions on iTunes, here.
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