IS CHRISTINA AGUILERA FEUDING WITH HER LABEL?

A representative for pop singer CHRISTINA AGUILERA has dismissed reports she is locked in a bitter feud with record label bosses over disappointing sales of her latest album, Bionic.

Aguilera's fourth studio album debuted at number three on the U.S. Bill board charts, but quickly fell out of the Top 10, with sales barely hittng a disappointing 200,000 in its five weeks of release. Music bosses are in a panic to boost sales as the new mum fights to com pete with racy acts like Rihanna and Lady Gaga, reports the New York Post.

A source tells the publication, "The label has done its part, but she's headstrong. There have been candid conversations between her and the label about connectivity, but it doesn't seem that she's been open to that dialogue." However, a spokesperson from RCA denies the label is at odds with Aguilera, and insists bosses back her efforts, saying, "(Aguilera) is a pillar of the RCA Music Group and is an undeniable talent with one of the great est voices of our time. She continues to push herself as an artist, and we are behind her efforts 100 percent." Aguilera's manager, Irving Azoff, further disputed the claims: "I am the one who deals with the label, and this couldn't be further from the truth."

DEATH ROW RECORDS BACK ON THE AUCTION BLOCK!

Rap label Death Row is going back on the auction block after the investment group who 'took over' music mogul MARION 'SUGE' KNIGHT's company ran out of cash. The assets of the label, which was once the home of Dr. Dre, Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg, will be sold off again on 15 January (09). Death Row initially filed for Chapter 11 protection in April 2006, and, after a series of stalled bids and failed takeovers, investment group Global Music agreed to buy Death Row in June 2007.

But that deal has since collapsed because, according to label co-founder Lydia Harris, some potential investors were too scared of crossing ex-convict Knight. Harris, who started Death Row with Knight and her incarcerated ex-husband Michael Harris in 1991, won a large cash settlement deal in a court battle with Knight in 2005. According to Billboard.com, she remains one of many creditors who could benefit financially from the auction of Death Row assets.

Say what? Too scared of crossing Suge? Wasn't he decked out by some barber in a free for all brawl last year? Hear what Lydia had to tell me about this whole case and the beatdown. Hiphossip is the first and only media with this EXCLUSIVE audio interview in May 2008. Don't mess with this woman!!

Lydia Harris is an angry woman and I would be too. Her Publicist was on this interview too. Also stay tuned for my never been aired interview with the alleged "baby mama" who said she was the real wife.....Zevelyn Kim Lee. I interviewed her too. Who has all the rights to this $105 million judgement anyways?

Lydia Harris and the fall of Death Row Records
Uploaded by KeminicationsMedia

NO MORE T.I , MADONNA, LED ZEPELLIN VIDEOS: Warner Music pulls videos from YouTube!!!

Warner Music Group ordered YouTube on Saturday to remove all music videos by its artists from the popular online video-sharing site after contract negotiations broke down.

The order could affect hundreds of thousands of videos clips, as it covers Warner Music's recorded artists as well as the rights for songs published by its Warner/Chappell unit, which includes many artists not signed to Warner Music record labels.

The talks fell apart early on Saturday because Warner wants a bigger share of the huge revenue potential of YouTube's massive visitor traffic. There were no reports on what Warner was seeking.

"We simply cannot accept terms that fail to appropriately and fairly compensate recording artists, songwriters, labels and publishers for the value they provide," Warner said in a statement.

YouTube is hugely popular, with more than 100 million viewers in the United States alone in October, according to comScore, a Web audience measurement firm.

Warner Music, home to artists including Red Hot Chili Peppers and rapper T.I., was the first major media company to negotiate a deal with YouTube in 2006. Its executives believe that deal gave the site legitimacy in the eyes of search giant Google Inc (GOOG.O) which bought it soon after for $1.65 billion.

As part of the original 2006 negotiation, Warner, Universal Music and Sony Music all took small stakes in YouTube pre-acquisition and profited when the Google acquisition closed.

The music companies typically get paid a share of any advertising revenue associated with the video and a per-play payment for every video viewed. The per-play fee is usually a fraction of a penny and with millions visiting YouTube everyday it was all expected to add up to a substantial amount.

But a source familiar with Warner Music's talks said the amounts it has been receiving from YouTube were "staggeringly low".

YouTube representatives did not immediately return calls for comment.

YouTube executives have spent most of 2008 stepping up efforts to develop revenue streams on the site partly in a bid to keep content partners happy. It has been in long negotiations with Warner on how best to split revenues until things came to a head in talks on Friday.

"Despite our constant efforts, it isn't always possible to maintain their innovative agreements," YouTube said in a statement on its blog about difficulties of music licensing. "Sometimes, if we can't reach acceptable business terms, we must part ways with successful partners."

YouTube also has agreements with Vivendi's (VIV.PA) Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and EMI Music. Warner's move could see them also making tough demands for higher fees.

The demands could leave YouTube in a difficult position as it tries to balance the need to pay a reasonable fee to content partners, including TV and movie companies, and also generate enough return on the substantial investment needed to keep streaming millions of videos around the world.

Source: Reuters

WTF? So now we can't see anymore T.I videos? YouTube better get with the program as Warner is one of my nicest labels around here.

OH NO! BEATLES/ITUNES DEAL STALLS!!

SIR PAUL McCARTNEY has revealed a new deal to provide the BEATLES back catalogue on download website iTunes has fallen through after the rocker, Apple Corps bosses and EMI executives failed to reach an agreement. McCartney states the Beatles' move to digital has been in the works for years, but the Fab Four are too iconic to rush through a deal with iTunes. He says, "

What happens is, when something's as big as The Beatles, it's heavy negotiations.
"We are very for it, we've been pushing it. But there are a couple of sticking points, I understand. So the last word I got back was that it had stalled, the whole process. "EMI want something we're not prepared to give them. Hey, sounds like the music business. It's between EMI and the Beatles. What else is new."

A spokesman for EMI says, "We have been working very hard to secure an agreement with Apple Corps to make The Beatles' legendary recording catalogue available to fans in digital form. "Unfortunately the various parties involved have so far been unable to reach agreement, but we really hope that everyone can make progress soon." Apple Corps is a multimedia corporation founded by the Beatles in 1968.