Los Angeles - Concert promoter and venue owner Live Nation (NYSE: LYV) gave up equity stakes to performers including U2, Jay-Z and Madonna when it signed lucrative "360 deals" with them that includes recording, touring and merchandise, the Los Angeles Times reported, citing a regulatory filing.

London - U.K. record company revenues outside direct sales of music -- such as licensing, and other areas outside the recording copyright -- increased by 13.8% to $242 million in 2007, and now account for 11.4% of their domestic income, according to a report from the BPI, a record label trade group. The report noted that income from new digital business models -- such as on-demand Web and mobile streaming -- grew by 55.7% in 2007.

Los Angeles - After reports of tension in the executive ranks at concert promotion giant Live Nation (NYSE: LYV) -- over the company's recent spate of multi-million dollar "360 deals" with artists including Madonna and Jay-Z, the company announced on Friday that chairman Michael Cohl, also CEO of the company's Live Nation Artists division, has stepped down and resigned his seat on the company's board, effective immediately. The Wall Street Journal had recently reported that Cohl, a veteran concert promoter who had pushed the company to quickly sign additional 360 deals, had threatened to quit, facing opposition from CEO Michael Rapino, who favored a more gradual expansion of the deals.

New York - Top executives at concert promoter Live Nation (NYSE: LYV) have been fiercely at odds over the company's moves to sign an increasing number of multi-million dollar "360 deals" with artists such as Madonna and Jay-Z, The Wall Street Journal reports.

Toronto, Canada - In order to align the musicians' interests with those of their record label or management company, they should get stock options, much like the company executives get. That way, it would be a true partnership in building the artists' brands for the long run, according to Terry McBride, CEO Nettwerk Management. It was one of the innovative ideas he brought to the table at a session on the new 360 deals at Canadian Music Week's digital music & media summit.