Questions are constantly asked about the state and relevance of digital media, especially pertaining to music, but there is no question that digital media companies are forces to be reckoned with. In the past digital media has been plagued with problems, but recently there have been several deals made to solidify its presence as a big one.

One such deal is that of Lime Wire and Red Eye Distribution, which houses labels such as Yep Roc Records and Bonfire, with artists including Lisa Loeb, Chuck D and the Donnas. What exactly does the deal entail? It entails Redeye giving Lime Wire over 20,000 songs to sell over their site. Redeye is an addition to a significant list of companies to work with Lime Wire, such as Ingrooves and IRIS.

Last.fm, a music site launched by CBS Corp.'s last months is also enjoying success. The site is connected with several labels and artists, big and small. With over 21 million people in America, the United Kingdom and Germany each month and for free, the percentage of unique listeners in the U.S. has gone up 92%, while the number of visitors has gone up by 59%.

Lastly, the Songwriter Association of Canada has come up with a way to share without it hurting. They proposed The Right to Equitable Remuneration for Music File Sharing, a $5-dollar-a-month increase in Canadian Internet bills, that would serve as compensation for artists whose music is shared on P2P networks.

However, not everyone is faring as well. Musicbrigade AB, who offers mobile and Internet music and videos to European sites and, based in Sweden, has been terminated.

From Hollywoodreporter. com