Beatles iTunes Talks Stall

November 25th, 2008 at 9:45 AM - News by Jeff Gamet

EMI, Apple Corps and Apple Inc. have hit an impasse in negotiations to bring The Beatles library to the iTunes Store. Apparently EMI and Apple Corps aren't able to agree on terms for music downloads from the iTunes Store as well as other digital music services, according to The Guardian.

Former Beatle Sir Paul McCartney commented "The last word I got back was it's stalled at the whole moment, the whole process... I really hope it will happen because I think it should."

Many Beatles fans had been hoping that the band's music would finally be available online from authorized sources like the iTunes Store after EMI announced in November 2006 that a deal was coming "soon." A deal seemed even closer in April 2007 when the surviving band members settled a dispute with EMI over back royalty payments.

For now, however, it appears that hopeful fans will have to wait a little longer before they can buy digital versions of The Beatles albums.

"They [EMI] want something we're not prepared to give them," Sir McCartney said. "Hey, sounds like the music business."