Live 8 "Sgt. Pepper" Performance Rush-Released Worldwide As Digital Download From Universal Music

Live 8 "Sgt. Pepper" Performance Rush-Released Worldwide As Digital Download From Universal Music

LONDON, July 2/PRNewswire/ --

- Unique Recording Only Available Online From 200+ Stores in 30 Countries

The historic opening of today's Live 8 concert in London - U2 and Sir Paul McCartney collaborating on the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" - has been rush-released worldwide by Universal Music Group as a digital download, for sale an hour after its performance on the Hyde Park stage.

The unique recording is available to buy through more than 200 online music stores and services in 30 countries, including www.Live8Live.com, and the proceeds from the download sales are being donated to Live 8.

"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" is thought to be the fastest-ever worldwide commercial download release from a major music event. It has been achieved by the co-operation of the artists, the Live 8 organisation and the event's broadcasters, working with the Universal Music technology team and dozens of online music outlets. Guinness World Records is closely monitoring this aspect of Live 8, to see if the achievement qualifies for a Guinness World Records seal of approval.

Music fans have an opportunity to set a world record of their own, by buying the downloadable "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" more than any other track previously released online. The recording will not be available in physical form.

Immediately after its performance today, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" was transmitted by satellite to the BBC Television Centre in London, and relayed to UK broadcaster Capital Radio. A direct digital recording was captured there for Universal Music, which edited, mastered and transmitted the track to its production centre in Hanover, Germany. The final master was sent to the company's global electronic distribution warehouse in the US, followed by real-time delivery to online retailers around the world, for sale as the first Live 8 download.

About Universal Music Group

Universal Music Group is the world's largest music company with wholly owned record operations or licensees in 77 countries. Its businesses also include Universal Music Publishing Group, one of the industry's largest global music publishing operations.

Universal Music Group consists of record labels Decca Music Group, Deutsche Grammophon, DreamWorks Nashville, Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Geffen Records, Island Def Jam Music Group, Lost Highway Records, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Philips, Polydor Records, Universal Music Latino, Universal Motown Records Group, and Verve Music Group as well as a multitude of record labels owned or distributed by its record company subsidiaries around the world. The Universal Music Group owns the most extensive catalog of music in the industry, which is marketed through two distinct divisions, Universal Music Enterprises (in the US) and Universal Strategic Marketing (outside the US). Universal Music Group also includes eLabs, a new media and technologies division.

Universal Music Group is a unit of Vivendi Universal, a global media and communications company.

Source: Universal Music International Ltd

For further information, contact: Adam White, Universal Music, London, +44(0)207-747-4217 (office), +44-(0)-7808-924-030 (mobile), +44(0)207-747-4490 (fax), adam.white@umusic.com

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