Yesterday, there were internet rumors aplenty after Apple posted a cryptic message about iTunes on its homepage, and today, we have to wonder no more. After a long holdout, it looks as though the music catalog of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Star, and George Harrison — better known as The Beatles — will be available for download from the iTunes Music Store.
It is a fairly well-known fact that Apple’s CEO, Steve Jobs, has a soft-spot for the gang from Liverpool and has been actively trying to get the group’s music on his company’s digital music store for some time. Multiple publications have cited pricing disagreements between Apple, Inc., Apple Corp (the band’s holding company), and record label EMI as the reason for the deal’s delay.
The Beatles’ appearance on iTunes will mark the first time the group has made its work legally available in a digital, downloadable format. Albums will retail for $12.99 and the band’s entire box set can be purchased for $149.
