Apple Corps

British company

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The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 17, 2026

Quick Summary

Apple Corps is a British company founded by The Beatles in 1968. It was initially intended to nurture experimental pop art but primarily served as the record label for the band's own music. The company experienced chaos and commercial failure in its early ventures, apart from the Beatles' music releases.1

In 1989, Apple Corps sued Apple Computer (now Apple Inc.) over trademark issues related to the company's name and logo. This legal battle continued for years, escalating in the 2000s when Apple entered the music industry with iTunes and the iPod.2

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James Taylor
…in 1968 on the Beatles’ Apple label.
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…in 1968 on the Beatles’ Apple label.
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the Beatles
Apple and Abbey Road
…launched their own record label, Apple; hoping to nurture experimental pop art, they instead produced chaos and commercial failure, apart from the work of the Beatles themselves. The band continued to enjoy widespread popularity. The following year Abbey Road went on to become one of the band’s best-loved and biggest-selling…
Read More
…launched their own record label, Apple; hoping to nurture experimental pop art, they instead produced chaos and commercial failure, apart from the work of the Beatles themselves. The band continued to enjoy widespread popularity. The following year Abbey Road went on to become one of the band’s best-loved and biggest-selling…
Read More