WHAT HAPPENED? ESTELLE'S U.S. SALES SUFFER AFTER ITUNES REMOVAL!!

British singer/rapper ESTELLE has suffered a massive blow to the U.S. sales of her hit single AMERICAN BOY, after record label executives removed her album SHINE from digital download service iTunes. The move by the star's bosses at Warner Music Group was aimed at forcing fans into record stores to purchase a CD version of the album - released earlier this year (08) - instead of individual songs. But American Boy has now slipped down the U.S. Billboard singles chart, falling from 11 to number 37 after her LP was made unavailable on the iTunes website.

The Kanye West-featured track, which topped the charts in both the U.S. and U.K. when it was released, has also taken a blow on the Billboard download chart, plummeting from number six to 59 in a matter of days. A Warner spokesman tells the Wall Street Journal the move was made as part of a broad range of strategies "uniquely tailored to each artist and their fanbase in an effort to optimise revenues and promote long-term artist development". Estelle's representative has yet to comment on the reports.

Bad move Warner! My fave record label too. I-Tunes have never sold a CD in their lives but are closing in on $8 billion in sales this Christmas. This digital download phenomenom is driving labels nuts but I personally feel they should have her album in both places. Estelle is performing here agin in October and I am trying to interview her this time as you know the other two times, my schedule clashed!.

Record labels hit by demise of music magazines.

Read about how music magazine folding affects the record label's publicity.

Rumors crushed: Ludacris stays with Def Jam!

Rapper LUDACRIS will keep his Disturbing Tha Peace music label after singing a new contract with parent company Def Jam Records. The hip-hop Chris Bridges - has reached an agreement with the music industry giant to extend his label's current deal and keep the imprint running. The move comes after weeks of speculation that all of Ludacris' artists were to be dropped from Def Jam's roster.

But Def Jam Records chairman Antonio 'L.A.' Reid insists the rumours are unfounded and he is delighted to keep the label going. He says, "Ludacris has built Disturbing Tha Peace into one of the iconic names in hip-hop, one that will remain an important part of the Island Def Jam family." Ludacris co-founded Disturbing Tha Peace in 2000 with his manager Chaka Zulu when the rapper failed to land a record deal. It is now home to artists including Bobby Valentino and Steph Jones, Chingy, Playaz Circle and Shareffa.

Usher's Producer leaks new tracks online, then apologizes?

USHER's producer has apologised to the R+B superstar for leaking music from his upcoming album online. Polow Da Don admits he recently placed unfinished tracks, including Love In This Club and Timbaland/Ludacris collaborations Moving Mountains and Dat Gurl Right There, on the internet. The studio wizard claims he leaked the tracks to build momentum for the Usher album, which doesn't yet have a release date.

Da Don explains to MTV, "I actually leaked it, I'm the culprit. It's no secret. "I told him (Usher) when I saw him that I had to put my relationship on the line: `If it fails, I know you probably gonna be mad at me. I know you probably won't f**k with me anymore.' "When I spoke to Usher, he was like, `Maaaan, why'd you do it?'. He knew I leaked the record, he didn't have to ask. I was like, `What?' He said, 'You know you leaked the record.' "But he was getting good calls on it too. He wasn't mad, but he was like, `Why'd you do that?' This jerk just lost his future production deals. I don't know why Usher is not working with my multi-Grammy award winning friend and Superproducer Manuel Seal who did his previous albums.

Michael Jackson's 25th anniversary "Thriller" album is out today.

An expanded 25th anniversary edition is in stores today. It includes a CD of the original nine-song album, pristinely remastered, with six new remixed songs by current pop stars will.i.am, Akon, Fergie and Kanye West. The album's groundbreaking music videos and Jackson's career-defining 1983 performance on the television special Motown 25: Yesterday, Today and Forever are on DVD. Thriller won eight Grammy awards in 1984.

Jay-Z in talks with Warner label?

There have been rumors of Jay-Z starting his own label, but is it really going to happen? After leaving Def Jam at the end of 2007, everyone wondered if the executive role was right for the legendary MC. Now, according to the New York Daily News, an inside source told the paper that the former Def Jam Prez is actually in talks with Warner Music Group chairman, Lyor Cohen, and also gave some insight as to why he left Def Jam in the first place. More from Baller Status

Diddy signs Janelle Monae to Bad Boy Entertainment.

A Warner Brothers representative confirmed that Janelle Monae is the latest addition to the Bad Boy Entertainment roster. Monae was first discovered at Kim Porter’s ‘Three Brown Girls’ open mic night at Justin’s in Atlanta and created a fan base within Historically Black Colleges & University communities.

CBS's Last.fm Web Site Will Offer Free Music Service.

CBS's Last.fm Web site is starting a free streaming music service supported by advertising. Last.fm has deals with the four-biggest record companies to offer about 3.5 million tracks free of charge to listeners. The site plans to expand beyond music into sports, news and television.