digital music/video

02/12/2007, 6:30pm, EST

Monday, February 12th

The Beatles sing more than just iTunes

Apple may soon be offering songs and albums by The Beatles, but not as an exclusive arrangement with iTunes. Contradicting several previously published rumors, Roger Friedman of Fox News reports that the popular pop band's songs and albums will be released via several different digital music services. Speaking with Neil Aspinall, head of The Beatles' label Apple Corps, Friedman learned that all 13 Beatles LPs are being remastered with the expectation of an online release "soon" and that none of them are limited to iTunes or any other specific music store. The report also claims that the recent Apple brand name agreement between the two firms includes a royalty agreement for every iTunes song or iPod bought, guaranteeing revenue for the music label regardless of perceived losses due to brand confusion.

Speculation about an agreement with The Beatles (and its Apple Corps label) first started when Steve Jobs showed several images of the iPhone with artwork from The Beatles during his Macworld Expo keynote in early January. The companies did not, however, announce their Apple brand name agreement until early February--before which speculation began on an announcement during the Super Bowl and on a rumored exclusive iTunes promo expected for Valentines Day.

Apple did not hold an event during the Super Bowl, but announced the agreement the day following the event.


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dashiel
jebus that's a sweet deal
0
02/12, 6:46pm, EST
for apple (corp) and a bad deal for us, it's basically what that a-hole head of warner bros wanted, now the door has been opened. grrr.
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climacs
it's universal
0
02/12, 6:51pm, EST
it's the head of universal who's trying to shake down Apple and geez-us, now what is Jobs going to tell them? If he's paying Apple Corps a cut from every iPod sold, he can certainly do the same for the majors.
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climacs
consider the source
0
02/12, 6:52pm, EST
faux news.
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danviento
those albums & songs
0
02/12, 7:42pm, EST
Could just have easily been imported off of the CD's or even off of vinyl. Album art is a simple matter of dropping in an image found on google imafe search or scanning in an album cover. Seriously people, I'd like some more facts with speculation, please.
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bigpoppa206
Apple's deal
0
02/12, 7:47pm, EST
with sharing a profit on the iPod with Apple Corp is NOT the same thing as sharing profits with the music industry on using their products. One is over the use of the name and in this case its probably a fair deal, and one is over music. Pay attention people!
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nat
uh
0
02/12, 9:19pm, EST
it's fox news. i'll wait for a reputable news organization to say it.
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chotty
Yeah...
0
02/12, 10:26pm, EST
I won't believe it until a "reputable" news org covers the story, like MSNBC or the NYT... umm, on second thought...
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LouZer
Re: sweet deal
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02/12, 11:07pm, EST
for apple (corp) and a bad deal for us, it's basically what that a-hole head of warner bros wanted, now the door has been opened. grrr.

How is it a bad deal for 'us'? Is it somehow screwing us?

And keep in mind that Apple's recent deal with Apple Corps gives Apple Inc. complete rights to the Apple name, with some licensing going back to the Corps. This would seem to be part of the payment for all that. To think this is anything like paying for 'stealing music' is completely missing the point.
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dimmer
Doubtful
0
02/13, 1:15am, EST
Nope, sorry, Apple will not pay someone else for every iPod sold. I think the guy saying so must have been a little too much "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds". He's thinking Zune, if he's thinking at all.
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Peter Bonte
Beatles iPod
0
02/13, 2:31am, EST
Yellow Submarine edition with special box etc. :)
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