iTunes will live-stream a concert by Sir Paul McCartney at Capitol Studios in Hollywood tomorrow night (February 9) where he’ll play the entirety of his new record Kisses on the Bottom. This has led some observers to speculate that the ex-Beatle has wiped his catalog from streaming services in order to give iTunes a big exclusive — his music is mostly missing from Spotify, but his solo work is still, for the most part, fully available to subscribers on streaming sites like Rdio and Rhapsody.
According to a report from Digital Music News, most of McCartney’s releases were removed from Spotify two years ago. The move wasn’t out of character for the knight; the Beatles have a long-standing history of digital curmudgeonry (they’re not available on Spotify, either). Could McCartney’s camp also be of the mindset that streaming music cannibalizes sales? Considering McCartney’s own catalog has been available via iTunes since as early as 2007 (it took the Beatles three years longer to follow suit), we doubt it. His reps couldn’t be reached for comment for the time being, but we’re guessing the live-streamed performance, at least, is the next step in the artist’s slow chug toward the future — the man is pushing 70, for heaven’s sake, not 40. Baby steps, Paul.
The only solo McCartney material you can hear on Spotify includes tracks that have been licensed via a handful of compilations (like last year’s Rave On, Buddy Holly and an album of James Bond theme songs). Scan a Paul McCartney Pandora or Last.fm station and you’re likely to only get a handful of tracks off All the Best (though discerning whether something has been pulled from a radio service is trickier than a simple library site like Spotify).
Below is a list of albums that have supposedly been pulled, and where to find them:
Paul McCartney:
All The Best (available via Rdio)
Driving Rain (available via Rdio)
Flaming Pie (available via Rdio)
McCartney II (available via Rdio, Rhapsody)
Off the Ground (available via Rdio)
Paul is Live (available via Rdio, Rhapsody)
Run Devil Run (available via Rdio)
Tripping the Live Fantastic (available via Rdio, Rhapsody)
Tripping the Live Fantastic Highlights! (no sign of this one)
Tug of War (available via Rdio, Rhapsody)
Unplugged: The Official Soundtrack (the Bootleg available via Rhapsody)
Wingspan (available via Rhapsody)
Wings:
Back to the Egg (available via Rdio)
London Town (available via Rdio)
Wings Over America (available via Rdio)
Wings at the Speed of Sound (available via Rhapsody)
Paul McCartney and Wings:
Red Rose Speedway (available via Rhapsody)
