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Universal Music maintained its status as the world’s market leader in 2003, but a combined Sony/BMG would have challenged its dominance. The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), a music industry trade group, released market share figures that show BMG and Sony had an aggregate share of 25.1% in 2003. Universal posted a 23.5% share, down from 25.4% in 2002. The Sony-BMG merger plan cleared a major hurdle June 17 when European competition commissioner Mario Monti gave his approval of the deal. BMG was among the companies posting a share gain in 2003, increasing to 11.9% from 9.6% in… Read more »

JUST days after the European launch of Apple Computers’ online music store, a chorus of customers are voicing their complaints. The lack of songs from artists on independent record labels – which account for a quarter of the UK market – has left iTunes looking like a poorly-stocked American import store, lacking local talent such as Travis and Franz Ferdinand. “Most Scottish acts are on independent labels,” says Alison Wenham, chairman and chief executive of the Association of Independent Music (AIM), which represents the majority of the UK’s indie labels. “Celtic acts typically start off very strong in their home… Read more »

Given the huge success of 2002’s Sticks and Stones, the members of New Found Glory aren’t expecting to top their previous high mark with Catalyst, which drops Tuesday. At the same time, they’re not letting its first single, “All Downhill From Here” dictate their future, either. “I try not to think ahead because I don’t want to jinx anything,” singer Jordan Pundik said. “I just want to let it ride out and see what happens.” Sticks and Stones, NFG’s third and most successful album so far, sold more than 91,000 copies in its first week and entered the Billboard albums… Read more »

After keeping a low profile since the 1999 release of “The Fragile,” Nine Inch Nails mastermind Trent Reznor has finally begun revealing details about his next album. “Bleed Through” is due later this year via Interscope and will find Reznor “touring extensively” in support of it, according to NIN’s official Web site (http://www.nin.com). “One of the ‘rules’ of this record has been to orchestrate using only monophonic voices. No chords. Anywhere,” Reznor says. “Most of the synthesis has been done with a rather elaborate (and ever-growing) modular rig and recorded live.” The set will feature a combination of live and… Read more »

Apple Computer Inc. on Friday flatly denied a report that the computer maker was planning to raise prices for songs bought on its popular iTunes online music store. “These rumors aren’t true,” said Apple spokeswoman Natalie Sequeira. “We have multiyear agreements with the labels and our prices remain 99 cents a track.” Apple’s statement came after the New York Post reported on Friday, citing one unnamed source, that music fans may have to start paying more for some songs on Apple’s music store following contract renegotiations with the record labels ahead of the one-year anniversary of the store. Since the… Read more »

Hanson’s third studio album, Underneathdebuted at #1 on Billboard’s independent sales chart today. Released on their own, self-funded 3CG Records last Tuesday, the album debuted at #25 on Billboard’s Top 200 chart today, making it one of the most successful self-released albums of all time. The success of Underneath puts Hanson inrare company with the very few other artists such as Prince and Ani DiFranco who have scored Top 25 chart positions on previous self-released titles. In an effort to gain more creative control of their music and a more direct relationship with their fans, Hanson formed 3CG Records last… Read more »

Grammy-winning producers Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo – aka the Neptunes – have found a new home for their Star Trak label. The duo are in the process of signing a three-year deal with Interscope Records worth about $3 million, sources said Tuesday. Star Trak previously had a deal with Arista Records, which the Neptunes signed two years ago with recently ousted Arista chief Antonio “L.A.” Reid. That deal has since expired, and Reid was named chairman of Interscope’s sister company Island Def Jam Music Group last month. Under the deal, Williams and Hugo will produce artists signed to Star… Read more »

A warrant was issued Monday for the arrest of 3 Doors Down bassist Todd Harrell, who was charged with simple assault for allegedly beating up a 53-year-old newspaper deliveryman who accused him of stealing papers. The bassist is being accused of punching Ronnie Boulware three times in the face and kicking him in the groin. After the warrant was issued, Harrell turned himself in to police and was released on a $325 bond. A court date was set for March 30. The altercation occurred on Friday at a Cheap-O Deep-O in Moss Point, Mississippi, after Boulware and his wife accused… Read more »

Linkin Park have the kind of problem bands like to have. The ambitious video for Meteora’s scheduled next single is taking longer to finish than expected, and while the band has been waiting patiently, radio programmers and fans have not. Instead, a different song, “Lying From You,” is blowing up and Linkin Park have no video prepared. “I’m not sure if we’re going to do an actual video for it because there’s only so much sh- you can do with one record,” singer Chester Bennington said. “It’s like we can’t make a video for every song on the record, so… Read more »

So what’s Justin Timberlake uncovering now? Timberlake, who ripped away part of Janet Jackson’s costume at the Super Bowl halftime show, tagged along with Associated Press reporter Bob Porterfield last week to get a taste for journalism. The Grammy-winning singer will play a reporter who uncovers an elite team of corrupt police in the upcoming film “Edison,” starring Kevin Spacey, Morgan Freeman and LL Cool J. Shooting is expected to begin in Canada in the coming weeks. Timberlake created a stir at the downtown county courthouse as he filled out an application for legal documents and pored over them with… Read more »