Paul McCartney Finally Ready to Release His Music Digitally

Fans of The Beatles continue to wait for the digital release of the band’s material, but Paul McCartney’s work is finally coming to digital formats.

EMI Group’s Capitol/EMI announced Monday that the Walrus’ complete solo catalog, including McCartney’s work with his band Wings, will be released in digital formats, along with the rerelease of his work on CD. The company did not specify formats or release dates. However, the release may coincide with McCartney’s new album, Memory Almost Full, due out June 4.

The long-anticipated Beatles catalog has yet to appear in digital format, although the resolution between Apple and The Beatles’ Apple Corps over Apple-related trademarks in February was seen as paving the way for the seminal band’s catalog release on the iTunes Music Store and other digital music formats.

Because of EMI’s agreement with Apple to release digital rights management-free material, McCartney’s work may be among the first major releases to be sold and play across all musical formats.

Although McCartney’s more recent albums have not achieved the commercial success of his work in the 1970s and 1980s, he remains one of the world’s most lucrative touring acts.

—Steven Schwankert, IDG News Service (Beijing Bureau)