I.B. BAD ON IOVINE’S IGA, GUNS, AC/DC, KID ROCK AND ITUNES

Jimmy Iovine’s IGA hasn’t lost significant marketshare thus far this year despite the absence of new product from some of its biggest-selling acts, but the perennial power is expected to gain ground in Q4, with Eminem, Dr. Dre, Black Eyed Peas, U2 and—believe it or not—Guns N’ Roses all expected to deliver albums before the end of 2008.

Word is that Guns N’ Roses will be a Best Buy exclusive, but also available on iTunes. The band is now managed by Irving Azoff and Andy Gould; Azoff is, of course, thoroughly familiar with exclusives, having orchestrated last year’s wildly successful Eagles-Wal-Mart arrangement.

Speaking of the big box retailer, Wal-Mart has locked up AC/DC’s first album in eight years, coming Oct. 21 on Columbia. Steve Barnett, who brought the band to the label, joined Rob Stringer in working out the exclusive, with Azoff orchestrating the role of matchmaker on the retailer’s behalf.

The Aussie rockers continue to withhold its catalog from iTunes because of the #1 retailer’s insistence on selling tracks a la cart e on every album in the store, and that boycott is expected to continue with the new album, even as the band has reportedly made a deal with Guitar Hero.

The decision by Kid Rock not to allow his belated hit album to be sold at the iTunes Store on similar grounds brings up some intriguing questions. Will we see a trend of major acts withholding their releases from iTunes, and if so, will iTunes think about changing its tune regarding its refusal to permit album-only downloads?