Germany's BMG Rights Management officials say they're considering adding to their music library, citing low prices and little competition. BMG Rights executive Hartwig Masuch said the company planned to spend $360 million to acquire music rights during the next 18 months, Variety reported Thursday. In July, BMG acquired the rights to more than 8,000 songs from Los Angeles-based Crosstown Songs America, which has copyrights on songs such as Sheryl Crow's All I Wanna Do, Tina Turner's When the Heartache Is Over and Ricky Martin's Livin' la Vida Loca.

By Mark Lowry, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas Jul.

By Glenn Gamboa, Newsday, Melville, N.Y. Jul. 21--Yaz's charm was always in its simplicity, in the elegant blank verse of Alison Moyet's poetic lyrics and in Vince Clarke's economic but melodic musical accompaniment.

By Jim Harrington, Contra Costa Times, Walnut Creek, Calif. Jul. 8--Vince Clarke is a founding member of three of the most significant synth-pop bands in history: Depeche Mode, Erasure and Yaz. The first two have each been around now for well over 20 years.

BECK "Modern Guilt" Grade: C-plus There's a point near the end of "Chemtrails" when elaborate drum fills are exploding like fireworks on the Fourth of July, cymbals are joyously crashing, guitars are raging and all Beck can do is moan over it all like a mopey Brian Wilson with a toothache.