Beatles albums offered on iTunes

The Beatles' back catalogue is finally available on iTunes, after years of negotiations, reports BBC News.

It will mean that for the first time consumers will be able to purchase some of the Fab Four's most popular songs via the store.

Apple and record label EMI have been in talks for years about getting the catalogue online.

Apple chief executive and Beatles fan Steve Jobs said it had "been a long and winding road to get here."

"We love the Beatles and are honoured and thrilled to welcome them to iTunes," he said.

Sir Paul McCartney echoed his thoughts.

"It's fantastic to see the songs we originally released on vinyl receive as much love in the digital world as they did the first time around," he said.

Ringo Starr added: "I'm particularly glad to no longer be asked when the Beatles are coming to iTunes."

But not everyone was convinced it was such a big deal.

Writing in his blog, Mark Mulligan, an analyst with research firm Forrester, said it was not what the younger generation of digital music fans craved.

"The fact that securing the content of a band old enough to be most young music fans' grandfathers is a sad reflection of the state of the digital music market," he said.

"The digital music market needs new music products, not yesteryear's hits repackaged," he added.

For years The Beatles' music label Apple Corps was involved in a bitter trademark dispute with Apple the computer company. The dispute was finally settled in 2007.

Earlier in the year Sir Paul McCartney hinted that part of the delay in getting a deal with Apple was down to EMI.