A Beatles Guitar Hero?

Have you ever finished shredding through a blazing speed metal riff on Guitar Hero and found yourself craving a classic Beatles tune? If so, you may be in luck COMMA as representatives of the Liverpool legends have been in talks with Activision and MTV Games, makers of highly popular games Rock Band and Guitar Hero. The Financial Times out of London has reported that the deal could take place within a few weeks, and will net The Beatles several million dollars.

What makes this move particularly intriguing is that surviving members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, along with the estates of John Lennon and George Harrison, have continued to keep the band’s catalogue from being legally available on the internet and, most famously, on iTunes. Allowing the music to be downloaded for video game use may very well be the crucial first step in a possible broader licensing of Beatles songs.

It is believed that the recent appearance of Beatles music on American Idol has played a persuading role in leaning license holders toward opening up the band’s catalogue. Another contributing factor has been Jeff Jones, the new chief executive of Apple Corps (the company holding the rights to most of The Beatles’ catalogue whose board consists of Paul, Ringo, Olivia Harrison, and Yoko Ono). Jones has played an active role in convincing the board to be more open with the band’s legendary discography. The rumored payoff for the Guitar Hero/Rock Band deal have reached the millions, and estimations on an iTunes deal have risen as high as 600 million dollars. However, every possible deal must be approved by the board of surviving members and surviving significant others. It has been rumored that Paul and Ringo are interested. This game would, at the very least, allow Beatles fans of a younger generation the chance to bond with their baby boomer parents.