Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
BlueBeat beats a hasty retreat after selling Beatles music online without permission
Listen
• 0:59
An image from the film "The Beatles' First American Concert."
(
Boyd Production Group
)
A Santa Cruz website that tried to sell Beatles “simulations” online has agreed to pay nearly a million dollars to settle a copyright lawsuit. The settlement came a day before the suit was to go to trial.
Out of the blue in November of 2009, BlueBeat.com started selling Beatles songs for a quarter apiece. No one had ever sold Beatles music online – at least, not legally.
It was a year before Apple’s iTunes cut its online music deal with EMI, the company that owns the Beatles’ record catalog. BlueBeat’s Beatles music sounded just like Beatles music you’d hear on a record or a CD, but the BlueBeat boys insisted it wasn’t.
They claimed – seriously – that it was different because they’d used a re-recording technique called “psycho-acoustic simulation” to create something original. EMI used a legal technique called a “lawsuit” to stop BlueBeat from selling its Beatles recordings online.
Support for LAist comes from
Now court documents say BlueBeat’s Santa Cruz-based parent company will pay EMI $950,000 to settle federal copyright infringement claims. BlueBeat’s still online, streaming music – but if you want to buy, it sends you to iTunes or Amazon.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
The union representing the restaurant's workers announced Tuesday that The Pantry will welcome back patrons Thursday after suddenly shutting down six months ago. -
If approved, the more than 62-acre project would include 50 housing lots and a marina less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow's famous nest overlooking the lake.
-
The U.S. Supreme Court lifted limits on immigration sweeps in Southern California, overturning a lower court ruling that prohibited agents from stopping people based on their appearance.
-
Censorship has long been controversial. But lately, the issue of who does and doesn’t have the right to restrict kids’ access to books has been heating up across the country in the so-called culture wars.
-
With less to prove than LA, the city is becoming a center of impressive culinary creativity.
-
Nearly 470 sections of guardrailing were stolen in the last fiscal year in L.A. and Ventura counties.
Best of LAist