Hypebot’s Digital Music QuickNews:

XM Satellite Radio recently surpassed 5 million subscribers, increasing its lead as the nation’s number-one satellite radio company. "With more than five million subscribers today, XM continues to expand its position as the leader in the satellite radio industry," said Hugh Panero, XM Satellite Radio president and CEO. "We are on track to have more than six million subscribers by the end of this year."

MusicNet has expanded its catalog of licensed music to 2 million tracks – the largest available in the industry today for subscription and purchase. MusicNet, whose distribution partners include Yahoo!, HMV, Virgin Digital, AOL, iMesh, Cdigix, and Charter, RCN and Adelphia (through Synacor), offers a suite of fully customized digital music experiences, including the ability to buy digital music subscriptions, portable subscriptions and downloads.

The Orchard has announced two major achievements stemming from its marketing efforts. First, the distributor notched its 25,000^th successful promotional placement in a digital music store.  The Orchard achieved this milestone with its placement of Art Brut’s full length debut album, Bang Bang Rock & Roll (Fierce Panda), on UK Napster.  Second, the company achieved sales of over one million digital downloads on independent music retailer eMusic.

The Digital Rights Agency, a digital music distributor, has signed distribution agreements with Stony Plain Records, Ecko Records, Fearless Records and BCD Music Group. The deals add key titles by top blues, rock, punk and hip-hop stars including Ronnie Earl, Elvin Bishop, Duke Robillard, Maria Muldaur, Muddy Waters, Roy Rodgers, Jay Geils, Rufus Thomas, Denis Lasalle, At The Drive-In, Plain White Ts, Lil Jon, Lil Flip and Snoop Dog & Friends.

SanDisk Corp. is launching their new secure media format with "A Bigger Bang." The album from the Rolling Stones is the first release on SanDisk’s new Gruvi Music Cards, small portable flash cards that let consumers play music and other entertainment products on appropriately equipped mobile phones, laptops and other devices.