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Presents news briefs concerning the music industry as of May 21, 2005. Selection of Christina Norman as president of MTV and Tom Calderone as general manager of VH1; Launch of iTunes Music Stores by Apple Computer in several European countries; Schedule of the broadcast of the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards Latin America.

Discusses a report by Jupiter Media Metrix concerning the future of the European online music market as of April, 2001. Expectation that online sales of CDs will be the primary driver of online music revenue; Interest of companies in digital-distribution opportunities; Financial complexities of European electronic commerce which could hinder the online music market.

The article reports on Red Independent Network (Red Ink), the European international music division launched by the Sony-BMG merger in Europe. Red Ink will offer artists and independent labels an alternative platform to tap into for distribution, sales, marketing and promotion capacities in key international markets.

This article highlights the Europe Music Awards hosted by the MTV Networks Europe on November 3, 2005. The event inaugurated the category of best African music performance. Nominees for that award performed at a November 2, 2005 function in Lisbon, Portugal for MTV and record label executives, hosted by MTV Networks International president Bill Roedy.

Reports on the establishment of the European Live Music Forum (ELMF) in January 2005. Goals of the music trade body; Responsibilities of British artist manager Peter Jenner in the ELMF; Stance of the concert promotions industry on the formation of ELMF.

Reports on the nominations received by OutKast at the 2004 MTV Europe Music Awards to be held on November 18 in Rome. Nomination for their music recording "Speakerboxxx: The Love Below"; Comment from Mervyn Lyn, vice president of marketing and promotion for Europe at BMG Global Marketing, on the marketing and promotional success of OutKast; Details of the 11th annual music awards.

Reports on the European launch of iTunes Music Store, an online music download service from Apple Computer, on June 14, 2004. Statement from Apple CEO Steve Jobs on the competitiveness of the product against online piracy; Prices assigned for downloads; Conflict of the service with individual music labels over the negotiation of the deal.

Focuses on the plan of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry to launch a legal action against consumers who exchange unauthorized music via peer-to-peer networks in Europe as of December 27, 2003. Reason behind the move; Expected implication of the legal campaign; Key to the success of file sharing in Europe.

Focuses on winners of the November 2000 MTV Europe Music Awards. Dominance of United States popular music acts, including Madonna and Eminem, in a variety of award categories; Criticism of the lack of exposure for Swedish music at the event; Highlights of performances by the Guano Apes, U2, and others during the broadcast.

Reports on highlights of the October 2000 Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE) conference. Overview of the European dance music industry; Impact of digital distribution technology on dance music record labels; Details of Eastern European underground dance music featured during the conference; Effects of piracy on Europe's dance music industry; Trends among dance music acts in the Netherlands.

The article reports on a European Commission (EC) ruling which ordered changes in the practices of European performance rights societies. The decision is said to be popular with broadcasters and online music services, but not with rights organizations. Territorial exclusivity clauses and restrictions preventing composers from moving to another collecting society were rejected by the EC.

The article focuses on the Sony-BMG merger approval and its affect on European independent labels in 2007. European independent body Impala, whose court challenge caused the annulment of the European Commission's original Sony-BMG merger authorization, is concerned over Universal Music Group's acquisition of European independents ARS, Magic, Lionheart, Sanctuary, and V2. Article topics include potential music industry mergers in 2008, and the rise in independent album chart shares in 2007. INSET: TOP FIVE EUROPE STORIES OF '07.

The article discusses the MTV Europe Music Awards program held on November 1, 2007. Controversy over whether MTV makes enough of an effort to promote European artists at the show is addressed. A performance by the Estonian band Bedwetters is mentioned and the popularity of the song "Grace Kelly" by the Lebanese-born British artist Mika is noted.

The article discusses the adverse impact a series of severe storms have had on outdoor music festivals across Europe during the summer of 2007. Festivals which were shut down by extreme weather include the Southside Festival in Germany, the Heineken Jammin' Festival in Italy and the Ashton Court Festival in England.

The article reports that the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI) and European collecting societies who represent music labels have made preliminary agreements on online licensing. The agreement would enable collecting societies to license material to online services within the European Economic Area. It is inferred that it is currently difficult to obtain licenses for cross-border online rights.

This article reports on how international licensing organizations are trying to collect back payments from social networking sites (SNS) like YouTube and MySpace without having to suspend content. The two major European associations that represent authors' and mechanical rights claim they want to establish licensing policies that aid in the promotion and continued growth of SNS platforms.

The article discusses a film project presented by European MySpace executives that will encourage creative input from its users. The first stage encourages hopeful directors to submit a short film. A shortlist will be selected by a panel of film industry figures, and the ultimate decision will be left open to MySpace users. Organizers anticipate the user-generated project will culminate in a full theatrical release in summer 2008.

The article discusses how Impala, the Pan-European independent labels body, has applauded the European Commission's (EC) February 1, 2007, decision to re-examine the Sony Music and BMG merger. Impala had previously appealed the EC's 2004 clearance of the deal that created Sony BMG. In July 2006, the European Union court annulled the EC's decision, which meant that Sony and BMG would have to refile their merger plans for another EC investigation.

The article reports on the licensing agreement dispute of music download service provider eMusic in Europe, in 2006. eMusic's arrival offer a boost to independent labels, but European authors' rights societies are questioning its licensing arrangements. The firm will track all licensed downloads, paying publishing royalties to the Netherlands-based collecting society Buma/Stemra. But MCPS-PRS Alliance warned that Buma/Stemra is not able to grant such a license since it does not have the rights to do so.

The article presents news briefs concerning the music industry as of November 26, 2005. A Cultural Affairs Agency has recommended that a decision on a proposed tax on portable digital music players in Japan. Chrysalis Group reported a decline in its annual pretax profit. British collecting group Video Performance Ltd. posted a 9.5% gain in full-year license fee income collections. Spanish labels body Promusicae reduced the number of shipments required for gold and platinum award certification. Odile Quintin has been selected as the top civil servant in charge of music issues within the European Commission.

Reports on the decision of London, England-based independent firm V2 Music to launch a licensing network in September 2005, that provides Indie labels a platform to bring their acts to European markets outside of their home territories. Terms on the Cooperative Music venture; List of Europe-based labels that have already signed up for the services; Background on the formation of the initiative.

Reports on the growing popularity of the reggaetón from Puerto Rico in other countries, as of September 2005. Information on reggaetón artist Speedy and his popularity in Europe; Views of several music trade executives on the ability of the Latin music genre to sustain its popularity; Response of consumers to the song "Gasolina" by Yankee.

Presents news briefs on the music industry in Europe as of March 26, 2005. Award received by the rock quartet Nephew at Danish Music Awards ceremony organized by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry; Decision of the Sydney, Australia federal court regarding a copyright-infringement case involving disc jockeys Chris Kross and Pee Wee Ferris; Appointment of Jeremy Fabinyi as executive director and board member of the British Mechanical-Copyright Protection Society.

Presents news briefs concerning the music industry in Europe, as of July 17, 2004. Information on an agreement signed by BMG Recordi with Paris, France-based mobile content provider Musiwave for the use of ringtones in Italy; Charges filed by the French music industry against peer-to-peer users; Appointment of Brian McLaughlin, chief operating officer of HMV Group, at the Nordoff Robbins Music Charity in Great Britain.

Reports on the decision of Sanctuary Records Group to expand in Europe. Advantages of the business expansion according to president Frank Stroebele; Remarks from CEO Joe Cokell on the business strategy used by the company in Germany; International licensing deal between Sanctuary and BMG.

Presents news briefs on the music industry in Europe, Australia and Asia as of April 2004. Criminal punishment imposed on French rock singer Bertrand Cantat; Reelection of Warner Music Australia CEO Shaun James at the Phonographic Performance Co. of Australia board; Licensing deal between V2 Records and the firm Times Music.

Presents international sound recording industry-related news briefs as of April 26, 2003. The Australian Senate in Canberra has passed a package of amendments to existing copyright legislation intended to streamline court action against music pirates and counterfeiters. The new legislation clarifies the parameters of copyright ownership, extends the civil jurisdiction of the Federal Magistrates Court to copyright matters, increases criminal penalties for importing pirate and counterfeit CDs, and increases the potential level of damages payable to a copyright owner. Gert Holmfred, who exited as Universal Music Sweden managing director in 2003, has launched Stockholm-based artist-management company and consultancy the Management. Leading French music retailer FNAC has launched a high-profile European campaign in support of a lower VAT (value-added tax, or sales tax) rate on recorded music. Throughout May, 2003 visitors to FNAC stores in France, Belgium, Spain, Italy, and Portugal will be invited to sign a petition requesting a lower VAT. Others.

Presents international-related news for the week of April 19, 2003. Agenda for the meeting of the European finance ministers that will include discussion of the lower value-added tax rate on recorded music; Music that has been popular with the Platinum Europe Awards; Web site that is being created for Warner Music Asia; Adoption of the European Union Copyright directive into domestic law by Italy; Retirement of Beh Suat Pheng from the Malaysian music industry; Signing of a marketing, licensing, and distribution agreement from the United Kingdom and Ireland by Tommy Boy.

Reports that European online music company OD2 is collaborating with MTV Networks Europe (MTVNE) for a music subscription initiative. Plans for a staggered rollout; Cost for a subscription; Number of music tracks that subscribers can choose from; Comments about the effect on the music industry of illegal downloading.

Presents music-related news for the week of March 8, 2002. Fall of the Dutch recorded-music market; Launch of a joint-venture label by Warner Music U.K.; Musicians that have been nominated for Spain's Premios de la Música Awards; Launch of a European wireless-music service product by Sony Music Entertainment Germany and the Swedish mobile-phone maker Ericsson; Music awards that will take place at the Monte Carlo Sporting Club in Monaco; Request for the Belgian Minister of Finance to lower the value-added tax rate on audio and video carriers; Decision of Musiwave, a provider of wireless music to telecom companies, to partner with Royal Philips Electronics for mobile music-recognition services.

Presents news briefs on the sound recording industry in Europe as of October 19, 2002. Stake purchased by Italian radio group Elemedia in Czech Republic's Radio Bonton; Single by Holly Valance which topped the British singles chart in early 2002; Award received by R & B artist Ms. Dynamite at the 7th annual Music of Black Origin Awards which was held in London, England.

Focuses on the feud between Universal Music International and BIEM, the international trade body representing collecting societies, over mechanical rights in Europe in September 2002. Root of the conflict; Action taken by BIEM; Condition under European Union competition rules.

Presents international news briefs related to the music industry as of January 12, 2002. Temporary settlement of a dispute regarding music that is played in shops in the United States without compensation to European copyright owners; Plans to hold the MTV Europe Music Awards at the Palau Sant Jordi arena in Barcelona, Spain; Sale of the business and assets of British online music portal Worldpop to iTouch; Others.

Reports on the end of a probe of the European Commission concerning compact disc-pricing. Finding that German companies were fixing prices; Cooperation of European record labels with the inquiry.

Presents news briefs related to international music as of July 21, 2001. Details on the implementation of the European Copyright Directive; Launch of the first custom compact disc-ordering service in India by Saregama, EMI's former licensee; Description of the taping of the 'MTV Unplugged' television program by MTV Japan featuring Utada Hikaru; Others.

Reports that independent music group Play It Again Sam (PIAS) of Brussels, Belgium, is negotiating to buy parent company edel Music Group's majority stake in its ownership. Details of PIAS' full-service operations and interests in European companies owned; Effect of a buyout on edel and PIAS.

Reports on launch of a high-level probe into the major music labels' proposed joint-venture Internet subscription services. Announcement of European Commission Competition Commissioner Mario Monti that his department would investigate services, drawing the focus of Europe's policy makers to the online music market for the first time; Investigation which centers around ownership and antitrust concerns; View of Jay Berman of the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry that investigation will probably not derail services.