Beatles For USB + Record Store Day

Yet more limited editions... will the madness never end?!?

By Fred Mills

Billboard is reporting that on December 8, Apple and EMI will finally be issuing the Beatles back catalog digitally, and as Fab Four watchers know all too well, this essentially breaks a long-standing logjam in terms of bringing that catalog into the modern era since to date Apple has resisted selling the group's songs separate from CD or LP. But before all you iTunes fans get all hot and bothered, you need to know one thing: the songs aren't going to be sold through iTunes - yet - but rather on a single, limited edition USB drive, shaped like a green apple, natch.

According to Billboard, "The 16MB USB is available for pre-order at the online Beatles store, priced $279.99. A specially designed Flash interface has been installed, and audio and visual contents will be provided in FLAC 44.1 Khz 24 bit and MP3 320 Kbps formats. The content is fully compatible with Mac and PC."

The limited edition (only 30,000 units will be sold) contains the fourteen Beatles stereo remasters along with associated liner notes and visual elements that were included with the remastered CDs released on Sept. 9.

Meanwhile, if you are wondering what to do this Saturday (Nov.7), maybe hop over to your local indie record shop because it will be another Record Store Day. Maybe consider doing that EARLY, as the RecordStoreDay.com site advises us:

Record Store Day is proud to celebrate this connection with a special 40th Anniversary edition of Abbey Road that includes the vinyl album, and a t-shirt that featuring the original artwork for the "Come Together"/"Something" 7" single, along with a corresponding poster. This limited edition deluxe package will be release on Vinyl Saturday, November 7th in the United States and will be limited to 5000 in the world. Check with your local store for availability.

Go to the Record Store Day site for details on this and other goodies that will be featured at selected shops.