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Paul McCartney releases five classic albums as iPad apps – more content, lower cost

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The Guardian reports that Paul McCartney has released five of his classic albums as iPad apps, offering remastered audio tracks, videos, interviews, photos, and artwork from both albums and singles.

Five of his classic albums – Band on the Run, McCartney, McCartney II, RAM and Wings over America – have been turned into iPad apps by label Concord Music Group, and released through Apple’s App Store.

Surprisingly, despite the additional content, the cost of the apps is lower than buying just the albums alone… 

The apps sell for $7.99 each – significantly cheaper than the cost of the albums in the iTunes music store.

Universal and EMI first started turning albums into iPad apps way back in 2011, believing then that the additional content would enable them to charge higher prices. Despite a few high-profile examples like Lady Gaga and Björk, the idea hasn’t yet taken off – probably because standalone apps are a pretty inconvenient way to listen to music. It’s likely that McCartney believes the app will sell to people who already own the albums.

All five apps are available on iTunes.

(via TNW)

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Comments

  1. This would work much better if Apple allowed bundling items together, eg you buy an app and you get the album in iTunes too, as mentioned it’s inconvenient to have to open a specific app to listen to the music

    • Ben Lovejoy - 10 years ago

      I agree, but I think the price here is being justified on the basis of incremental revenue – selling mostly to those who already own the albums.

  2. Bob Clearmountain - 10 years ago

    If it includes credits, I’m in!

  3. saoir - 10 years ago

    I think this is a very interesting experiment going on, and not just a flier taken by Paul. The whole field of songs as an app, and books as an app is in the minds of the media and publishing industry constantly and they are desperate to find a way to make it work. Mainly because they have deluded themselves into thinking that piracy is costing them money.
    I don’t see anything here about the quality of the songs either. In my view music or books as apps is a dead end proposition except for unique exceptions – and truly great as Paul is … these don’t qualify imho.

  4. A billionaire needs more money. When will these guys stop taking and start giving back some of the love that they sing about?

    • saoir - 10 years ago

      I seriously hope that Paul has nothing to do with this. Does he even own the rights I would have thought it was purely an action by the Concord Music Group who own the rights.

      In my view it just re-emphasises the nonsense that the copyright laws have become anyway.

  5. chrisdunning - 10 years ago

    Out of curiosity, are the audio tracks that are a part of the app available as MP3s that can be transferred to your computer through the iTunes File Sharing option when synching?

    If that’s the case, and you’re a Match subscriber, it’s a great deal.

    • saoir - 10 years ago

      If so it would seem an odd thing to do by Concord Music Group.

  6. Michael T. Smith - 10 years ago

    This actually goes against the app submission guidelines: 2.21 Apps that are simply a song or movie should be submitted to the iTunes store. Apps that are simply a book should be submitted to the iBooks Store.

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Avatar for Ben Lovejoy Ben Lovejoy

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!


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