Beatles Music Available On Special-Edition USB Drive

November 5, 2009

Listen to the Story

[1 min 17 sec]

text sizeA A A

November 5, 2009

The company that owns the Beatles music has been highly protective of the songs. It hasn't allowed them to be sold on iTunes, or downloaded on the Internet. But Apple Corps. is inching toward the digital future. It's gotten together with music label EMI; and next month they plan to sell a USB drive loaded with 14 digitally remastered Beatles albums.

RENEE MONTAGNE, host:

And the long and winding road for that bill takes us to our last word in business: digital Beatles.

The company that owns the Beatles' music has been highly protective of the songs and hasn't allowed them to be sold on iTunes or downloaded on the Internet. But that company, Apple Corps, is inching towards the digital future. It's gotten together with music label EMI, and next month, they plan to sell a USB drive loaded with 14 digitally remastered Beatles albums.

The drive is shaped like an apple, and it will cost $330. The move represents the first time Beatles music has ever been offered - well, legally - in a digital, non-CD format.

And that's the business news on MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Renee Montagne.

STEVE INSKEEP, host:

And I'm Steve Inskeep.

Copyright ©2009 National Public Radio®. All rights reserved. No quotes from the materials contained herein may be used in any media without attribution to National Public Radio. This transcript is provided for personal, noncommercial use only, pursuant to our Terms of Use. Any other use requires NPR's prior permission. Visit our permissions page for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by a contractor for NPR, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of NPR's programming is the audio.