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A digital compilation of 59 rare and unheard recordings from The Beatles is set to be released exclusively on the iTunes Store this coming Tuesday, December 17, reports NME (via BBC).
Titled The Beatles' Bootleg Recordings 1963, the collection of music is reportedly being released in order stop the expiration of the copyright protection surrounding the records, as the tracks themselves consist of BBC sessions, alternative versions of popular hits, and studio outtakes.
EU law protects songs for 70 years after they are recorded, but only if they get an official release. Otherwise, copyright lasts 50 years.
In the case of The Beatles, that means their 1963 debut album Please Please Me is protected until 2033, but the unreleased session tapes for that album are not.
If the Beatles chose not to release the recordings before the end of the year, it would mean other record labels could theoretically put them out and profit from them.
The Beatles' music originally debuted on iTunes in November 2010 after years of speculation and prolonged negotiation between record label EMI and Apple. The group's music went on to sell 2 million songs and 450,000 albums in its first week on the iTunes Store, and eventually reached overall sales of 5 million songs and 1 million albums within in two months. Exclusive ringtones by The Beatles also were made available on iTunes in February 2012.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)The Beatles are old news. They've made their squillions and their families are set for many generations to come (even after spending 90% of their riches on heroin/LSD).
They are no longer performing (and most of the originals are dead). The record label doesn't need to lock down the rights to all music that they never intended to sell.
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Wow, a bunch of dumb statements. Real old news... yet we are still talking about them. Yeah, McCartney spent 90% of his wealth, and still managed to be a billionaire. Unlike many artists... the Beatles are not known for their drug use. They dropped LSD in mid-sixties, smoked pot, Lennon had a heroin addiction for a time, etc. We are not talking about Keith Richards here. Most of the originals are dead? Yeah, try two... half. Not most. I guess most of the originals died of drug overdose as well? Well, it's true, they are no longer performing, since 1969 on a rooftop. Your post is stupid on so many levels.
To the ignorant and for some unknown reason Beatle hater posting here... What difference does it make to you if the Beatles are releasing rare tracks which only will be purchased by die hard Beatles fans? To say such negative things about a pop group that left us with some great music and songs which will stay in our culture for generations is just mean. George died from a brain tumor do you fault him for dying this way? John was murdered by a mentally illl man. Despite John's many years of supporting the Peace Movement he was killed violently. There was a time when young people cared about our country being involved in wars that had no good reason, today young people might be more interested in buying the latest Apple product than the US military being forced to fight wars for corporate America. Paul is alive and still touring and releasing new albums. He works for animal rights and conservation. Do you think Beiber or Swift would ever pick up a cause beyond themselves when they can make commercials selling Coke. I'm not sure why I bother to "learn" you but someone has to say something to balance the lameness posted here.
'If the Beatles chose not to release the recordings before the end of the year, it would mean other record labels could theoretically put them out and profit from them.'
Or the BBC could just chuck them online as a free download without retribution.
TBH I find this greedy. In 50 years they haven't found any of these tracks worthy of being released. Come the 11th hour and they are releasing a massive compilation album in order to extend their stranglehold over the tracks for another 20 years.
The Beatles are old news. They've made their squillions and their families are set for many generations to come (even after spending 90% of their riches on heroin/LSD).
They are no longer performing (and most of the originals are dead). The record label doesn't need to lock down the rights to all music that they never intended to sell.
Good on them for potentially re-mastering it and putting it out there but one must question why they didn't do this years ago, or for free.
I just love it when people want to "give away" stuff that belongs to someone else.
The best part is watching the contortions they twist themselves into to try to justify their "logic".
After five decades, I wonder who The Beatles' market is today. I'm in my thirties and their music never grabbed me like the Jimmy Hendrix Experience, The Doors and The Who did. Personally I can appreciate some of their later, ballsier songs but for the most part they sound too poppy and inoffensive to not sound dated.
When I heard the Beatles for the first time in 1964 I could not believe my ears. Pop music before this time was (MOR) middle of the road stuff like, Pat Boone, Connie Francis, etc.. Safe stuff your parents and grand parents enjoyed. Teens did not have a music that made them want to jump and dance and let loose. Most young people were hooked at that point. The Beatles brought us our own culture back to us with rhythms and lyrics that they were influenced by from such black artists such as Chuck Berry and Little Richard which were considered "race music" at the time, meaning little airplay. Elvis connected to young people the same way coming from the south and being white he played the kind of music that was not allowed on white radio stations and young people got their first taste of R&B and Blues. The Beatles were part of the perfect storm of music and cultural counter revolution. They lived in London and where everything cool was happening. Each album was a evolution as they experimented in a variety of musical form and styles. They had a short trip into eastern spiritualism and drugs like LSD as many artist did at the time. There was never anyone as famous as the Beatles were at their peak in the history of modern music. Hope this explains a little of what it was like growing up during that time and why the Beatles still fascinate so many people. By the way I was 6 the first time I heard first album.
After five decades, I wonder who The Beatles' market is today.
With 30 million record sales in the first decade of the 21st century, either all those old hippies keep buying the same records, or new generations are taking a liking. Question, 40, 50 years after Eminem goes away, will people be buying 30 million copies of his albums? Prolly not. There is something special going on there...
http://music-mix.ew.com/2009/12/08/best-selling-albums-of-decade-eminem-beatles/
'If the Beatles chose not to release the recordings before the end of the year, it would mean other record labels could theoretically put them out and profit from them.'
Or the BBC could just chuck them online as a free download without retribution.
TBH I find this greedy. In 50 years they haven't found any of these tracks worthy of being released. Come the 11th hour and they are releasing a massive compilation album in order to extend their stranglehold over the tracks for another 20 years.
The Beatles are old news. They've made their squillions and their families are set for many generations to come (even after spending 90% of their riches on heroin/LSD).
They are no longer performing (and most of the originals are dead). The record label doesn't need to lock down the rights to all music that they never intended to sell.
Good on them for potentially re-mastering it and putting it out there but one must question why they didn't do this years ago, or for free.
Heroin and LSD? It's no wonder you have no freaking idea what you're talking about with the rest of it...this is about as stupid as stupid gets.