Michigan sending CDs to Marines in Iraq

DETROIT, June 23 (UPI) -- Michigan state officials are sending CDs by the Bee Gees, Aerosmith, Aretha Franklin, Mozart and others to U.S. Marines in Iraq.

Attorney General Mike Cox gave details of the shipment of 11,000 CDs Wednesday at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township, Mich., the Detroit News reported. The CDS are part of a shipment of 194,000 that Michigan received as part of a nationwide settlement with five music companies and retailers earlier this year.

More than $75.7 million in CDs were sent to 41 states to support music-related programs as part of the settlement from a lawsuit brought by states and consumers alleging large music companies engaged in price-fixing in the late 1990s.

The majority of Michigan's music went to public schools, libraries and domestic help centers.

Some CDs, however, including those with parental advisory labels, were left over. While several states opted to return the extra CDs, Michigan chose to send the music to U.S. Marines serving in Iraq.