The IFPI published its annual Digital Music Report with some optimistic findings. Frances Moore, chief executive of IFPI said: "It is hard to remember a year for the recording industry that has begun with such a palpable buzz in the air.". Read More

The Harry Fox Agency, Inc. (HFA), a provider of rights management solutions for the music industry, announced today that it is working with Google Play to deliver rights management services for its digital music service for Android devices and the web. Read More

Nashville, Tenn. – Gibson Guitar Corp. announced on Wednesday that it has partnered with chipmaker Cirrus Logic to develop new digital audio networking products. The companies will collaborate on next-generation, gigabit Ethernet-based products for use in recording, live music distribution and network-based consumer content delivery. http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/051109/20051109005209.html?.v=1 http://www.cirrus.com http://www.gibsonmagic.com

Tewksbury, Mass. — Avid Technology, a major provider of video production technology, has agreed to pay $80 million in cash and 2 million shares of common stock to acquire Irwindale, Calif.-based M-Audio, a provider of digital audio and MIDI technology for electronic musicians and audio professionals. The deal also includes earn-out provisions, based on M-Audio's future financial performance. Founded in 1988, M-Audio has about 200 employees in the U.S. and Europe who develop products [...].

Austin — D2Audio, a developer of digital audio amplifiers for the professional and consumer markets, announced on Wednesday that it has raised $15.5 million in its second round of venture capital financing. Lightspeed Venture Partners led the investment round; Austin Ventures and Sevin Rosen Funds also participated. Austin-based D2Audio says its "intelligent" amplifiers are capable of recognizing the speakers to which they are attached and optimizing the sound accordingly, and can take into consideration [...].

Cambridge, England — Imerge, a developer of Internet-connected, hard disk-based audio products and media appliances, announced that it has raised $1.1 million in its most recent round of financing. Investors included British Smaller Businesses, Generics and JVB Private Equity. Cambridge-based Imerge's XiVA software and hardware reference platforms have been licensed by consumer electronics manufacturers including Marantz, Onkyo, Revox and Linn. The company also manufactures the SoundServer S200, a CD/digital music player with an 80GB hard drive. http://www.imerge.co.uk