Links for 1.4.08: Reznor’s numbers, BMG’s DRM, Chuck D’s pitch…

*Has Apple illegally bullied Microsoft out of the digital music space? [digital music the future]

*BMG to drop DRM, embrace MP3s. (It’s been coming for what seems like forever.) [buzzfeed]

*Digital music accounted for a record 10% of music purchased in 2007. [ZDNet]

*Pandora lovers outside the U.S. can now use the service again with Hotspot Shield. [mashable]

*Trent Reznor releases the numbers behind the In Rainbows style release of Saul Williams’ new album. [metal sucks]

*Chuck D wants to run Def Jam now that Jay-Z is out. [getty images]

*The New York Times reports on opera’s move to embrace more mainstream consumers by transmitting shows to movie theaters.

Links for 10.10.07: Jaiku scores, Rainbows drops, Techmeme sinks, UK band flops +

*Google buys Jaiku. (Is this an example of not learning a lesson from the pre-purchase YouTube / Google Video battle? The lesson being that a product’s mojo matters.)

*It’s In Rainbows time. Here’s Peefork’s guide to the new Radiohead album.

*Turns out, Techmeme doesn’t push much link juice.

*Digital Music News on how Reznor plans to take heis music to straight to the people.

*David Carr writes in the NY Times about how rock stars are the new big screen rock stars.

*Check out the real-life inspirations for the venues in the soon-to-be-released videogame Rock Band. No First Ave. [kotaku]

*Would you like a rubber cellphone? [geek sugar]

*UK Band Batch Totem releases its album on a floppy disk. Hardcore retro geeking. [BB]

*Medialoper is tracking Wilco songs on TV.

*Local Halloween: Surly brings the Darkness. [via MNSpeak]