EMI and Beatles settle dispute
New agreement could allow EMI to sell Beatles songs online for the first time.
Eric Nicoli, EMI chief executive has already said the company was seeking to make the Beatles’ catalogue available online.
“We’re working on it, we hope it’s soon,” he told a news conference last week.
Dispute
Apple Corps launched legal action against EMI Group in 2005 to recover what the band said was more than $60m, in unpaid royalties. EMI releases Beatles recordings under the Apple label.
Founded in 1968 and still owned by Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and the widows of John Lennon and George Harrison, Apple Corps is the guardian of The Beatles’ interests.
In February it settled a long-running trademark dispute with computer company Apple Inc. over the distinctive apple logo and name.
The Beatles have consistently refused to license their songs for music download sites, despite the desire of EMI to do so.