A recent report that Apple has scheduled a music-focused media event for September 9th has once again sparked speculation that The Beatles may finally be coming to iTunes. The speculation is primarily driven by the scheduling of several other Beatles-related events on the same day.
In March, EMI Group announced that a Beatles version of the popular Rock Band music-themed video game would be released for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3, and Wii on September 9th. That announcement was followed a month later by news that the entire remastered Beatles catalog would be released on CD on the same day. At the time, EMI Group and Beatles holding company Apple Corps noted only that discussions regarding digital distribution were ongoing.
Discussions regarding the digital distribution of the catalogue will continue.There is no further information available at this time.
While no further indication from EMI, Apple Corps, or others close to The Beatles or Apple have suggested that an iTunes deal is imminent, the timing of these events has unavoidably resulted in new speculation regarding an agreement.
Rumors of The Beatles coming to iTunes have repeatedly surfaced since Apple's launch of its digital download store. Despite conflict between the two companies over the use of the "Apple" trademark in the music business that stretched into 2007, claims of The Beatles appearing on iTunes have surfaced on a regular basis over the years:
- April 2006: Apple Corps' Neil Aspinall revealed that the company was in the process of remastering the Beatles catalog and preferred not to release Beatles tracks for digital distribution until the remastered versions became available.
- November 2006: Fortune reported that final details of a deal were reportedly being worked out.
- January 2007: Steve Jobs showing Beatles songs during an iPhone demo at Macworld San Francisco and several other unconfirmed reports suggested that a release might occur either on Valentine's Day or Super Bowl Sunday.
- May 2007: Apple announced that Paul McCartney's new solo album would be launched on iTunes, following reports from McCartney himself that The Beatles' catalog would soon be available online.
- August 2007: Speculation that the tag line for Apple's upcoming media event, "The beat goes on," was a reference to The Beatles' final press release renewed rumors of a Beatles-iTunes announcement.
- March 2008: Reports surfaced that Paul McCartney and Apple had struck a $400 million deal to bring The Beatles to iTunes, although the claim was quickly denied by Apple.
- November 2008: McCartney reported that discussions regarding bringing The Beatles to iTunes had "stalled".
