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

-------
Profile: intent