Apple is taking no chances: Apple is reducing the price of all songs on its iTunes Store without anti-copying software. Although iTunes is by far the largest digital retailer, this price reduction follows the recent entry of Amazon into the digital music market with DRM-free tracks from a broader array of recording companies, some of them for as low as 89 cents a song.

Warner Music Group Downplays Madonna’s Exit: “We remain committed to maintaining financial discipline. We simply will not enter into agreements with artists that fail this test—whether or not the artists are well-known, and regardless of media reaction.” —Edgar Bronfman told employees in an memo obtained by The Post.

This Week Sales…

Kid Rock ‘Rock n Roll Jesus’ (172k)
Matchbox Twenty (74k)
Jennifer Lopez ‘Brave’ (52k)
Alter Bridge ‘Black Bird’ (46k)
Colbie Caillat ‘Coco’ (41k)
Casting Crowns ‘Altar & the Door (21k)
Daughtry (19k)
James Blunt ‘All the Lost Souls’ (19k)

“For $120 Million, She’s All Yours.” says a report from the Bank of America Securities analysts.

Madonna Speaks: “The paradigm in the music business has shifted and as an artist and a business woman, I have to move with that shift,” commented Madonna. “For the first time in my career, the way that my music can reach my fans is unlimited. I’ve never wanted to think in a limited way and with this new partnership, the possibilities are endless. Who knows how my albums will be distributed in the future? That’s what’s exciting about this deal…everything is possible. Live Nation has offered me a true partnership and after 25 years in the business, I feel that I deserve that.”

“Madonna is a true icon and maverick as an artist and in business,” stated Rapino. “Our partnership is a defining moment in music history. I am thrilled that Madonna, who is also now a shareholder in our company, has joined with us to create a new business model for our industry.

The Bottom Line: Look past the unlimited opportunities mumba jumba. This partnership is Madonna’s ‘120 Million Retirement Plan’. Madonna will turn 60 years old in the last year of the proposed deal.

She always knew how to get the money. Madonna has the unnatural power of persuasion. What she wants, she gets.

Material Girl….

Some boys try and some boys lie but
I dont let them play
Only boys who save their pennies
Make my rainy day

Boys may come and boys may go
And thats all right you see
Experience has made me rich
And now theyre after me.

Thats right, ‘Experience’ has made Madonna so rich that Live Nation just dumped 120 Million into her bank account. Madonna is the material girl living in the material world….

Sony BMG Music and MySpace have partnered: MySpace’s 70 million users will have access to music videos, audio material and other content, from SONY BMG’s artists. The deal calls for MySpace and SONY BMG to share in sponsorship and advertising revenues. Under the terms of the deal, SONY BMG will license music videos, select audio material, and other content from its extensive artist roster and will make the content available on its artists’ MySpace profile pages.

KOAR’s Filter: Who wants to weed through 100,000 new record releases and 200 million videos on Youtube? You don’t, but we will. With that said, Check out the new wave act Aerodrone who hails from Cali. They will embark on a MTVU Rock tour beginning October 24th. Listen to ‘Hold Me Like a Microphone’ and ‘Sceneboy’.

Spice Girls embrace internet only: Their new Greatest Hits album won’t be sold in traditional retail outlets. Instead, the record will only be available at Victoria’s Secrets stores and at online retailers including iTunes. Regardless, we will pass..

Joss Stone has already had 4 managers: In this article, ex managers explain why Stone is struggling to find the same level of success abroad as she enjoys in Britain. We hear she is hard to work with and refuses advice. KOAR says, “The wise will seek council”.

Universal Music Group to compete with iTunes: The world’s most powerful music executive aims to join forces with other record companies to launch an industry-owned subscription service. Universal CEO Doug Morris is in talks with Sony BMG Music and Warner Music Group as potential partners. Together the three would control about 75% of the music sold in the U.S. The goal is to get hardware makers or cell carriers to absorb the cost of a roughly $5-per-month subscription fee so consumers get a device with all-you-can-eat music that’s free. Music companies would collect the subscription fee, while hardware makers theoretically would move many more players. (Business Week)

‘She’s All Yours’: Warner Music passed along a report from a Bank of America subsidiary explaining why the material girl is no longer worth a nine-digit payday. The big risk it to overpay for an artist that does not seem to be generating the revenue to support the contract being discussed. Madonna will turn 60 years old in the last year of the proposed deal, it is “fantastic” for her but does not “make economic sense” for WMG. Lastly, her loss will not meaningfully impact Warner’s near-term sales. (Variety)

Platinum selling nineties band Sponge has signed with Icon Entertainment.

Los Angeles based indie act The Sound Of Animals Fighting signed to Epitaph

KOAR is really digging the Milwaukee 4 piece alt rock band Northern Room. We fell for the band after listening to ‘We’re On Fire’ and ‘Last Embrace’. The song ‘Last Embrace’ came about after the lead singer Andrew Jonathan lost a family member to suicide. In fact, a video company was so inspired by the song and its meaning that they decided to shoot a video for the track. Northern Room will be performing at the BMI/CMJ Show at Arlenes Grocery on Wednesday October 17th (9:45). For more information contact
Dan Friedman.