Rolling Stones Split with EMI

Tue 29th Jul, 2008 in International News

Ending months of speculation, the Rolling Stones have split with longtime label EMI and inked a new deal with the Universal Music Group. The pact covers not only future studio albums but also the band’s lucrative back catalogue from 1971’s Sticky Fingers onward.

EMI, which has endured a rocky transition to private equity ownership by Terra Firma in recent months, is understood to have lobbied heavily to convince the Stones to remain with the company. New recordings will be released via UMG’s Polydor label worldwide, putting the distribution of the entire Stones catalogue under one roof for the first time. The deal covers both digital and physical distribution, with UMG already working on a long-term strategy to digitise the catalogue.