Beatles record label EMI has filed suit against BlueBeat.com, accusing the website of copyright infringement. As reported by Reuters, BlueBeat.com gained notoriety late last week after it began selling downloads of music by the Fab Four.
Bluebeat offers downloads for 25 cents each, a figure roughly one-fourth the typical price charged by the dominant online music retailer, iTunes. Custodians of the Beatles catalog – including Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr – have yet to agree to make any Beatles music available as digital downloads.
McCartney said recently that contractual issues between the band and EMI are holding back plans to make the Beatles music available on iTunes. It’s anticipated that other major labels will file suit against BlueBeat.com, in the wake of the EMI action.