• EMI is expected to report a 55% drop in pretax profit for the first half of the year. News like is sure to fuel to the chatter about an eventual merger between EMI and Warner Music Group. (Read Dow Jones article)

• The deal-making continues: EMI Music Publishing has inked a deal with the (editor's opinion: utterly unwatchable) Current TV network that will put its music in approximately one-third of its programming. (Read article at Billboard.biz)

• Joel Klaimon was named new Senior Vice President of Promotion/Artist Development at Universal Republic. (Read article at Hits)

• Sean Ryan, former chief executive of Listen.com, laments the "label tax" imposed by Universal Music Group on sales of Zune hardware. The technologist's favorite term, "slippery slope," makes an apperance. For a change, its use actually has merit. He wrote, "I think we're running out of high margin drivers for anyone but the labels, who continue to drive alternative revenue sources." Yes. As soon as the drivers realized they are the drivers, the negotiations changed. (Read op-ed at Forbes.com)

• Prince has opened a nightclub called 321 at the Rio hotel-casino in Las Vegas and is currently doing two shows a week. (Read New York Times article)