Eliot Spitzer, the New York attorney general, is close to a settlement with one of the world's largest record companies to resolve accusations that it used improper tactics to influence radio programmers to play its songs, people involved in the discussions said last night.

The agreement between Mr. Spitzer and the record company, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, one of four music conglomerates under investigation, is expected to be announced on Monday, these people said. They cautioned, however, that the talks were continuing and could still break down.

The settlement is expected to establish a blueprint for agreements that Mr. Spitzer will probably seek with the other three major record companies, which have all received subpoenas.

Late last year, investigators in Mr. Spitzer's office served subpoenas on Sony BMG, a unit of Sony and Bertelsmann; the Universal Music Group, a unit of Vivendi Universal; the EMI Group; and the Warner Music Group seeking copies of contracts, billing records and other information detailing their ties to independent middlemen who pitch new songs to radio programmers in New York State. Investigators have also reviewed e-mail messages and internal memos and have questioned senior executives at Sony.