Beatles Music Going Digital

After years of sitting out the digital music revolution, the surviving members of the Beatles have finally decided to let it be and begin selling online downloads, according to USA Today. Neil Aspinall, who runs the Beatles' Apple Corps., made the announcement in a written statement to a London court earlier this month, where Apple Corps. is suing Apple Computer in a trademark dispute. Aspinall said that the company was digitally remastering the entire Beatles catalogue, which would pave the way for selling the songs online, The Boston Globe said. ''I think it would be wrong to offer downloads of the old masters when I am making new masters," Aspinall said in a written statement submitted to the High Court in London this month. The Beatles have been high-profile holdouts from the booming online music sector, which saw sales triple to $US 1.1 billion ($1.51 billion) in 2005, News.com.au said. Apple Corp., owned by Beatles Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono and the estate of George Harrison, have accused Apple Computer, Inc. of violating a 1991 agreement by using the Apple name and logo to sell music downloads through its market-leading iTunes Music Store. The trial ended on April 6, with a decision from the judge due after Easter.

As far as The Beatles' music being released through the internet, it doesn't affect me very much, as I already have all of their albums on my iPod. I am surprised that it took this long for their songs to be sold online. I think that the internet has had a very positive impact on the music industry, despite piracy issues. As far as Apple Corps. suing Apple Computer, Inc., I think Apple Corps. will have a hard time winning the case against the almighty Apple Computers, Inc.