First, consider how many times Beatles' content has been able to be resold in various forms (anthologies, boxsets, etc.) A new format - in this case, legal download - was likely to be a big deal no matter what even if, as you say, many of these consumers might already own the exact same content in a different format. It's the Beatles, son. The BEATLES.
This raises an interesting point, namely that, when you consider its enduring popularity and artistic significance, the Beatles' catalogue is comparatively under-exploited. Apart from Carnival Of Light, pretty much everything they did is out there and has been for a while. Only the Anthology series - the first Beatles release of any real note since they split - can be said to have seriously attempted to capitalise upon the gotta-catch-'em-all impulses of completists, many of whom will have had a lot of the unreleased material on bootlegs anyway. A steady succession of "20th/25th/30th Anniversary Edition" reissues has been conspicuous by its absence.
There hasn't been an excessive number of compilations either, and many of those have either featured 45- or EP-only material, or genuinely sought-after rarities. Prior to the first CD releases, which were fairly perfunctory analog-to-digital transfers, I'd be willing to bet there were more compilations of otherwise widely available Stones material on the market than Beatles. Even though the demand for Beatles remasters has existed for the best part of twenty years, they only arrived last year - do it once, do it right, maybe? Yet somehow there exists this perception that EMI keeps going back to the well over and over again with the Beatles - I don't think that's true. There hasn't been a continuous cycle of the same material being repackaged over and over again, as there is with other acts of a similar vintage. Whither The Beatles Greatest Hits? The Best of The Beatles? The Very Best of the Beatles? The Definitive Beatles Hits Collection? No real need for 'em - that job was done admirably in 1973 with the Blue and Red comps.
Of course, the key point is that there's still a huge demand for their material. Last year, I remember the 16-y-o daughter of a couple I know telling me she couldn't decide whether to cop Muse's The Resistance or something from the Beatles remasters. And just as there's prestige attached to being the gatekeepers of the catalogue (EMI), so it is for Apple in being the first to officially bring it into the digital realm.
While there are more hits collections and anthologies than whats been mentioned so far the point is accurate.
The Beatles estate (as it were) has been curated with much more love and care than the Hank Williams, Hendrix or Elvis estate.
Plus, the physical boxset can be had for $30 less at Amazon than the "digital" boxset at Itunes, but that wont / didn't stop people from buying it at Itunes, as silly as that sounds.
Did you mean to put digital in quotes?
Seems like it is boxset that should be in quotes, because best I can tell itunes has no boxes.
Comments
You're forgetting this:
LOVE could arguably be counted.
While there are more hits collections and anthologies than whats been mentioned so far the point is accurate.
The Beatles estate (as it were) has been curated with much more love and care than the Hank Williams, Hendrix or Elvis estate.
Did you mean to put digital in quotes?
Seems like it is boxset that should be in quotes, because best I can tell itunes has no boxes.
Here's a mix I did some weeks ago with Beatles covers I like.
DJ Pesa - Tribute to THE BEATLES