CD download deal for EMI

Robbie Williams is one of EMI's biggest artists

Music giant EMI is to allow internet users to "burn" music from artists such as Robbie Williams and The Beatles onto blank CDs.

The move will be possible after a deal announced on Tuesday with software company Roxio.

All downloads would be authorised before copying can go ahead, with artists properly compensated.

The move is being viewed as a way for EMI to cut manufacturing and distribution costs in the wake of its failed merger with German rival BMG.

EMI owns the Beatles' back catalogue

The future of digital distribution could cut out the need for getting CDs into shops, but EMI has admitted revenue for this project will initially be low.

It is also an attempt to protect against unauthorised reproduction of copyrighted material from high-profile websites such as Napster.

The new CD burning technology will allow users to download music from the EMI catalogue and play them back using existing CD players.

Co-operation

No decision has yet been made on a pricing structure for downloading and burning tracks.

EMI Recorded Music Senior Vice-President, New Media, Jay Samit said: "By partnering with a market leader such as Roxio, EMI will work to develop ways for consumers to easily record authorised music onto recordable CDs.

"Co-operation between technology companies and the music industry is at the core of our plans to develop new revenue streams for our artists."

Oxford band Radiohead are signed to EMI

The business relationship will see EMI act as strategic advisors while Roxio will provide its technology and multiple distribution channels.

California-based Roxio is a leading company in technology for CD burning software.

New venture

It also creates system recovery software, enabling lost data to be restored.

The agreement also sees EMI make an equity investment in Roxio.

EMI, AOL TimeWarner, Bertelsmann announced in April they were backing new service MusicNet, in a venture with RealNetworks, the maker of an internet-based music and video player.

Each company will own a minority stake in MusicNet and their record labels - EMI Recorded Music, BMG Entertainment and Warner Music Group - will licence their music catalogues via the company.

The service should be available later this year.