BEATLES FOR SALE…ON ITUNES

Apple Corps, EMI and Apple announced that the Fab Four, “the most influential and beloved rock band in music history,” are available for the first time on iTunes.

Starting today the group’s 13 remastered studio albums with iTunes LPs, the two-volume Past Masters compilations and the classic “Red” and “Blue” collections, will be available for purchase and download as albums or individual songs. A special digital “Beatles Box Set” featuring the “Live at the Washington Coliseum, 1964” concert film, will also be on sale as a global iTunes exclusive.

Paul McCartney chimed in. “We’re really excited to bring the Beatles’ music to iTunes,” he said. “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.”

Even Ringo stopped refusing to sign memorabilia to express his excitement.

“I am particularly glad to no longer be asked when the Beatles are coming to iTunes,” the drummer said. “At last, if you want it—you can get it now—the Beatles from Liverpool to now! Peace and Love, Ringo.”

“We love the Beatles and are honored and thrilled to welcome them to iTunes,” said Apple CEO Steve Jobs. “It has been a long and winding road to get here. Thanks to the Beatles and EMI, we are now realizing a dream we’ve had since we launched iTunes ten years ago.”

“In the joyful spirit of ‘Give Peace a Chance,’ I think it is so appropriate that we are doing this on John’s 70th birthday year,” said Yoko Ono Lennon, who then proceeded to wonder when her catalog would be receiving similar treatment “The Beatles on iTunes—Bravo!” said Olivia Harrison.

“The Beatles and iTunes have both been true innovators in their fields,” said EMI Group CEO Roger Faxon. “It’s a privilege for everybody at EMI to work with Steve Jobs and with Apple Corps’ Jeff Jones and their teams in marking a great milestone in the development of digital music.”

Each of the Beatles’ 13 legendary remastered studio albums, including Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, Revolver, The Beatles [The White Album] and Abbey Road include iTunes LPs, which include expanded visual features such as a unique mini-documentary about the creation of each album, included in the remastered physical versions. The two-volume Past Masters compilation and the classic “Red” and “Blue” collections are also available.

Single albums are available for purchase and download for $12.99 each, double albums for $19.99 each and individual songs for $1.29 each.

The special digital “Beatles Box Set” for $149 contains the 13 remastered studio albums with iTunes LPs and all mini-documentaries, Past Masters, and the “Live at the Washington Coliseum, 1964,” which captures the Beatles’ very first U.S. concert in its entirety. In addition, Beatles fans can stream and view the film on iTunes for free for the remainder of this calendar year.

Will this mean an explosion of Fab Four digital sales for the upcoming holiday season… or has everyone already ripped all the Beatles tunes they need to their devices? That is the question which will be answered over the next few weeks and months.