Digitally remastered Beatles albums set for fall release

Though Apple Corps Ltd. and EMI say they're still working out details to release the Beatles' music online, the two have digitally remastered the iconic band's entire catalogue for a new release this fall.

The two groups announced the extensive forthcoming release in a statement on Tuesday.

The digitally remastered catalogue is a project music engineers have worked on at London's Abbey Road Studios for the past four years. It is set for release on Sept. 9, the same day MTV Games and Harmonix will release the eagerly anticipated The Beatles: Rock Band video game.

Each of the discs in the remastered catalogue will feature the original album art, with new liner notes and the addition of rare photos.

Also, for a limited time, mini-documentary films about the making of each album will be part of the collection, whichincludes the 12 Beatles albums in stereo, Magical Mystery Tour and Past Masters Vol. I and Vol. II, combined as one title.

Another set will feature all the Beatles recordings mixed for mono release.

Though the remastering initiative would seem to pave the way for the eventual digital distribution of the music of the Beatles, Apple and EMI continued to be tight-lipped on the subject.

"Discussions regarding the digital distribution of the catalogue will continue," according to the Apple-EMI statement. "There is no further information available at this time."

Solo efforts by each member of the Beatles are already available online.