Elusive Beatles finally take their bite of Apple

Since iTunes' inception in 2001, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison have held out on digitising The Beatles' back catalogue, but now they have decided to just let it be.

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At last, the timeless songs of the band you've known for all these years, will be on sale on iTunes.

After 30 years of litigation over the naming rights and other more recent deadlocks, the long and winding road to a settlement between The Beatles' Apple Corps and Steve Jobs' Apple has been completed. And now, some of the best rock music ever written will finally be available for fans to download from iTunes eight days a week.

Apple's disputes over copyright and royalties with EMI, the owners of the band's recordings, had so far prevented The Beatles from joining the digital revolution.

Since iTunes' inception in 2001, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison have held out on digitising The Beatles' back catalogue, but now they have decided to just let it be. EMI are reported to have paid them in advance for striking the deal with iTunes. It seems that while money can't buy you love, it can buy pretty much everything else.

For long-time Beatles fanatics, it has all finally come together. Their iPod playlists are finally complete. And if you're too young to remember their music, then just ask your parents. Certainly, your mother should know.