New Music Business Briefing: Apple & Majors Meet EU, Jobs Writes Apology Checks, Congress Aims At Hip Hop & More

>>> An EU Commission will hold hearings Sept. 19-20 during which execs from Apple and the major labels will appear to debate charges that iTunes violates EU competition rules. (Billboard) With variable pricing and DRM issues the issues here as well as at label
re-negotiations with Apple, it will be strange to see them both sitting on the same side of the table in Brussels.

>>> Most consumers may have loved Steve Jobs for cutting iPod and iPhone prices yesterday and Apple may have made things much more difficult for competitors, but Wall Street reacted negatively to thinner profit margins. (AP) Jobs also tried to calm upset early iPhone buyers by offering a $100 Apple credit to those who paid $200 more for the device just two months ago. (Apple.com)

>> The new iTouch player may have WiFi, but it won’t allow over the air downloads of mp3’s and there are "no plans" to enable net streams like Pandora. (Listening Post) Creative? Microsoft? Sansa? Where are you?

>>> Congress is taking aim at hip hop with hearings "From Imus to Industry: The Business of Stereotypes and Degradation" to start on September 25th. (FMQB) Please tell me its not time for a Tipper Gore comeback.

>>> The Wall Street Journal outed viral YouTube sensation Mary Digby as really just another Disney creation. (WSJ) Are you surprised?

>>> An interview with the founder of small indie label Dirtnap. (IndieHQ)

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