Chicago (IL) – Viacom’s MTV Networks as well as Apple Corps, a company formed by The Beatles in 1968, will unveil a global music “project” on Thursday, the two companies announced today.

No specific details were given, but the nature and type of announcement hints to a global music store the two companies may have in the works. For MTV it would be the third major initiative to gain some traction in the digital music market after a failed cooperation with Microsoft as well as the Rhapsody America joint venture with Real Networks and Verizon, which also never evolved into a serious business for MTV.

Other sources indicated that Apple Corps may be providing teh Betales music catalog to MTV's Rock Band video game title. 

Apple Corps, which was founded by The Beatles in 1968, does not hold the publishing rights to the Betales catalog (which is believed to be still in possession of Michael Jackson), but claims that “has administered the catalogue of The Beatles releases of the 1960s that have sold to date more than 600 million records, tapes and CDs.”    

Apple Corps has been made famous especially through the long history of trademark disputes with Apple Computer. The two companies settled their claims in 2007, when Apple Corps transferred the rights of the name Apple to Apple (Computer), while Apple is licensing the name back to Apple Corps.

Tomorrow's announcement is scheduled for 10:00 am EDT.

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