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More European music lovers will soon be able to enjoy the offerings of Music Choice, a leading provider of audio and data services. Zug, Switzerland-based The">http://www.fantastic.com/">The Fantastic Corporation announced an agreement October 28 with Music Choice that will expand the musical options for computer-equipped music fans in Great Britain, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and other countries.

More than a year after BMG Germany had to recallhttp://www.stereophile.com/news/10671/">recall; a massive shipment of "copy-proof" CDs, an American record label is preparing to attempt a similar experiment. In April, Nashville independent label Music City Records will issue Charley Pride: A Tribute to Jim Reeves, copy protection included.

The first National Critics Conference in US history took place May 25–29 at the Omni Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. Subtitled "Critical Unity in Critical Times," the gathering brought together US and Canadian members of organizations devoted to visual arts, dance, jazz, classical music, and theater criticism.

One of the most esteemed labels in the audiophile universe should soon be back in business. Online retailer Music">http://www.musicdirect.com">Music Direct has purchased remastering and re-release specialty company Mobile Fidelity, according to an http://pages.prodigy.net/amicus1/end_los.htm"> announcement made April 24.

Certain ideas (or memes in Internet jargon) seem to achieve instantaneous critical mass, at least if you judge them by how frequently certain web URLs are transmitted among friends. One article that appeared in our inbox many times this week linked us to research by music psychologist Adrian North of the University of Leicester, who led a team of researchers who monitored 346 people for two weeks, evaluating how they related">http://www.toptechnews.com/news/Research-Claims-MP3s-Create-Apathy/stor… to music.

One look at Gig Harbor Audio's events for September makes you stop and wonder. This month, the store, located near the water in the picturesque town of Gig Harbor, WA less than an hour from Seattle, began the month with a live concert by homegrown band, Rokkerbox, which benefitted for the local food bank. Next on the schedule are a three-hour "Social Media Basics" workshop with Tiffany Burke (September 20), a weekly hour-long "Disc After Dark" all-ages listening party (September 22), and a PTSD Healing Summit (September 25). With not a single presentation by an industry heavyweight, and lots of events aimed at the wider community, this is not your typical schedule for a high-end emporium.

After a May 10 http://stereophile.com/news/10744/"> announcement from the Federal Trade Commission that it had negotiated a settlement with the music industry's "Big Five" over a controversial pricing policy, enterprising private attorneys wasted little time initiating class-action lawsuits (1http://www.stereophile.com/news/10750/">1;, 2http://www.stereophile.com/news/10803/">2;) against them. By early August, some reports placed the number of suits nationwide at more than 100.