It's a product I consider to be seriously substandard

Aimee Mann

Ms Mann says that her Universal album Ultimate Collection, released in 2000, was never approved by her.

She also says that the release breached her original 1992 contract with the Imago Recording Company, an independent company later bought by Geffen Records and Universal.

In a statement on her website, Ms Mann says that the Ultimate Collection was "not only something that I had nothing to do with, it's a product I consider to be seriously substandard and misleading".

'Refused'

The suit says that in 1999, when Ms Mann terminated her contract with Geffen, she made an agreement with Universal that the company could not assemble a compilation of her material without her consent.

Ms Mann has also claimed that when she heard the record was to be released she offered her services.

"I offered to do the artwork, as I had done for every record I've ever made except the first Til Tuesday record, and be involved in song selection," she said in her website statement.

"This offer was flatly refused," she added.

Universal has said that it does not comment on pending litigation.

Aimee Mann formed her first band after leaving the Berklee School of Music in Boston the early '80s and rose to stardom as part of 'Til Tuesday.

Her first solo record, Whatever, came out in 1993.

Last year she was nominated for an Oscar for her song, Save Me, written for the movie Magnolia.