Today In Somewhat Interesting Music-Business News

noah | April 12, 2007 3:57 am

– “Major label expands” has become the music-business equivalent of “man bites dog” during these lean times, so the news that Universal Music Group’s Island Def Jam division would be reviving the Mercury Records imprint in the US piqued our interest. The reasons for this rebirth are unclear, but here’s hoping that the first move is a re-signing of Ugly Kid Joe. [Reuters] – Doug “The Thug” Morris now has a top enforcer, as Larry Kenswil has been promoted to the position of Executive Vice President of Business Strategy at Universal Music Group. According to reports, he’ll mostly focus on antipiracy measures and new ways to keep those rotten kids from swapping music. [Digital Music News] – Thanks to the settlement of a royalty dispute, the Beatles catalog is inching ever-so-closer to going online, for real. We think. [Variety]

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