Tuesday’s Music Brief: More MySpace Execs, Verizon iPhones, Bookers Merge, Spotify Soars & More

HYPEBOT FEATURES:

• MySpace Adds Two More Top Execs From Tech
• Interview: Ali Partovi of iLike (Part One)
• People's Music Store Adds Universal To Fan Retail Offering
• Harmonia Mundi – Indie Label Thriving In Tough Times
• Music Piracy Circa 1897
• Video: The Branding Of Sub Pop

MORE MUSIC INDUSTRY NEWS:

• Apple is in high level talks with Verizon to expand its exclusive relationship with AT&T and add the carrier to its iPhone sales network. (USA Today)
• Apple sued for stifling iPod tricks. (AFP)
• Uber-agencies William Morris and Endeavor have agreed to merge. (Billboard)
• Ad supported music streamer Spotify has more than 1 million users in the UK and is adding 40K more per day throughout the EU. (Music Ally)
  I've used Spotify and despite some minor holes in its catalog its a
  fabulous music service with an iTunes like interface. The company plans
  to come to the US and the labels are foolish if they don't encourage
  the move.
• VINYL ALERT: Best Buy is considering devoting 1020 square feet in all its stores to vinyl records (NY Post) and three new vinyl only shops have opened in LA. (LA Times) Best Buy adding vinyl is not good news for indie stores.
• Taiwan is boosting intellectual property protection laws and cracking down on file sharing networks. (Voice Of America)
• MTV's "$5 Cover" mixes music, indie film, tv and new media in what could be a compelling new franchise. (LA Times)
• 3 Entertaining Tips for iTunes, iPods, and Other Digital Music Players. Love the iPod but hate iTunes? Want iTunes on an non-Apple player? Want lyrics to show up in iTunes? (PC World)
• The complete Pirate Bay court decision in English. (pdf via IFPI)
• A suburban NYC family settled their RIAA lawsuit for $7,000 (AP)