Faced with the possibility of defaulting on a $1.49 billion loan, music company EMI has put Abbey Road Studios up for sale in the hope of a big-time payout.
Used as a sound studio since 1931, the Westminster landmark was made famous in the 1960s by The Beatles and producer George Martin, who recorded up to 90 percent of the band’s song output in the facility. From 1962 to 1970, Martin and The Beatles churned out 27 No. 1 hits, 13 albums and hundereds of other songs in between.
(UPDATE: The music label that owns Abbey Road Studios, Terra Firma, now says it will try to find a partner in order to pay for upgrades and, ultimately, to maintain ownership.)