“Paul McCartney describes the effort to finally offer a digital Beatles catalog as ‘stalled.’ This is getting ridiculous. The Beatles will never become irrelevant, but this refusal to join the 21st century isn’t doing the legacy any favors. Already, there are kids today who call the Beatles overrated, saying they ‘don’t get’ the hype, etc. Music, and the way people listen to it, has changed, for better or worse, and the iPod generation is more interested in the hot new single than an LP work of art like The White Album,” Mike Bruno writes for Entertainment Weekly.
“There’s nothing the Beatles or Apple Corp. (the company established to manage their catalog) can do about that, but it would definitely help keep the band’s music alive and well if the young music fans who live on iTunes were at least given access to Beatles tracks, should they decide they want to hear for themselves what all the fuss is about,” Bruno writes.
“But perhaps even more important, this ‘stall’ is just bad business. Shunning a distribution model that is growing for one that is dying (CDs) makes no sense, not to mention the fact that anyone savvy enough to use bittorrent can get the entire catalog for free anyway,” Bruno writes.
Bruno writes, “Enough is enough. I love and respect the Beatles and hope that future generations are exposed to their brilliance so the legacy lives forever. Hopefully, Apple and the Beatles themselves will realize their wrong-headed resistance to change is putting that in jeopardy.”
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Patty D.” for the heads up.]
A good article with a bit of misinformed junk at the end (unless he meant “Apple Corps.,” The Beatles’ corporation): Apple has been trying to get The Beatles to join iTunes Store for years. This lunacy is entirely the fault of The Beatles side of the equation.
It’s really stupid. We can’t reach an agreement… The whole thing is unfortunate because we love The Beatles. – Apple CEO Steve Jobs, September 2003
Yoko was the worst thing to ever happen to the Beatles and nothing has changed in 40 years. You can bet she’s the hold out.
I think you hit the nail square on the head Gman
This part of the quote is key:
Shunning a distribution model that is growing for one that is dying (CDs) makes no sense, not to mention the fact that anyone savvy enough to use bittorrent can get the entire catalog for free anyway.”
Truer words were never spoken. At this point, there’s just no other explanation other than that they’re simply dumber than a box of rocks.
GmanMac: agree completely. recently a friend introduced his young kids to my beatles music since i was sharing it at work in itunes. they loved it. of course, they also liked the monkees too, so i am not too sure if this proves anything.
Who cares. The Beatles suck.
The Beatles are ridiculous. Their absence from iTunes is just blatant stupidity.
The Beatles… who cares?
Didn’t the Beatles get their inspiration from the Monkeys?
Who really cares about the Beatles. I’d rather listen to The Monkees anyway.
Beatles are so overrated.
I thought The Ruttles were better than The Beatles.
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Beetles are only good when deep fried and dipped in chocolates. Then they taste kind of like macadamia nuts.
The only Beatles album worth listening to is the one written by Clarence.
the monkees were near the end of the beatles, certainly well after they were established.
I think the ‘Apple’ referred to at the end of the article is the Beatles’ record label, not Apple Inc.
The Beatles are quite wonderful. I very much enjoy listening to their music on my iPod and Macs. I enjoy the many Beatles torrents, and newsgroups filled with the Beatles’ wonderful releases and unreleased material. These are in addition to the lossless rips I have of Beatles CDs which I bought used for around $4 each.
Since the Beatles do not have their music available online, I can give people that want to hear Beatles music copies of my digital files. Do you know that when put in mp3 format the Beatles’ entire released output fits on one disc? It is even more compact that the Led Zeppelin mp3s.
I think it is brilliant marketing on the part of the Beatles to withhold digital releases of their music until anyone that wants their music already has it, and everyone else has forgotten they ever existed.
Apple to announce new and improved products soon
I can’t tell you what or when exactly, because it will focus the attention upon a very small group of people which I am part of.
Shunning a distribution model that is growing for one that is dying (CDs) makes no sense, not to mention the fact that anyone savvy enough to use bittorrent can get the entire catalog for free anyway.”
Actually, being a almost solo holdout against digital downloads generates a lot of free press. Especially since generating money isn’t a issue anymore but brand recognition is.
Nobody in their right mind thinks the remaining Beatles and/or their “Apple” label needs any more money. What they got already should generate huge amounts of interest, easy taking care of their needs.
It’s keeping the “Beatles” name in the public spotlight and always having the opportunity to sell the rights (for much more that some pitiful amounts from downloads or even cd sales) that is why they are being so “controversial”.
So now you see grasshopper.
MDN – I believe the Apple the article is referring to at the end is Apple Corp rather than Apple Inc.
Peace.
Here’s a bit of trivia for anyone who really gives a fsck. Davey Jones, the singer for the Monkees actually performed on the same Ed Sullivan show that the Beatles debuted on. This was pre-Monkees of course. This is for Beatles fans only. All you people who said the Beatles suck can kiss my arse. In 20 years time you’ll be saying the same thing about Metallica or Fiddy or Britney or some dopeass DJ.
Actually, I take that last part back. In 20 years time NO ONE will ever admit to knowing who Fiddy was.
The Beatles were great. McCartney was always a poser. Give it up Paul, and age gracefully, you old fart. From an older Limey fart.
Rap-crap will die in a year. Beatles live on.
Already, there are kids today who call the Beatles overrated, saying they ‘don’t get’ the hype, etc.
Hey, Kids these days are not as bad as I originally thought.
Who cares about this anymore?
Love is the only album worth getting.
Here’s one for all the fans though… What do Yoko and Ethiopians have in common? They both live off dead Beatle’s!
The White Album a work of art?!?! PLEASE, of all the Beatles albums this guy decides to pick!!!! What kind of
” rel=”nofollow”>hash was he smoking during his youth?
Love The Beatles …. Have everything I like already ripped to MP3s, just like every other “fan”. Don’t understand why being on iTunes (or not) is such a big deal to some tech writers. Being so late they’ve lost any opportunity for profit already.
Oh, and as for Yoko … She’s an idiot “Walking on thin ice ice ice ice …”