• The New York Post's Brian Garrity reported today that Amazon.com's digital music store will launch in mid-September. " The service is expected to carry somewhere around 1 million tracks at launch, featuring music from Universal Music Group, EMI and a large number of independent labels. But it will be missing music from two notable sources, Sony BMG and Warner Music Group. ... Unlike Apple, which charges 99 cents for songs with DRM and $1.29 for unprotected tracks, Amazon is expected to have at least two prices for individual songs: 99 cents for new and popular MP3s, and 89 cents for music from emerging artists and back catalog tracks. Albums are expected to cost between $7.99 and $9.99." (New York Post)

• Bertelsmann AG has agreed to pay $130 million to publishers who are part of the lawsuit against the original Napster. (Billboard.biz)

• Country group Diamond Rio has signed with Warner Music Group's Word Records and will release a Christmas album on October 9. (Music Row)

• SpiralFrog, still chugging along to an eventual U.S. launch, inked a deal with Universal Music Canada and Universal Music Publishing. (Press release)

• The Australia Recording Industry Association is pushing for Australian ISPs to cut the service of repeat copyright infringers. (Ars Technica)

• Portland's Musicfest NW has added national acts (Cat Power, Clipse, Grizzly Bear), will be broadcast by KEXP, and will have one of the first showings of the Kurt Cobain biopic "About a Son." The festival runs September 9-12 and wristbands cost $40. (Oregon Live)

• September will be a big month for new albums: Kenny Chesney, Kanye West, 50 Cent, James Blunt, KT Tunstall, Babyface, Barry Manilow (more cover songs), Rascal Flatts, Foo Fighters, Melissa Etheridge, Iron & Wine and Steve Earle. (Variety)

• Darren Dean, an executive at record label Ruff Ryders, has been indicted on drug and weapons charges. (Newsday)