The Beatles Support Music Matters Campaign

The Beatles are supporting the Music Matters campaign to combat illegal downloading.

The legendary pop group's estate has approved the use of the band's music in a special animated film which promotes downloading from legal sites.

The film, animated by Lee Gingold, follows a central character detailing how he grew up listening to the music of The Beatles - made up of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, John Lennon and George Harrison - and how it has marked the various milestones in his life. Songs on the soundtrack include 'Hey Jude', 'Something' and 'Strawberry Fields Forever'.

The Music Matters campaign - started in 2010 - has also received support from artists such as Elbow, Bernard Butler, Paloma Faith and Kate Bush.

In an earlier video for the campaign, Florence and the Machine singer Florence Welch explained how the music of Janis Joplin is important to her.

She said: "Her connection with the audience was really important. It seems to me the suffering and intensity of her performance go hand in hand.

"There was always a sense of longing, of searching for something. I think she really sums up the idea that soul is about putting your pain into something beautiful. And that's why she's so important to me."

For more information on the campaign, please visit www.whymusicmatters.org