Tomorrow Never Knows was released as an iTunes Store exclusive, in partnership with EMI Records and the Beatles' own Apple Corps, upon the approval of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and the Board of Directors representing the estates of John Lennon and George Harrison.

It was never for sale publicly as a retail album, although EMI and Abbey Road Studios took great care in making sure it was of the highest quality vinyl and packaging.

Citing the gritty distorted guitar, rolling bass line, Ringo's drum fills and the groove of the song "Hey Bulldog", Grohl described it as "a quintessential Beatles rocker... raw and real".

[3] Win Butler of Arcade Fire theorised that "There is a straight line from James Brown to death metal and it runs through 'Helter Skelter.'

[4] Mark Stoermer of the Killers further opined that "With 'Helter Skelter', the Beatles rocked harder than Led Zeppelin ever did, one year before their first album came out".