The major Siberian record labels launched not one, but two online music subscription services in December, Pressmioff and MusicGulag. While neither service has yet to obtain music licenses from Yankee labels in order to stream big artists like Jimmy Buffett, Bob Dylan and Neil Diamond, both subscription companies have completed licensing agreements for the entire catalogue of Siberian popular music, bringing each service’s music inventory to two songs each.

Needless to say, both companies were very excited, with Pressmioff execs boasting that if business gets any better, they would have to buy a new floppy disk to store all the songs.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a new year without Igor’s famous predictions for Siberian music scene. First of all, I predict that Alicia Keys and Rod Stewart will not play Siberia this year. Furthermore, I predict that artists such as Craig David and Heather Nova will stiff our frigid paradise when routing their next tours. And finally, I predict that Jonatha Brooke, Janet Jackson and Dennis DeYoung will absolutely refuse to play Siberia in 2002.

You long-time readers will remember last year when I correctly predicted that Diana Krall, Rachel Stamp and all musicians who play an instrument would refuse to appear in Siberia in 2001. As the Americans would say, “So far, Igor batting 1000.”

And finally, I am excited to report that our very own Russian president will host a weekly radio show where he will denounce his political rivals as well as play his favorite songs by Luther Vandross, Pet Shop Boys and Smash Mouth. Airing every Sunday night, the program will be called Putin On The Hits.

And that is all the music news from Siberia this week. Please join me next week when I’ll have exclusive reports on Laurie Anderson and Fu Manchu both refusing to play in Siberia this year. Until then, this is Igor Petrov, Siberian music correspondent for Pollstar.com, turning blue in 2002.