The Beatles have announced a new long-term global partnership between Universal Music Group (UMG) and Apple Corps that will expand the way the band’s music, merchandise and wider brand are managed and presented worldwide.
Under the exclusive agreement, UMG will oversee The Beatles’ global physical and digital merchandise, licensing and e-commerce, building on its existing relationship with the band’s catalogue. The deal strengthens the long-running partnership between UMG and Apple Corps, the company established by The Beatles in 1968 to manage their creative and business interests.
UMG expands its partnership with Apple Corps
The new agreement gives UMG responsibility for The Beatles’ worldwide merchandise and licensing operations, alongside e-commerce.
UMG chairman and CEO Sir Lucian Grainge said the partnership recognises the band’s continuing influence while emphasising the importance of protecting their legacy.
“The Beatles embody music’s power to change the world, and that influence makes them one of the most iconic and enduring cultural brands of all time.
“We’re grateful for Apple Corps’ trust as we deepen our global partnership, while protecting and growing The Beatles’ legacy through authentic fan experiences worthy of their artistry.
“As a lifelong Beatles fan, building on the relationships forged over the past 14 years is one of the great highlights of my career.”
The agreement builds on more than a decade of collaboration between UMG and Apple Corps.
The Beatles’ catalogue continues to reach new audiences
The new partnership comes as interest in The Beatles’ music and history continues across generations.
On 25 June, Global Beatles Day was marked with the release of a newly colourised version of the band’s 1967 performance of “All You Need Is Love” from the BBC’s Our World broadcast.
The footage was made available on YouTube for the first time, accompanied by fan events taking place both online and in person.
Global Beatles Day was launched in 2009 by lifelong fan Faith Cohen as an annual celebration of the band’s music and message.
Apple Corps CEO Tom Greene acknowledged the fan-led event in a message to Cohen.
“More than ever, the message of The Beatles, and of ‘All You Need Is Love’ speaks to something vital for community, connection, and the power of bringing people together.”
Global Beatles Day has since developed into an international event, with concerts, exhibitions and fan gatherings held in cities including Liverpool, New York, Tokyo and Buenos Aires.
The Beatles’ rooftop concert site is becoming a fan experience
The announcement also comes as one of the band’s most famous locations prepares to open its doors to fans.
3 Savile Row in London, the site of The Beatles’ legendary rooftop performance in January 1969, is scheduled to become the band’s first official Beatles fan experience in 2027.
The rooftop concert was The Beatles’ final public performance as a group and became one of the defining moments of their career.
The planned fan experience will add another physical destination for Beatles fans alongside existing exhibitions and attractions connected with the band’s history.
Sam Mendes’ Beatles films are coming in 2028
The Beatles’ story is also heading to cinemas in a major new film project directed by Sam Mendes.
A four-film project, with each movie told from the perspective of one member of the band, is scheduled to arrive in April 2028.
Harris Dickinson will play John Lennon, Barry Keoghan will portray Ringo Starr, Paul Mescal will play Paul McCartney and Joseph Quinn will portray George Harrison.
The project represents a major step for Apple Corps, which has granted full life-story and music rights for a scripted production for the first time.
The films are expected to tell the story of The Beatles through four connected perspectives, offering a different approach to the band’s well-documented history.
The Beatles’ global legacy continues
The new UMG and Apple Corps agreement comes at a time when The Beatles remain one of the most commercially and culturally significant names in recorded music.
The partnership will give UMG a larger role in bringing official Beatles merchandise, licensing projects and digital retail experiences to fans around the world, while Apple Corps continues to oversee the band’s creative legacy.
With a new London fan experience planned for 2027 and Mendes’ four-film project scheduled for 2028, the next chapter of The Beatles’ story is already taking shape more than six decades after the band’s breakthrough.
