Beatles' iTunes Deal Pays Royalties Directly to Band, Publisher, Say Sources

3:23 PM PST 1/5/2011 by Ed Christman

The landmark digital deal looks to be even more lucrative for the band members, their estates and Sony/ATV Music Publishing.

It seems that the EMI/Beatles deal that finally brought the Fab Four's catalog to iTunes may be more groundbreaking than originally thought. According to industry sources, iTunes is paying the Beatles' royalties from digital download sales in the United States directly to the band's company, Apple Corps, and is paying the songwriting mechanical royalties directly to Sony/ATV Music Publishing, which controls most of the Beatles' song catalog.