Variety: 45 songs from catalog for Beatles game

by Ross Miller { Oct 31st 2008 at 12:30PM }

In addition to yesterday's volley of news about The Beatles' rhythm game, Variety has a few new details. According to the publication, who spoke with Apple Corps CEO Jeff Jones, Harmonix can select 45 songs from The Beatles' 1962 to 1969 EMI catalog. Apologies to all who were dying for a cameo from The Quarrymen. Ladies and gentlemen, you now have a number. It's time to start making those "confirmed track lists" you all are so fond of sending us.

Giles Martin, who served as music director to Cirque du Soleil's Beatles Love alongside father and Beatles producer George Martin, will oversee the game's music. Still no word on whether the original recordings will be remastered or not. Additionally, Sony/ATV Music Publishing CEO Martin Brandier told Variety that the deal was -- shocker -- unprecedentedly expensive. "We signed a deal that would be considered very rich by the videogame company but fair for the artists," he said. "It will have online implications that will be enormous."

Tags: apple-corps, beatles, harmonix, mtv, the-beatles

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Biff_McFresh @ Oct 31st 2008 12:35PM

I am the walrus.

Shut the fuck up Donny.

Biff_McFresh @ Oct 31st 2008 12:59PM

I'll be pleased if even one of the following makes the cut:

Dear Prudence
Happiness Is A Warm Gun
I Want You
Because
Across The Universe
Norwegian Wood

Dirty @ Oct 31st 2008 1:04PM

I thought I was the walrus.

Dirty @ Oct 31st 2008 2:53PM

Easiest 3 hearts evar.

Zoot Suit Jedi @ Oct 31st 2008 3:30PM

You're out of your element, Donny.

BananaBoat @ Oct 31st 2008 12:39PM

Basically, every hit not owned by Michael Jackson.

Come on Helter Skelter....Come onnnnnnn

Genisus @ Oct 31st 2008 1:22PM

MJ no longer owns the rights.

...FLAME WAR STARTED! OOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

BananaBoat @ Oct 31st 2008 1:33PM

He still co-owns them with Sony, right?

BananaBoat @ Oct 31st 2008 2:55PM

Wait...upon further (further) reading OTFA, am I to understand that EMI, and not Apple....what...pants?!

kornation @ Oct 31st 2008 3:10PM

Doesn't matter who owns the writers rights, you can record any song and just pay the music unions representatives who sort out who gets what (RIAA I believe in USA), the rights for the recorded versions thou are copyrighted and owned by a corp/person at anyone time and only they can say if that recording can be used.

Courtney @ Oct 31st 2008 12:39PM

How many total Beatles songs are there? 45 seems low for a stand alone game, unless they fill it with some other songs from there era. Isn't that what GH did with Aerosmith?

Just looked it up, the Wikipedia list of Beatles' songs has 283 in it.

Mr Khan @ Oct 31st 2008 12:44PM

they did say they would do more with each song than what RB does

We'll have to wait and find out

BananaBoat @ Oct 31st 2008 3:02PM

Some of those songs are incredibly short, and not suited for a game. Others have very little guitar, drums, etc. There are songs that consist of little else than them playing their goofy Indian instruments for four minutes because noone knew how to tell them no =P

I think it's a shame not to have EVERY available song included (including the lesser known ones) but I'll settle for whatever I can get.

BananaBoat @ Oct 31st 2008 3:07PM

Oh, and Beatles DLC for extra songs.

Barrel *BANG* fish dead inside

Courtney @ Oct 31st 2008 3:18PM

Yeah, doing additional songs as DLC, unfortunately, makes entirely too much sense not to leave some good material to sell later.

Zoot Suit Jedi @ Oct 31st 2008 4:43PM

280 of those songs are complete rubbish.

Go ahead vote me down. It's true no matter what.

Lekko @ Oct 31st 2008 4:59PM

But what if each song had multiple versions?

I'd like to play a studio/live/acoustic version of each of my favorites.

robotoid @ Oct 31st 2008 12:48PM

Please, gotta have The Fool On The Hill.

NoHitHair @ Oct 31st 2008 5:48PM

Well, fortunately they did include the years '65-'69. Unfortunately, they ALSO included the horrendously awful worthless Beatles years '62-'64.

So it's possible we'll get a song as wonderful as Fool on the Hill. It's also possible we'll get pop radio market ear poison like Love Me Do. We'll just have to wait and see.

Matt @ Oct 31st 2008 12:54PM

C'mon, Ross. I submitted this article to you this morning and no shout out? Oh well.

I still find it disappointing that a catalog as deep as the Beatles is only being represented by 45 songs. Hopefully they will do expansions.

GibGirl @ Oct 31st 2008 12:54PM

"We signed a deal that would be considered very rich by the videogame company but fair for the artists,"

In other words, MTV Games/Harmonix got completely hosed on the deal. The music industry hasn't known what "fair" is in a long, long time. I'm assuming that means something like an insanely big up-front payment, plus 95% of any profits that come in. Plus the souls of the children of all the MTV Games and Harmonix employees.

kaneda @ Oct 31st 2008 1:03PM

The Beatles are SOOOOO LAME!!! They should do a slipknot album!!

Dirty @ Oct 31st 2008 1:05PM

SLAYER RULES!!!!

kaneda @ Oct 31st 2008 1:07PM

uh oh! My not-so-subtle "< trolling >< /trolling>" tags didn't actually appear. opps

Mr Khan @ Oct 31st 2008 1:28PM

All html is omitted, now and forever, like it says right below the add comment form.

kaneda @ Oct 31st 2008 2:07PM

KHAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!

Don't you know that I never learned to read?

Heh (Mr. ESC, living in the hearts of us all) @ Oct 31st 2008 5:58PM

I'M WITH YOU DIRTY.

FUCK YES SLAYER.

Psycho300x @ Oct 31st 2008 1:03PM

HMX, all we wanted was some beatles Rock band DLC, DO NOT WANT STAND ALONE GAME!!!!!!!

JJ Rooster @ Oct 31st 2008 2:19PM

Dude, they're not going to pay out the ass for the Beatles and then limit their audience by only selling it as DLC.

For this (and AC/DC) they can't have you picking and choosing tracks. I understand that and I'm cool with it.

ScottG13 @ Oct 31st 2008 1:05PM

I doubt I'll pay more than $2 a pop for most of these. How about a ripable disc for RB2?

JohnMazz @ Oct 31st 2008 1:10PM

I'm hoping for a few songs from Klaatu... Keep dreaming, I know

zombiejesus @ Oct 31st 2008 1:12PM

I'm not a real big Beatles fan they were before my time, but I don't honestly see this selling enough to make back profits they used to purchase the songs in the first place. Sure people would know x, y, or z said song but would they really know enough to buy a full Beatles game? Well, then again people did buy the GH Aerosmith game so I guess anything can happen.

Duke @ Oct 31st 2008 1:18PM

I think you are selling these guys a tad short. The Beatles are still huge with many age groups - further, I would bet they are before the time of 50% of those that listen to them. I think this game might actually have something to offer.

I wasn't big on the Beatles growing up, but one day they just clicked with me and now I have to give them credit for being a top notch band if there ever was one.

Hooray It's Rob! @ Oct 31st 2008 1:19PM

Unless you are over 55, the Beatles are before your time. I think most readers of Joystiq will be below that age.

And do you really think the Beatles and Aerosmith are that similar? Interesting.

Wrong.

But interesting.

Dillon @ Oct 31st 2008 2:45PM

I'm 25, and love the Beatles.

Not a band out there with a library like they have either. This is probably the only band that I'd pay for a 45-track RB album.

If I can't import it to my DLC, though, I will be hesitant.

They definitely transcend generations, though.

zombiejesus @ Oct 31st 2008 2:54PM

No not at all Rob I just don't see a reason to make a full fledged Beatles mix just like how I don't see a reason to have ever made an Aerosmith mix. Both bands are great but not an entire mix devoted to them.

joshua @ Oct 31st 2008 4:57PM

I'm 27. The Beatles are the greatest rock band ever. It's pretty much that simple. I realize that is going with the hype, but our lame baby boomer parents are correct when it comes to this band.

I really don't see how anyone could NOT like the Beatles giving them a fair shake, especially if that person is into, umm... virtually any other rock band. I mean, okay, if you only like Scandinavian death metal, you might not like the Beatles... fair enough. But everyone else? Their influence is everywhere, their songs are so well-crafted, their is so much variety, there's literally something for everyone.