The Beatles on Guitar Hero/Rock Band?

That's right folks. Looks like representatives of The Beatles from Apple Corps and EMI have been in discussions with Activision and MTV Games, makers of Guitar Hero and Rock Band respectively, to bring The Beatles catalog into the video game world, according to yesterday's report in the Financial Times. 

I find this news story very interesting. The Beatles catalog is considered the Holy Grail of digital licensing, with people waiting for the day for Beatles music to be released on iTunes. If and when it is released on iTunes, there's no doubt in anyone's mind that billions of downloads will result.

Then why release it digitally through Guitar Hero and Rock Band first?

There's also no doubt in my mind that it'd be a huge success if released on those video games, but at the same time it'd be riskier than releasing them through iTunes before. Guitar Hero and Rock Band have options to download music, even full albums, to strum to via guitar, but fans cannot transport the music to a music player. It'd also wouldn't be as successful as releasing them through iTunes because of the amount of people (and age/sex group) who own Guitar Hero/Rock Band compared to those who have iTunes accounts. Is there some plan we, the public, are not in on yet?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, I'm excited. I just find it a very interesting move.

Maybe Apple Corps and EMI want to introduce The Beatles to a newer generation in a completely different way than it has ever done before. It will definitely work. The Guitar Hero series has been introducing new and old, almost forgotten, music to fans since 2005, reviving the rock genre from it's sleepy existence. Not to say that The Beatles music is living a sleepy existence. Not by any means. But it is an interesting way to bring music to the masses.

I guess I am just surprised and excited to see that someone is taking a risk in the industry. We'll have to wait and see what comes of these reports... I have to say, Playing While My Guitar Gently Weeps on Rock Band would pretty much rock my shit.