• A ruling that would have determined the legality of the October 13th search of T.I.’s car was postponed yesterday until February 19th. If the judge finds that the weapons yielded in the search were seized illegally, the federal firearms case against the rapper could be significantly weakened. No word whether the hearing was postponed because it interfered with T.I.’s busy home video-making schedule while he is under house arrest.

• With the help of new bassist Krist Novoselic, San Francisco punk band Flipper are nearly done with their first album in fifteen years. 2008 looks to be a busy year for Flipper (who Kurt Cobain regularly cited as an influence), as the band will reissue their entire back catalog, release a DVD called Flipper Live: Target Video 1980-81 and get out on the road for tour dates in the spring.

• Following in the footsteps of last week’s announcement from Warner Music, Sony/BMG will reportedly license out DRM-free MP3s on digital music services. Sony/BMG is the last of the four major music labels to do away with the sharing-prevention software.

• Trent Reznor has revealed the results of the In Rainbows-like giveaway of the new Saul Williams’ album The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust!, which Reznor produced. 154,449 people downloaded the album, with 28,332 of those opting to pay a $5 fee to receive higher quality MP3s. Reznor called the numbers “disheartening.”

• All rumors that Led Zeppelin will headline Bonnaroo are “inaccurate,” according to the Tennessee music festival’s publicity firm. While Zep has yet to confirm a full-on reunion outing, one ticketing Web site in Israel has jumped the gun by printing and posting advertisements proclaiming a ticket presale for the tour.

[Photo: Getty]