• Artist development is not dead...at least in the UK. New British acts like Corrine Bailey Rae, Arctic Monkeys, Dirty Pretty Things and Sandi Thom have accounted for 17.2% of UK music sales this year. The British Phonographic Industry credits an increase "in the quality in new acts and the creative impetus of digital media." (The Hollywood Reporter)

• Start up eMinor (a seriously Google-screwed company at this point) landed $2 million in funding. The company will launch ReverbNation.com this fall. The site will be, according to the CEO, "empower musicians and independent bands so they can more closely interact with their fans and, as a result, be in better control of their financial destiny." No word yet if the service includes a manager, a booking agent, a publicist, an accountant, a lawyer and a group of fans who actually leave the house at night. (Digital Music News)

• Russian cheapo download site AllofMP3.com is down. Why is this suspicous? Richard Menta explains that in two weeks there will be an ammendment to the Russian copyright law, which will require AllofMP3.com "to come to some direct agreement with the worldwide record industry." (MP3newswire.net)

• Los Angeles loses a country station as its switches to "the mix that makes you move." (Radio Ink)

• iLounge has details on the Microsoft Zune's body, interface and capabilities. It's made entirely of plastic, has a Wi-Fi capability that allows users to loan songs to other Zune users, displays album art and has an integrated FM radio. (iLounge, via Engadget)

• A Paris Hilton autograph signing at a Manhattan FYE (which "caused a veritable riot") marks the beginning of the elaphantine marketing push for her upcoming album, Paris (out this coming Tuesday on Warner Bros). Next up: a tour with dancers choreographed by Pussycat Doll member Robin Anton, and voice lessons before a tour. No kidding. (Rock & Roll Daily)