Stones Exit EMI, Jump to Universal

(NEWSER) - Apple has joined forces with four major record labels on a mission to get music buyers to start buying albums again instead of just single tracks, the Financial Times reports. The project—codenamed "Cocktail"—will bundle album downloads with lyrics sheets, sleeve notes, photos, and assorted interactive features in an effort to lure consumers into buying the whole package. More»

Band continues to self-release; download available Saturday

(NEWSER) - Radiohead is rolling out new album The King of Limbs this Saturday in digital format, the Telegraph reports, and it's once again forgoing a trifling thing like a record label. (The band notably self-released 2007's In Rainbows.) Fans eager to hear the album ASAP will have to take advantage of the $10 digital download, but will also be able to order CD and 10" vinyl editions on release day. More»

It can be yours for about $40M

(NEWSER) - EMI is looking to sell iconic Abbey Road Studios, renowned for producing the Beatles album of the same name. The music conglomerate is in serious debt and expects the sale to fetch up to $47 million. Beatles fans still flock to the North London site to take their photo on the familiar road outside. The studio also has seen the production of albums by Pink Floyd, Radiohead, and Jeff Beck, Reuters reports. More»

Music biz turmoil as CDs plummet

(NEWSER) - CDs continue to go the way of the 8-track, losing further ground to digital music. Another big drop in CD sales is being driven by the closure of Virgin stores and reduced shelf space at outlets like Target. CD sales are off 16% over the last 12 months and total album sales have dropped 11%, Variety reports. More»

Startup promised free, legal, iPod-compatible downloads rom all the major labels

(NEWSER) - Startup Qtrax has been promising free, legal music downloads from all the major labels via an ad-supported site that was supposed to launch this morning. Too good to be true? Maybe. On the eve of its debut, things started to unravel, with Warner, Universal and EMI all denying agreements with the startup, reports CNET. More»