The Beatles join streaming services from midnight tonight
You may say I'm a streamer, but I'm not the only one -- after a long wait, the Fab Four's extensive catalogue of hits arrives on Spotify, Apple Music and more from tonight.
Streaming service Spotify teases the arrival of the Fab Four.
The Beatles back catalogue will be available to stream online from midnight tonight, worldwide, and over a multitude of digital music services.
Formed in Liverpool in 1960, The Beatles shaped the world of modern pop and rock music, and are estimated to be the best-selling band in the world, having shifted over 250 million records worldwide. The band's catalogue of hits has been notoriously slow to arrive on new platforms, with records only being made available on iTunes in 2010. The catalogue's debut on streaming services will be seen by many as a vindication of on-demand music's future in the industry.
Rumours that the Beatles' music would come together on streaming services were confirmed on the band's website, where the full list of platforms that will be getting the back catalogue were also detailed. Expect to see John, Paul, George and Ringo popping up on Apple Music, Spotify, Slacker, Tidal, Groove, Rhapsody, Deezer, Google Play and Amazon Prime.
"On December 24 at 12:01am in your time zone around the world," Spotify said, "The Beatles' catalogue will be available on Spotify for all of our users (both free and Premium). Fans will be able to stream all 13 remastered studio albums, as well as four essential collections from the greatest band in modern history."
The Beatles racked up a whopping 17 number one hits in the UK, with 20 number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 list. The Fab Four went their separate ways in 1970 after the release of Abbey Road, which will be available to stream from tonight alongside other classics including "She Loves You", "A Hard Day's Night" and "Revolver."