Beatles Catalogue Finally Coming To iTunes?

08/20/09 11:27am

by Kate Harper (CHARTattack)

Rumours that The Beatles' music will soon be sold on iTunes have surfaced again.

Apple has reportedly set a "music-focused media event" for Sept. 9, according to macrumors.com. Sept. 9 is the day The Beatles: Rock Band will be released and the Beatles catalogue will be reissued.

According to macrumors.com, when Apple Corps, The Beatles' record label, announced the video game and reissues would be released on Sept. 9, they simply said discussions about digital distribution were ongoing.

Neither the Apple or Apple Corps have made an announcement about The Beatles coming to iTunes. The Beatles' catalogue is not available through any digital retailer because Apple Corps has not authorized anyone to sell The Beatles' music.

In April 2006, Apple Corps stated The Beatles catalogue was being remastered and would not be digitally released until the reissues were available.

There were rumours the catalogue would be digitally available throughout 2007, especially after Paul McCartney announced Memory Almost Full, his solo album released that year, would be available on iTunes and The Beatles' catalogue would soon follow.

Although rumours surfaced the next year that Apple and McCartney had signed a $400 million U.S. deal which would see Beatles albums sold on iTunes, McCartney later said talks had "stalled."