EMI sues website offering Beatles music

Record label EMI confirmed it is suing a U.S.-based online music service, Bluebeat.com, of copyright infringement related to music from The Beatles offered online.

According to EMI, Bluebeat.com, a service that sells music tracks for 25 cents per file, doesn’t have permission to sell music from The Beatles.  Bluebeat.com allows users to listen to music online for free — and the 25 cent song fee is much lower than rival Apple iTunes and other services — and offers the entire music catalog offered by The Beatles.

Online music and The Beatles have had a tumultuous past few years, as it has been extremely difficult to use any music recordings or other content tied to any members of the band.  The Beatles and EMI finally came to an online music agreement, but the band’s music still isn’t available through iTunes.

Looking to cash in on the music industry, TheBeatles.com will soon offer a $280 EMI/Apple-branded USB flash drive that has all music from The Beatles.  However, don’t expect digital versions of the band’s songs to appear through online music services any time soon.  There are reportedly problems between EMI and The Beatles, even though music fans have been waiting quite some time for a resolution between the two sides.

Until then, The Beatles will remain one of the last remaining major bands to not offer its music through online services.