Hypebot’s New Music Industry Briefing For Tuesday May 2, 2006

– Annual shipments of portable music players will more than double to 286 million by 2010 an new report says.  (TechWeb)

– As rumored Apple has renewed contracts with the four major labels to continue to sell songs through iTunes at 99 cents. The agreements which came after months of public wrangling  were a defeat for the majors who had been pushing for a variable pricing model. (Financial Times)

– The MusExpo conference continues through tomorrow in Los Angeles with a surprisingly small amount of coverage in the press and on blogs.  Some coverage at Digital Music News.

– While the music press goes on and on about Coachella and Bonnaroo, 600,000 will gather in August on South Dakota for Sturgis Bike Week including a rock fest that shows just how diverse even adult tastes have become.  Headliners announced include rockers The Black Crowes and Sammy Hagar alongside country’s Keith Urban and Big & Rich. (Reuters/Billboard)

– MobiBlu mp3 players will now come pre-loaded with podcast software. (TechWeb)

– Starbucks signs with the William Morris Agency to persue more cross-promotions with films, books, and movies.

– American Idol will begin offering single song and video downloads of individual performances from the show’s web site. (Variety) Somehow we’ll bet the performer isn;t sharing in the royalties.