COPYCENSE

“Signaling an end to the highest-profile holdout in the booming digital-music arena, the Beatles are coming to the Internet. The band’s business arm, Apple Corps, has confirmed plans to digitally remaster the Beatles’ hit-filled catalogue and then sell the songs individually online.

“Don’t get out your wallet just yet, though. The Beatles’ work won’t be available anytime soon, nor has it been decided which online stores will stock the tunes.

“The group’s intentions were made public this week in written testimony by Apple Corps’ managing director in the company’s trademark lawsuit against Apple Computer. In a statement to the High Court in London, Neil Aspinall acknowledged that “Hey Jude,” “Yesterday,” “Can’t Buy Me Love” and the like would, for the first time, be sold in digitally downloadable form upon completion of the remastering project.”

J. Freedom du Lac. From Mop Tops To Web Heads. WashingtonPost.com. April 14, 2006.

CopyCense™: K. Matthew Dames on the law, business, and technology of digital content. A business venture of Seso Digital LLC.