Beatles probably not in iTMS and why we don’t care

Beatles probably not in iTMS and why we don’t care

So Apple Corps, the music label of the Beatles, has announced that they are remastering their music catalog to make it sound brighter, and that they will soon be available via digital download. Most people doubt that these ‘˜tunes will appear for sale in Apple Computers iTunes Music Store. After all, Apple Corps and Apple Computer are in court. So most pundits believe that the Beatles music will go to a competitor. My question is two-fold: should we care, and is this a bad move for the Beatles?

First, should we care? Honestly? Not at all. Let’s be honest, if you are a Beatles fan, you probably already own a ton of their music. I know I am, and I do. I am sure there are a few Beatle songs I don’t already own that I would like to purchase, but I am not loosing any sleep over it. I already have 131 Beatles songs on my iPod and in my iTunes library, none of which I would want to pay for again. Each was ripped from my own CD collection. And, as far as I know, the group won’t be coming out with any new songs with only two surviving members.

Second, is this a bad move for the Beatles? Yes and no. Selling digital download of their large music library will only bring in much, much more money. Of course, it won’t bring in as MUCH money if they don’t sell it on the iTunes Music Store. What’s the competition for iTunes? Rhapsody? Napster? That dubious Russian MP3 place? Please, give me a break. Even if all THREE were to combine into one giant SUPER STORE online, they STILL would not sell nearly as much music as Apple’s iTunes does. Make no mistake about it, the iTunes Music Store is THE big-boy in legal digital music downloads. No other comes close.

By selling on any of these other download stores, Apple Corps pretty much guarantees that the Beatles music won’t be on the iPod. You know, the number one digital music player on the planet? The one that even Paul McCarthy gave away to his road crew after his last tour? Yeah, that one.

So why would Apple Corps, and by extension The Beatles, make such a huge blunder? Don’t ask me. I understand about the trademark issues the court battle is all about. But isn’t Apple Corps reason for being to sell Beatles music? Are they so petty as to shoot themselves in the foot in this manner? I think so, and it would be profoundly stupid on their part.

I hope all the pundits are wrong, and that The Beatles will in fact release their music catalog via iTunes. But I am not holding my breath.