The proposed acquisition of EMI's recorded music division by Universal Music Group is expected to see a rocky road ahead, though not everybody is lining up against the merger. Elsewhere, Pandora continues to be lumped in with social media companies despite facing very different operating challenges.

After a banner 2011 with record TV ratings, the Billboard Music Awards are back this Sunday, May 20th live on ABC at 8/7c. This year, social media will play an even greater role with on-air integration, free downloads, celebrity tweets (hashtag #BBMA - not just for the famous), ticket giveaways, and much more.

MTV Tr3s is looking for the next big music act in the "Dame Un Break" competition which will give aspiring Latino artists a chance to compete in an online battle of the bands campaign on Ourstage.com, network officials announced.

Music subscription service Spotify is reportedly raising money at a $4 billion valuation with Goldman Sachs set to invest $100 million and the round fetching as much as $220 million. A $4 billion valuation would put Spotify in the upper echelon of music companies valued higher than WMG, Pandora and Live Nation.

Brooklyn-based independent label Fool's Gold announced today it is launching a premium digital subscription service called The Goldmine. The new service will provide access to new Fool's Gold music as high quality 320 mp3 / WAV downloads, plus extras, including: back catalog selections, exclusive content (remixes, a cappella tracks, DJ sets), merch discounts, priority access to events, and “other surprises the Fool's Gold braintrust decides to cook up.”

Google is introducing a new tool, designed to make its search engine smarter. The new feature debuted Wednesday draws from a Google-built database of more than 500 million people, places and commonly requested things to provide a summary of vital information alongside the main search results.

Responding to extraordinary demand, Facebook said Wednesday that it would sell more stock in the company's initial public offering. But ahead of the IPO, a debate emerged between two of the nation's largest automakers: Does it pay to advertise on the social network? General Motors and Ford have a different take on the social media site's  marketing effectiveness.

Billboard.biz caught up with Scooter Braun (also known by legions as "Justin Bieber's manager") at the Third Annual FlashFWD Awards on the same day his Schoolboy Records announced a label and distribution deal with UMG Chairman Lucian Grainge. Here the 30-year old entrepreneur discussed avoiding complacency, dominating the Hot 100 (thanks to Bieber, The Wanted and Carly Rae Jepsen) and the music execs he most admires.

Myxer, long known for its sales of ringtones, wallpaper, and other relics of the pre-smartphone era, impressed us with its plan for its group-listening app, Myxer Social Radio. Myxer founder Myk Willis told Evolver.fm that Myxer will see its millionth install this week, which is nothing to sneeze at.

Carrie Underwood holds at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for a second week, with "Blown Away" selling another 120,000 copies (down 55%, according to Nielsen SoundScan). It's Underwood's third No. 1 album, but first to spend more than a week at the top.

Carrie Underwood holds at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 for a second week, with "Blown Away" selling another 120,000 copies (down 55%, according to Nielsen SoundScan). It's Underwood's third No. 1 album, but first to spend more than a week at the top.

Facebook says 25 percent more shares will be sold as investors clamor for shares in the year's hottest stock offering. The social networking behemoth said in a regulatory filing Wednesday that about 421 million shares will be sold, up from 337 million under its earlier plans.

Scott Rudin is producing the biopic about the polarizing Apple co-founder.

Spotify has reached 20 million monthly active users, according to a count seen at Facebook. But Spotify is sticking with its latest publicly released numbers of 10 million active users and more than three million paid subscriptions. Speaking of Spotify, the company is going back to the future with a promotion aimed at university students in the United Kingdom. And Senzari reportedly has raised $1 million from “investors in both Miami and Silicon Valley

Pop band Marianas Trench has emerged with seven nominations for the 2012 MuchMusic Video Awards, topping other nominees such as Drake, Justin Bieber, Nickelback and Simple Plan. The annual awards will be broadcast live June 17 at MuchMusic, housed inside the Bell Media building in downtown Toronto.

Universal Music Group revenues increased 9.1% to $1.28 billion in the first quarter of 2012. Earnings before interest, taxes and amortization (EBITA) grew 47% to $90.8 million. Parent company Vivendi attributed revenue growth in part to a strong release schedule that included albums by Madonna, Nicki Minaj, Van Halen, Gotye, Lana Del Rey and Germany’s Unheilig.

David Clark, former general manager of Fuse, is joining Madison Square Garden Media as executive vice president of integrated sales. Mike Bair, president of MSG Media, will continue his oversight of Fuse as the network searches for a new executive.

Half of Americans think Facebook is a passing fad, according to the results of a new Associated Press-CNBC poll. But in the run-up to the social network's IPO, half the people surveyed say they think Facebook is a good bet with those under 35 being the most interested in the massive social network's stock offer.

Muve Music, the music subscription of Cricket Wireless with 600,000 subscribers across the U.S., has added the catalogs of TuneCore, the Orchard and CD Baby. The deals will more than double Muve Music’s catalog to over 10 million tracks.

East Sussex melodic rock quartet Keane scored their fifth consecutive No. 1 on the U.K. album chart yesterday with “Strangeland” (Universal Isand). London starlet Rita Ora debuted atop the singles survey with “R.I.P.” (Roc Nation/Columbia/Sony Music Entertainment), which follows her chart-topping guest appearance on DJ Fresh’s  “Hot Right Now” in February.