• Starbucks' Hear Music has signed its first developing artist, Hilary McRae. Previous artist signings -- Paul McCartney, James Taylor, Joni Mitchell -- have come to Starbucks not only with built-in audiences but considerable legacies. Getting press attention for them has been easy. McRae and Hear Music will start from scratch. The success of McRae will tell us far more about Starbucks' ability to sell music than will its previous three signings. Clue #1 can be found at Google news: As of this morning, there is only one news story about this new artist signing. When the previous three signed the news was everywhere. Paul McCartney's high level of awareness, for example, surely played a huge part in his sales. How will Starbucks customers flock to an unknown artist? Let's wait and see. Update: The publicist pointed out it was premature at the time of this post to talk about Google news numbers. The press released was not serviced until after this post was published. Duly noted. I will mention, though, that Google News has only 14 press mentions a day and a half later.) (Billboard.biz)

• More on yesterday's news that Terra Firma is considering divesting EMI's distribution business: A spokesperson for the private equity firm confirms it is conducting a strategic review of EMI's operations and will make a decision by roughly February. As for those discussions with other firms about taking a stake in EMI's equity, the spokesperson said, "This is normal course of business - all major private equity deals are syndicated in this way." More thoughts at Silicon Alley Insider. My quick thoughts: Terra Firma should want extremely consolidated ownership so it can cut to cure and maximize its gains when it's time to cash in. But bringing in other investors right now isn't exactly a sign up distress. Selling off a distribution division would be par for the course and might force EMI to focus even harder on digital growth. (The Times Online)

• The Who are going to launch a $50-per-year subscription service that will allow users access to a message board, full length videos, audio (streams, and judging from the description some tethered tracks that can be uploaded to select portable devices), . The service will launch November 5 and is obviously for extremely serious fans only. (Harp, via Listening Post)

• MySpace will work with startup company Zazzle.com to enable musicians to allow musicians to create virtual stores for merchandise and allow fans to customize items such as T-shirts. Zazzle will use a widget to take consumers to a store that the artist has set up, and the company says merchandise will be manufactured and shipped within 24 hours of placing the order. The company is working with some merchandise licensees to obtain sublicenses for artists currently with contracts. (Wall Street Journal)

• What does a nine-year-old think about file-sharing? "Why would they put [music] on the internet and invent mp3 players if it was against the law?" (TorrentFreak, via Kottke)

• The F.C.C. has announced the panelists for Wednesday's media ownership hearing in D.C. They include Bob Edwards from N.P.R.'s "Morning Edition," the Rev. Jesse Jackson and Capital Broadcasting President/CEO Jim Goodman. (Radio Ink)

[music jobs] Brand and Online Marketing Manager at The Ascot Club/Am Only; Brooklyn, NY.