iTunes will distribute concert recordings by Ryuichi Sakamoto within 24 hours of his performances in Japan early next year.
Sakamoto will perform 21 shows in 18 cities between March 18 and April 28. The concert performances will be available in Japan and eventually worldwide on Apple's iTunes.
Tour is in support of "Out Of Noise," his first release in five years. No word yet on whether the influence of the Brazilian musicians he has been working with the last several years (Marissa Monte, Morelenbaum2) will creep into the new work. 
This is the first deal iTunes has made to rapidly offer new music anywhere in the world. 
Details, in Japanese, are Sakamoto's new website. He also has an English language site that has not been updated with the details.

Each week that Wal-Mart gets touted as a crucial component in album's sales effort, it's usually alongside a discount price. Eagles new album - two CDs for $11.88. Journey's album of two CDs and a DVD: $11. 88. Packaging of Tim McGraw's two hits compilations: $11.88.
Yet when it comes to albums they are not selling as exclusives, Wal-Mart seems to be violating its own bargain-basement principles: They might the most expensive e-tailer out there, pricing CDs $2 to $4 higher than other online outlets.
I stumbled on this while researching Solange's "Sol-Angel & the Hadley Street Dreams," which Amazon had on sale for $6.99 and iTunes was offering for $7.99. Wal-Mart has the album listed for $9.82.
Wal-Mart often plays a role in determining which album hits No. 1 but this week it was not offering the Game's "LAX" and it was selling Slipknot's "All Hope is Gone" for almost four bucks more than iTunes and Amazon, which had it for $9.99. Wal-Mart is selling the CD for $13.88.
of the 11 albums that debuted this week in the top 50, Wal-Mart was selling only one disc for a price lower than iTunes or Amazon, the Lost Trailers' "Holla Back," and at $9.72, that was a mere 18 cents cheaper than iTunes.B.B. Kings "One Kind Favor" has the biggest span: $9.99 at Amazon, $11.99 at iTunes and $13.88 at Wal-Mart. 
Click on the various sites offerings in their "sales" areas and Wal-Mart's nine hot new releases are mostly selling for between $12 and $15 with Miley Cyrus' "breakout" listed as the only one under $11.88.
iTunes is has Young Jeezy's "The Recession" at the top of its hot list selling for $9.99. Amazon appears to be going gangbusters with pre-release sales of Metallica's "Death Magnetic" at $8.99. It will be released Sept. 12.
The one disc being promoted across all three sites is Chris Tomlin's new album, which Amazon has at the lowest prices, $9.99.
As for the existing hits, it does not improve. Test case: "Mamma Mia!" soundtrack is $12.88 at Wal-Mart, nearly $3 more than Amazon and iTunes. Meanwhile, all three have the latest from the Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus at just under 10 bucks.
      

Story by Matt Kivel

The boys of Radiohead are anything but bashful when it comes to embracing the internet and new media. Whether it be posts on the group's Dead Air Space blog, their first live performance of 2008 streaming online, the Scotch Mist New Year's Eve Videos and their well-documented you-name-it pricing scheme for In Rainbows ... Yorke and Co have been generous to their legions of internet savy fans.

Their latest is a series of videos made recently available via Itunes' Music Store. Filmed on a single day with Nigel Godrich's From The Basement crew, the videos capture Radiohead performing a handful of In Rainbows songs in an intimate setting.   

Morgan Freeman finally gets his "In Rainbows" box set!

At least two major labels say the companies are a long way off from signing deals with Apple that would provide unlimited access to the iTunes library to iPod and iPhone users who pay a premium fee.
The Financial Times reported Wednesday that the majors are looking at a plan similar to Nokia's “comes with music” deal with Universal Music that was formalized in December.
One person familiar with negotiations said the economics of the Nokia deal far outweigh anything Apple has offered and the labels' discussions with Apple are more keyed to extending existing contracts.
Apple broached the idea about a year ago with the labels, none of which have even given a thumbs up to offering subscription services, the basis of the Apple plan.

Daughtry and "High School Musical 2" are duking it out to see which will be the top-selling album of the year, but in Apple's world, Maroon 5 is the top dog. While Apple did not release sales figures, a little bit of math could give us a ballpark figure. It won't be Soon" has sold 244,000 digital copies and the current rule of thumb is that iTunes is responsible for 80% of all download sales. That puts iTunes sales at about 195,000 copies. The digital sales represent 17% of the album's 1.439 million units sold.

ITUNES BEST-SELLING ALBUMS OF 2007

1. Maroon 5 - It Won't Be Soon Before Long
2. Amy Winehouse - Back To Black
3. Kanye West - Graduation
4. Daughtry - Daughtry
5. Colbie Caillat - Coco
6. Linkin Park - Minutes to Midnight
7. Various Artists - High School Musical 2 (Original Soundtrack)
8. Timbaland - Shock Value
9. John Mayer - Continuum
10. Various Artists-  Hairspray (Soundtrack to the Motion Picture)

ITUNES BEST-SELLING SONGS OF 2007

1. Fergie "Big Girls Don't Cry (Personal)"
2. Gwen Stefani "The Sweet Escape"
3. Plain White T's "Hey There Delilah"
4. Avril Lavigne "Girlfriend"
5. Fergie "Glamorous"
6. Kanye West "Stronger"
7. Maroon 5 "Makes Me Wonder"
8. Akon "Don't Matter"
9. Timbaland "The Way I Are (feat. Keri Hilson & D.O.E.)
10. Shop Boyz "Party Like a Rock Star"

As a Luddite with every intention of purchasing Bruce Springsteen's "Magic" on vinyl, I'm taking the word of this guy at salon that amazon has created a shopping experience superior to iTunes.
Apple's site has always struck me as a place to go provided you knew exactly what you wanted to purchase. There is no sense of adventure, no way to casually wander the cyber-aisles, take chances or even get tips about music that hasn't paid for its POP. Amazon, which obvioulsy has paid-for placement as well, has always felt like a warehouse with some knowledgeable clerks. They knew that if you were ordering a wine book you might need stemware, too, not mention a Graham Parker CD to go with the Nick Lowe CD you just ordered.
Years ago, when iTunes was relatively new, I remember trying to describe the greatness of Richard Thompson at wine-saturated group at a friend's house. Amazon was great, with descriptions, reviews and 30-second bits of songs. Apple, though, was clueless as to the breadth and scope of his wonderful work.
Perhaps the most comical aspect of the competing MP3 shops is that Feist is getting the benefit of her iPod ads at amazon, where she has Wednesday's top seller.