The Beatles extensive music library isn’t available on the iTunes Store because record label EMI is dragging their feet, according to band member Sir Paul McCartney. Apparently EMI has been creating some form of “business hassles” that have prevented the band’s works from being distributed in electronic formats.
In a BBC interview, Sir McCartney said “To tell you the truth I don’t actually understand how it’s got so crazy. I know iTunes would like to do it, so one day it’s going to happen.”
He added that despite everyone else’s interest in bringing the band’s works to iTunes, EMI has been blocking the efforts. “There have been all sorts of reasons why they don’t want to do it,” he said.
EMI, however, disagrees with Sir McCartney’s assessment of the situation. “Discussions are ongoing. We would love to see The Beatles’ music available for sale digitally,” the company said in a statement.
The Beatles have long been rumored to be coming to Apple’s iTunes Store, but so far those reports haven’t panned out. For now it looks like Beatles fans will have to keep waiting if they want a way to download properly licensed copies of the band’s songs from the Internet.