EMI Sues US Website Over Unauthorised Beatles Downloads

Record label EMI are taking legal action against a US website which has started selling The Beatles back catalogue online.

The website Bluebeat is offering fans the chance to buy the Liverpool band's songs for 15p each or stream them for free.

An EMI spokesperson told the BBC that the label had “not authorised the content to be sold” on Bluebeat.

The Beatles are one of the few remaining acts who have yet to authorise their music for sale online.

The band's step into the digital world is dependent on the outcome of negotiations between their music management company Apple Corps and EMI.

Last November, Sir Paul McCartney told journalists in London that discussions  had “stalled”.

Meanwhile, it was announced today that the band's digitally re-mastered back catalogue is to be released on a limited edition apple-shaped USB.

It follows the catalogue's successful re-issue on CD in September.