Ladies & Gentleman, Streaming Soon: The Beatles
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Merry Christmas from the Beatles!
On its official website, the band announced its music will be available to stream, beginning at 12:01 a.m. local time on Christmas Eve around the world.
The Beatles discography will be available through nine streaming services, including Apple Music, Spotify, Tidal, Amazon Prime Music, Rhapsody, Deezer, Slacker Radio, Google Play and Microsoft Groove.
The Beatles have arrived very late to the streaming party. Rolling Stone contributor Joe Levy told CBS News it was a smart decision by Apple Corp., which administers the rights to all of the Beatles' material.
The company, Levy said, has been very careful by waiting until streaming was a mature business and ensuring it can make the best deals.
According to Rolling Stone, the content will include the group's UK LPs, two volumes of The Past Masters, Yellow Submarine and a trio of greatest hits: The Beatles 1962 - 1966, The Beatles 1967 - 1970 and 1, totaling 224 songs.