The opera composer of the era, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber has admitted that the next step, that of going digital, was something that he just needed to do. So, after a prolonged session of negotiations, the composer sold the digital rights for all his tunes to the giant Universal Music.

That means that, all the songs from 'Cats' and 'Phantom of the Opera' to 'Jesus Christ Superstar' will become available, come August 22, on the Internet.

The deal, estimated at around �10 million, although both parties refused to disclose any financial details, stipulates that each track can be downloaded from the Internet and is, at the same time, available in the 'realtone' format for mobile users.

The contract between Universal Music and Webber's own company, Really Useful Group, also includes the songs from the upcoming West End musical, 'The Sound of Music', for which Universal will release an internationally distributed soundtrack album. No exact date has yet been mentioned.

'I am delighted to be able to announce these significant deals between the Really Useful Group and Universal Music and thrilled that my entire catalog can now be downloaded. I say this although the bulk of my own music collection is on vinyl!', the composer said after the deal had been struck.