The Fab Four are finally set to join the digital music revolution.

The Beatles

Fortune magazine reported today that Apple is close to inking a deal with EMI Capitol Records that would allow Apple's iTunes Music Store to sell the Beatles' music, a move that would mark the first time the legendary rock band's music would be on sale through a legal download service.

The deal reportedly hinges on several points, including how long iTunes will be able to sell Beatles' tracks exclusively and whether or not the Fab Four would participate in an iPod ad. The report also said ongoing talks could break down, however.

Several legal digital music sellers have courted the Beatles over the years to no avail. Apple chief Steve Jobs has said many times how much he loves the Beatles and how much he longs to add their music to iTunes.

But Apple and Apple Corps, the Beatles' management company, are in the midst of a legal battle that dates back more than 20 years. The squabble centers on Apple Corps' trademark Granny Smith apple logo and Apple's use of its animated apple icon with a bite out of it. Apple Corps most recently contended that Apple could not use the logo to sell music, but a London court ruled in favor of Apple last May. Apple Corps awaits a hearing in February over its appeal of that ruling.

Citing a music industry executive apprised of the talks, Fortune reported that the parties were hoping to make a splashy Beatles-on-iTunes announcement to coincide with last week's release of Love, the George Martin-produced Beatles mashup album.

But negotiations still hinge on how long iTunes would be the exclusive seller of Beatles' music before other stores like Rhapsody, Zune, and Napster enter the fray, according to the report. The parties are also still hammering out how much the licenses would cost Apple, and whether the Beatles could be featured in one of Apple's trademark iPod ads. Talks have also included the possibility that Apple would make a Beatles-branded iPod, much like the U2 iPod.