EMI, one of the big four record labels, has opted to not give ASCAP, digital licensing for its April Music catalog. The deal reported by PaidContent affects the digital licensing situation of about 200,000 songs. EMI has a second sizable portfolio, but it’s definitely taking back April Music as it ponders a new era of licensing for music that is increasingly streamed (audio and video) and stored in “the cloud.” It also comes as EMI is reportedly for sale, and the new business arrangement could make the company more valuable, since it won’t be paying ASCAP for its digital licensing services. EMI Music Publishing CEO Roger Faxon says “the digital world demands a new way of licensing rights in musical compositions.” No doubt he’s thinking of Google and Apple and other outfits looking for new ways to offer music to their users. ASCAP continues to represent the EMI catalogs in non-digital applications.