I also understand why this is an important business deal for both the Beatles and Apple, and why it took several years to settle all the contracts with the lawyers.
But a day I’ll never forget? Let’s get serious.
Like I said yesterday, the Apple hyperbole marketing machine is known for this sort of thing. But I think this time they really did go a bit too far. The day the iPhone was announced was a day I’ll never forget. But even that, most normal people can’t remember.
I doubt anyone will remember this day a few weeks from now.
The problem with blowing an announcement like this way out of proportion is that if you do that too much, the press will stop giving you all that free publicity next time you want to announce something. Apple usually understands this, which is why it can send out a few measly invitations or change its home page and get the press all in a tizzy without spending a dollar of advertising. Step over this line more than a few times, and you’re asking for people to stop getting excited next time.
As far as the Beatles on iTunes itself—well, all I can say is that the true believer fans have already bought the original LPs, the CDs, and the Remastered Box Set on CD, in both mono and stereo. Will they buy it all again? Some will, sure. But that doesn’t make it right. Like George Lucas, the Beatles are starting to want to get paid once too often for their past artistic achievements. It feels like a cheap ploy, rather than a celebration of the eternal contribution the Beatles made to humankind.
I have my original CDs that I ripped into iTunes long ago. That’s good enough for me for the time being.
The best thing I can say about this announcement is that finally, after MANY years, Apple can have special events without someone in the rumor mill reading into the invitation and saying “IT’S THE BEATLES ON ITUNES!” I couldn’t wait for that rumor to die, and now it finally is dead.
Now if we could just get people to stop yelling “Freebird!” at live music shows, I can die a happy man.
(Side note: I have to give Apple credit for finding what has to be the best picture of the Beatles ever taken. Even Ringo looks less than atrocious in this photo.)
