March 2008 will see an unbelievable 45 years pass since the analogue mono release of their debut album on vinyl "Please Please Me"
So it seems only fitting that the Fab Four's catalogue has the digital treatment and released to the world "officially"
When this happens what will be the main driver ? (besides the £250+million)
Will it be additional tracks / demos / out-takes /?? but haven't we had all this from the exhaustive Anthology series!
Or will it be the current hot topic around the digital music connoisseurs: "bit rate quality"
Are we going to see The Beatles catalogue at a sturdy 320kbps MP3 - as Paul McCartney did last year or will Paul, Ringo, Yoko & Olivia with Apple Corp. decide that the only way that the beloved Beatles catalogue should be released in this digital age is "lossless" quality either in FLAC or AIFF
(I'm not going to mention WMA Lossless - read my Blog around the demise of the WMA format and unless a drastic change in direction Windows Media Player!)
Latest information is that there is an agreement on the digital availability, there has been a remastering process for the digital age carried out - so I guess the only thing left is to agree what and when - but as the latest release of Beatles music is about to hit the MP3 generation who has more to gain - Beatles, EMI/Apple Corp/iTunes/Tesco.. or Michael Jackson??
Michael Jackson!!! Why of course since Michael Jackson out-bid Paul McCartney back in 1985 for $47m this is now reported to be worth $1bn and with an full digital catalogue release Jackson is sure to benefit but with all the trouble that Jackson is in - perhaps there is another silent party that would like to see Beatles released - and Jackson to fall deeper into debt and despair! Sony - Sony has a stake based on a loan - that Jackson took out a few years ago and have first say on the sale of the catalogue - but they better be quick - as it's 45 years this year since Please Please Me was released - that gives the ownership rights and royalties a mere 5 years before they are released into the Public Domain - and actually Jackson and Sony's deal goes from $1bn to $0 in a tick of a clock! - so who gets the last laugh? - the person who deserves it more than anyone (especially just now!) our beloved Sir Paul McCartney -
Let's see what happens and how Apple Corp. pull this one off!