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SEVEN DAYS IN MAY

The Firm, Clive, Shapiro, Aaliyah, Strick, MP3.com, Napster, the RIAA, MAP and more
A summary of the week's top stories, as brought to you by hitsdailydouble.com:
  1. THE FIRM AND OVERBROOK HAVE URGE TO MERGE: Jeff Kwatinetz and Mike Green's The Firm joins forces with James Lassiter's Overbrook Entertainment, bringing Will Smith and Jada Pinkett under the Firm's huge umbrella, which includes such music acts as Backstreet Boys, Michael Jackson, Korn, Limp Bizkit, Enrique Iglesias, Orgy and others; actors like Martin Lawrence and Ice Cube; and directors such as Steve Carr. (5/8)
  2. CLIVE TO BE REPLACED BY L.A. REID: Clive Davis' unparalleled 25-year reign at Arista Records comes to an end as he will be replaced by veteran LaFace head L.A. Reid when his contract runs out on June 30. (5/2)
  3. HERTZ MAKES INTERNET PLAY: Music biz attorney goes digital, being named CEO of Digital Brandcasting Corp. as rumors swirl about further plays. (5/8)
  4. ATLANTIC GM IN PLAY, CHOOSES TO STAY: Atlantic Records GM Ron Shapiro is wooed by L.A. Reid to take over the Presidency of Arista Records, but decides he'd rather stay than go. (5/9)
  5. AALIYAH SET TO SIGN WITH VIRGIN: Soul star hopes to parlay her "Love & Basketball" success into a new label deal as she leaves Atlantic with Barry Hankerson's Blackground label. (5/11 Rumor Mill)
  6. STRICK'S A MATERIAL GUY: BMG Publishing President Danny Strick accepts Guy Oseary's offer to become an A&R exec at Madonna's Maverick label. Next, he gets to date one of the members of Cleopatra. (5/8)
  7. NAPSTER NIXED IN COURTS: Controversial file-sharing software program Napster was the target of both Metallica and the RIAA this week, going O-for-2 and setting up a continued battle in the courts. (5/8)
  8. MP3 IN A CONCILIATORY MOOD: Controversial Music Service Provider loses round in RIAA court case, pulls copyrighted material off MyMP3.com site, inks pact with BMI, muzzles Michael Robertson. (5/11)
  9. BMI PACTS WITH MP3.COM: Performing rights org joins ASCAP in inking deal with beleagured netco thereby allowing Joe Fleischer to whistle "Kumbiya" in the shower. (5/8)
  10. MAJOR DISTRIBUTORS LOSE MAP: The five major distributors were forced by the FTC to drop their "Minimum Advertised Price," thereby setting off what promises to be a price war among major retailers. (5/2)
NEAR TRUTHS: SPRING BLOOMS
Here come the big guns. (3/28a)
THE COUNT: COLDPLAY IS HOT, COUNTRY'S COOKIN' IN THE U.K.
The latest tidbits from the bustling live sector (3/28a)
CITY OF HOPE TAPS MARCIANO FOR TOP HONOR
This year's philanthropic model (3/28a)
TRUST IN THE TOP 20
Hip-hop is no longer hibernating. (3/28a)
UMG BROADENS SPOTIFY OFFERINGS
Sir Lucian and Daniel are in harmony. (3/28a)
THE NEW UMG
Gosh, we hope there are more press releases.
TIKTOK BANNED!
Unless the Senate manages to make this whole thing go away, that is.
THE NEW HUGE COUNTRY ACT
No, not that one.
TRUMP'S CAMPAIGN PLAYLIST
Now 100% unlicensed!
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