The Beatles and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) are planning a major announcement today at London's EMI headquarters, according to numerous sources (including NME). Steve Jobs will be present and reportedly this will be the announcement that The Beatles are about to enter the digital world of downloads and iPod's. I've blogged on this event so much that it is barely news for me, but I am excited nonetheless. The press conference is also supposed to make plans about the European launch of Apple's iPhone, which will be released in the United States on June 11.

Most importantly, and this is why I included the NME article about the announcement, is that now downloaded tracks count in the UK Singles Chart. Meaning? The Beatles could once again top the British charts due to downloads (since it is unlikely individual tracks will be released in physical formats, although we can certainly hope for updated and remastered CDs).

In any case, if you are a Beatles fan or just interested in how The Beatles will enter a market completely foreign and unconquered by them, make sure to watch for the announcement. The importance is that it will mark a major change in the way music is consumed. Some people may scoff at my remarking on this fact, but the reality is that for a band with such a large fan base and rich history, a move like this cannot and should not go unnoticed. Coincidentally, Apple's shares were down .84 points at the end of Friday.