The Beatles' Song That Cost $250,000 to License for a Needle-Drop in 'Mad Men'
(Credits: Far Out / AMC / Apple Corps)
Mon 5 January 2026 7:00, UK
The Beatles' music has always been highly sought after for film and TV projects, but licensing their songs can be a costly and complex process.
When the Beatles' catalogue was finally dumped onto all the streaming services a decade ago, it felt like the Fab Four were more accessible - for better and worse. But licensing their original songs for use in film and television projects outside their creative control is still a tight-lipped process. Demand for Beatles needle-drops is high, but the price is even higher.
Cover versions of Beatle classics are common on soundtracks, but hearing the actual Beatles performing a Beatles song is exceedingly rare. This is why the final scene in a 2012 episode of the prestige TV series 'Mad Men' made headlines. The surprise inclusion of at least one solid minute of 'Tomorrow Never Knows' from John Lennon's mouth and the original 1966 Beatles recording was not just a major development in the show's plot, but also a significant moment in the band's legacy.
The events of the fifth series of 'Mad Men' are set across 1966 and 1967, when the Beatles were still ruling the pop world. It would have been logical to hear them regularly in the background as the characters moved about their lives. However, due to the tight lid on Beatle music licensing, no such moment had occurred before this one.
Mad Men showrunner Matthew Weiner told the New York Times that he felt the show lacked authenticity because they never could have an actual master recording of the Beatles performing. To fix this flaw, it wasn't just a matter of money. Thanks to Mad Men's success, its producers were willing to fork out the required $250,000 to license a Beatles' tune, but Apple Corps still wanted to know the context in which the song would be used before officially giving its permission.
Weiner had to share his storyline and pages, which was hard because he had to commit to the story that he thought was worthy of this incredible opportunity. He wanted to show how far ahead of the culture the Beatles were, and 'Tomorrow Never Knows' is revolutionary, as is 'Revolver'.
Within the storyline of 'Mad Men', the heavy, futuristic psychedelia of 'Tomorrow Never Knows' was the ideal track to contrast with the latest plight of Don Draper, who is encouraged to listen to 'Revolver' by his much younger girlfriend Megan as a way to better understand the youth culture he's feeling out of touch with. Despite the substantial price paid, Weiner defended the Apple Corps folks and their high demands, believing their hearts were in the right place. 'Whatever people think, this is not about money,' he said. 'It never is. They are concerned about their legacy and their artistic impact.'
But here's where it gets controversial...
The licensing process for Beatles music is a complex and expensive one, and it's not just about the money. It's about preserving the band's legacy and ensuring their music is used in the right context. This raises the question: is it worth the cost to license Beatles music for film and TV projects? And what do you think about the high demands of Apple Corps? Let us know in the comments.
