The Beatles' "Love" album, the soundtrack of the Cirque du Soleil show at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas, and "All Together Now," the documentary about the show, will made be available in the iTunes store worldwide this month, EMI announced today.
Both titles are available for pre-order on iTunes starting today in most countries. "Love" will be released on iTunes worldwide Feb. 8, with "All Together Now" available Feb. 15, according to its pre-order page on iTunes.
The "Love" album (US $12.99) includes iTunes exclusives with previously unreleased "Love" versions of "Fool on the Hill" and "Girl." This marks the first time a Beatles album has been released on iTunes with bonus tracks. Short previews of the two tracks are up on iTunes. The new "Love" version of "Girl" weaves in the guitar introduction from "And I Love Her." iTunes also has a short video on the making of the "Love" album that's available for viewing now. It features comments from Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono, Olivia Harrison and Sir George and Giles Martin talking about the philosophy behind the album and how it was assembled. The video is one of the extras included with purchase.
The album comes as an iTunes LP featuring an art gallery "that blends images of the Beatles with colorful photos from the acclaimed stage production," according to the announcement from EMI. "Love" will also be available to purchase and download as individual songs.
The 'All Together Now' documentary (US $12.99 HD) will be offered with iTunes Extras including the 84-minute film and three bonus featurettes which were included on the DVD release, plus an additional trailer for the "Love" stage production as an extra. The film will also be available for rental.
"Love" is a Cirque du Soleil creation and co-production with The Beatles' company Apple Corps Ltd. The CD and DVD audio, released in 2006, is the extended soundtrack of the live show which opened in June, 2006, and is presented exclusively at The Mirage in Las Vegas. The joint artistic venture, which came out of a personal friendship between George Harrison and the Cirque's Guy Laliberte, marked the first time that Apple Corps Ltd. agreed to a major theatrical partnership. EMI estimates it has played to more than 4 million audience members since it opened.
The music for the show was created by Sir George Martin and Giles Martin with free reign through the Beatles archives. The album won two Grammy Awards in the categories of Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture, Television or other Visual Medium and Surround Sound Album.
The "All Together Now" documentary, directed by Adrian Wills, tell the back story of the creation of "Love." It has won a Grammy for Best Longform Video.
The Beatles remastered albums were released to iTunes on Nov. 16. Estimated sales are at more than five million songs and one million albums on iTunes worldwide, according to EMI.
The Beatles Box Set is currently nominated for a Grammy Award.
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Comments
All Together Now will be available 2/15, according to its iTunes page: http://bit.ly/gABtAP
Perhaps more importantly, Love will contain two bonus tracks: The Fool On The Hill (Love Version) and Girl (Love Version) - also according to the iTunes page: http://bit.ly/h7VipV. This is the first Beatles album to have exclusive bonus tracks on iTunes. Noteworthy, I would think.
Oops, now I see you mentioned the bonus tracks. Still interesting to note that this is the first time for digital bonus tracks.
Yeah, the bonus tracks are definitely interesting.
Will we be able to purchase "The Fool on the Hill" and "Girl" separately? I just listened to the 30 second iTunes samples and "Girl" sounds BEAUTIFUL! I already have the CD and don't want to have to re-buy it.
Michael, yes, according to the announcement, you will be able to buy them separately.
The first think that I notice while watch the preview of the doc was how extremely proud George Martin was of his son as he looked on.
All those Beatle sales on itunes didn't help EMI much, I just received an email from Billboard.com saying that Citigroup has just taken over the company. LOL.
The mono mixes have been out since 2009 ....
Ho hum. Still waiting for the mono mixes, LET IT BE (film) and some new unreleased tracks. Guess I'll be waiting a long time.
Well, technically speaking, the new "Love" bonus tracks are unreleased. That's probably not what you're looking for, though.
I think the Love LP is brilliant and really look forward to the
"Girl" and Fool On The Hill" tracks!
I'll probably download one of the new exclusive Love tracks.
If anyone can help me though, can iTunes songs be played on Windows Media Player?
Adam: Yes.
BTW Steve, thank you so much for all the years of Beatle news.
It's one of the true joys the web!
Andy: Thank you. :)
Steve, I don't think the tracks will be available separately: I think "Album Only" means you have to buy the entire album. And, that is one reason why "non-legal" versions appear. If I could buy just the two new tracks; I'd buy them. But the whole album... don't need it. Already bought the CD. So I'll eventually "find" them on a non-iTunes site.
Chris
The announcement indicated the tracks would be available separately and I've confirmed this after your question with EMI.
Is the ITunes "Love" album DRM free?
EMI says yes it is.
OMG....
"includes iTunes exclusives with previously unreleased "Love" versions of "Fool on the Hill" and "Girl." "
Apple finally listened to my RANTS and put out SOMETHING NEW!!!
So, yes Steve, on my 4 Applle products (iPads, iTouches, etc.) I WILL buy the new content!
Any idea if the iTunes version will include the extended versions of "Revolution" and "Back in the U.S.S.R." from the DVD-audio version of "Love"?
EMI confirmed with me that it's the CD version and says it won't.
Bought them today. Nice. Give us MORE new content, Apple!!!
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