McCartney Dumps Longtime Record Label For Coffee Chain.... Former Beatle Paul McCartney will be the first artist signed to coffee chain Starbucks' new record label since splitting from Capitol Records after a 43-year relationship.The 64-year-old rocker has recorded for Capitol since the Beatles' first album in 1964. McCartney took a brief break from the company in the early 1980s - when he moved to Columbia Records - but soon returned to Capitol.The Beatle also plans to take his entire back catalogue of Wings and solo work with him. The catalogue includes classics like Band On The Run and his most recent hit album, Chaos And Creation In The Backyard, which was nominated for four Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, in 2006.According to Fox News, McCartney will be the first artist to sign with US-based coffee chain Starbucks' new Hear Music record label, releasing a new album this autumn (07).A source claims record executives at Capitol were devastated by the news, saying, "They knew it was coming. They did nothing for the Chaos album, and they were reminded that McCartney's entire contract was ending."Meanwhile in other news record giants Emi Deny the Beatles digital distribution deal.The Beatles' record label Emi has denied reports the iconic British group's back catalogue is to become available online, after an internet download site hinted at the songs' impending sale last Friday (09Mar07).Apple Inc was expected to get permission to sell The Beatles' classics on its iTunes download store after reaching an agreement with the surviving members of the Fab Four -Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr - over the use of the Apple name last month (Feb07).

But Emi insists a deal has yet to be finalised, despite UK download site Wippit reporting on Friday, "The Beatles available for download."

The Hey Jude hitmakers are the last major pop act to withhold their catalogue of songs from digital stores like iTunes and Napster.

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