I.B. BAD DIPS HIS TOE IN, AS A STREAM BECOMES A TORRENT

After months of grinding negotiations between Apple’s Eddy Cue and the major labels and publishers, the floodgates have finally opened, as licensing deals for iRadio have been or are being finalized with Warner/Chappell, Warner/Atlantic, Sony/ATV, Sony Music and UMPG.

Sony/ATV chieftain Marty Bandier,who has a well-earned reputation as a hard bargainer, is said to have hammered out an extremely favorable deal with Apple some time ago. According to those close to the situation, WMG COO Rob Wiesenthal, who was previously EVP of Sony/ATV parent company Sony Entertainment, was given the details of the Bandier deal, which became the basis of the agreement Wiesenthal forged on behalf of Warner/Chappell.

Cameron Strang is considering making some personnel moves in his retooling of beleaguered Warner Bros. Records. Republic EVP Tom Mackay, who’s presently enjoying great success with his crossover country act Florida Georgia Line, is rumored to be having conversations about a high-ranking job in Burbank. Mackay still has time left on his contract; how will Republic deal with this potential poaching? And what implications will Strang’s future moves have for current Chairman Rob Cavallo, who has great relationships and credibility with many of the label’s artists?

Wonderers are wondering when Dr. Luke,who inked a five-year deal with Sony Music for his Kemosabe label in2011, will begin to deliver the hits and breakthrough artists that have earmarked his career.

What major label ruler is said to be deeply regretful about having granted arich label deal to a former major-label head, who has yet to deliver anything remotely resembling a commercially viable act?

Meanwhile, rumblings continue about the future of a top executive who has yet to make good on his mandate to transform the company he was given responsibility for, while also failing to impress his colleagues with his business acumen.

Five months into the year, Monte Lipman’s Republic (with 9.3%) has taken a slight lead over Peter Edge and Tom Corson’s RCA (9.2%) at the top of the new-release marketshare leaderboard. Their nearest rival is IGA (6.1%), which has continued to inch upward since John Janick took the reins last fall—though Bob Morelli’s RED Distribution actually outpaced all but the top two label groups, with an impressive 7.4%.

Names in the rumor mill: Daniel Glass, Ashley Newton, Lyor Cohen, Steve Berman, David Massey and Jacqueline Saturn.