Paul McCartney put a long-running legal feud behind him with a performance at Apple's 50th anniversary celebration this week in California. The 83-year-old played Beatles songs including "Hey Jude," "Help!" and "Love Me Do" on Tuesday night for employees at Apple Park in Cupertino, KGO reports. CEO Tim Cook posted a photo on X of McCartney onstage, writing: "His music has inspired us from the beginning, so this is a full circle moment to close out our celebrations." McCartney and Apple haven't always been this chummy; the Beatles' Apple Corps has been suing Apple Inc. since 1968, per Closer.
Apple Corps was founded in 1968 as a multimedia venture. The conflict began when Apple Inc., co-founded by Steve Jobs, launched its brand around the same name and a related logo. Apple Corps brought multiple lawsuits over the years, arguing that Apple Inc. had agreed not to move into music but did so anyway, especially with the rollout of iTunes and the iPod in the early 2000s. That push into digital music escalated the dispute until the companies reached a settlement in 2007. By 2010, the Beatles' catalog appeared on iTunes, widely seen as a sign the legal and business fight had ended. McCartney's decision to perform at Apple's party would seem to confirm that.
It's not clear whether McCartney and Cook agree on other issues. Cook has been a supportive, gift-bearing regular at the White House during President Trump's second term. McCartney played a show in Los Angeles last weekend, on the same day as the international "No Kings" protests. Before an audience heavy with celebrities—including Ringo Starr—McCartney mostly steered away from politics. But just the mention of Trump brought boos, per CNN. And McCartney did mock the president's dance moves.
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