News

EMI Puts Abbey Road Up For Sale

• 16th Feb 2010

EMI has put the iconic Abbey Road studios in London up for sale.

With debt-ridden EMI owners Terra Firma strapped for cash and in desperate need of a $120 million injection the decision has been made to sell the studios were The Beatles and Pink Floyd recorded their classic albums.

The Gramophone Company, which later became EMI, paid £100,000 for the house at 3 Abbey Road when they bought it 81 years ago in 1929. It became the world’s first custom-built recording studio. It began operation in 1931.

Cliff Richard recorded the first rock and roll song at Abbey Road. That was 'Move It’ in 1959.

The site become recognisable worldwide after The Beatles used the crossing out the front of the studios for the cover of their Abbey Road album in 1969.

The Beatles recorded every album except 'Let It Be’ at Abbey Road.

Pink Floyd recorded 'Dark Side of the Moon’ there. Al Stewart made 'Year of the Cat’ at Abbey Road. Radiohead used it for 'The Bends’. Oasis for 'Be Here Now’ and Duran Duran for 'Notorious’.

The business could be worth more than $20 million.