DIGITAL MUSIC NEWS – WEEK IN REVIEW

• The action this week was peppered with several artist exclusives. Yahoo Music offered exclusive clips from the recently-launch Rolling Stones tour, Verizon Wireless prepped exclusives involving Shakira and John Legend, Cingular secured a Missy Elliott ringtone exclusive, and Clear Channel Radio unleashed a sneak peek involving Eric Clapton.
• The satellite radio world was also busy. Howard Stern is getting ready for his Sirius debut, which is scheduled to happen on January 9th. Ahead of that, Stern will begin programming on one of his two channels, though the jock is forbidden from actually appearing on the station until he finishes his contractual commitments with Infinity Broadcasting.
• In the obituary column, synthesizer inventor Robert Moog passed away. Moog is credited with revolutionizing the sound of thousands of bands and artists.
• Meanwhile, Apple reportedly purchased a massive inventory of flash-based memory from Samsung. That could pave the way for a flash-based iPod mini by the end of the year.
• Major labels were also making noise this week, including Warner Music and Universal Music. Warner Music Group chairman Edgar Bronfman, Jr. pointed to an alternative "eLabel" concept, which favors smaller, digital releases instead of larger, CD-based albums. Later in the week, subsidiary label Warner Bros. Records announced an album release that will avoid the CD entirely. And Universal Music unveiled plans to release its own mobile brand called MoveU Mobile. Universal will use the network of Sprint Nextel, though the label will retain control of the content on the deck.
• Amazon seemed to edge closer to delivering a digital music store. The massive internet  retailer offered a Barbra Streisand video exclusive, a collaborative effort with Sony BMG.
• Elsewhere, the FCC approved the sale of an iTunes-enabled phone from Motorola, though a concrete release date remains elusive. And in Japan, Yahoo countered a recent iTunes Music Store entry with its own store, which offers free streaming previews to entice purchases.

From Digital Music News