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Michael Jackson's Estate in Enormous Sony Deal

  • Posted on Mar 16th 2010 8:00AM by Barnaby Smith
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The estate of Michael Jackson has landed the biggest recording deal in history, with reports suggesting a new arrangement with Sony to be worth some $200m (£132m).

The deal is said to include ten album projects over seven years, including one of unreleased and unheard material that is touted for a release this November. The deal is also thought to involve the documentary 'This Is It,' made in the months before Jackson's death in June last year and includes footage of the singer rehearsing for his comeback shows at London's O2 Arena. Other possible releases may be video games, a compilation DVD and a reissue of the 'Off The Wall' album.

The Sony contract could end up being worth as much as $250m (£165m) if certain conditions are met, according to Monday's (March 15) Wall Street Journal.

"During his life, Michael's contracts set the standard for the industry," said John Branca, co-administrator for the Jackson estate. "By all objective criteria, this agreement with Sony Music demonstrates the lasting power of Michael's music by exceeding all previous industry benchmarks."
Demand for Jackson albums and memorabilia has exploded since his death, with Sony selling 31m Jackson albums since that mid-summer day, making him one of the highest-earning acts of last year. That revenue, plus the new deal with Sony, may enable his estate to clear some of the massive debts Jackson was struggling with when he died.
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Manuela

I still dont believe (MJ'S) will is valid!!! SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT WITH IT!!! I don't particulary like Mike's father but this time I agree with him that the will is fake!!! John Branco and the rest of them are fucker leeches and very hungry for Mike's money!! I don't trust those bastards no way!!I just hope and pray everyday that the truth prevail soon or late!!!Event after Mike's death he(MJ) still is making money!!!God bless your a wonderful soul and heart , we are really miss you very much!!A very Loyal fan of Michael LOVE YOU MORE!!! I just hope that people who were responsible for MJ'S death , especially pseudo" hungry for money" Murray!! the MURDER will finish his life behind bars!! JUSTICE FOR MICHAEL OUR AN ANGEL!! REST IN PEACE!

May 31 2010 at 4:48 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Scarlett

Personally I would like to hear the new material as Michael's outtakes are always 1000 times better than most of today's artists' best effort. That being said, I do NOT want to hear his brothers' voices added as backup. Let us hear the songs as Michael performed them. And for the person who said they'd never want to hear Michael do a Beatles' song... check out his "Come Together" on youtube. It's the BEST.

March 22 2010 at 1:40 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
brandom_dave

I think this was a terrible business for Sony... it won't turn out the way they want it to... read the article i wrote about it here...
http://brand-om.com/2010/03/sony%E2%80%99s-deal-with-the-fallen-king-what-they-missed/

March 18 2010 at 11:27 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Dallas Taylor

Belvedre
at 3-16-2010How blacks still worshop a pedophile is puzzling to me . One of Jackson's "sleep over" guests accurately described a tatoo on the back of Jackson's erect penis says
***************************

Oh really? And when have YOU seen his penis? You are hilarious.

How does it feel to be so ignorant? If you read the actual autopsy report you would know that the "tattoo" didn't exist.

You are comical. Millions upon millions of people all over the world have never thought for one second that he was a pedophile and they come in ALL RACES dude, including white people, which I imagine you are, since you like to single out the black race for some reason.

So you need a dose of reality because all the hate you can muster up isn't going to change it either. He will be missed, admired and loved for many decades to come. I am proud to be white but I am sure glad I am not like you who thinks someone only believes something if they are from the same race. Sure wouldn't want to live in your small little world.

Why don't you wise up and really read the actual transcripts of the case? If you have only gotten your tabloid "facts" from the likes of Diane Dimond then you will never know the truth. If we had taken her for her word we would have thought Sneddon was kicking azz in the courtroom instead of getting beat down like a drum but those that read the actual trial transcripts knew Sneddon had no case and he had the worst witnesses he could have ever scrounged up. Liars and Massereau called them out on everyone of their damn lies too.

March 16 2010 at 9:13 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Dallas Taylor

I am not the least bit surprised to see where the Michael Jackson estate brokered the largest recording deal in history! No one knows the music industry any better than Sony, and they know anything Michael Jackson is like having a gold mine. While some tried to say that Michael would be history a month after his death it shows just how wrong they were but then so many have been wrong about a lot of things when it came to Michael Jackson. Since his death his estate has made millions DAILY. Everything 'Michael" sells out the whazoo! Prince, Paris and Prince II are going to wind up with way more money than Elvis left Lisa. No wonder the administrators said right off the bat that there would be plenty of money to pay off his creditors and leave a vast fortune to his children. This is not even counting his music catalogs which are estimated to be worth 2 billion and because he had so many damn assets he knew his children would always be well cared for should anything happen to him. Just one of his gloves sold for $350 thousand dollars! Wow just Wow! The money just keeps pouring in. What an amazing man with amazing talent and by the looks of his sales since his needless death this will go on for many decades.

March 16 2010 at 8:44 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
juney

The kid lied as did his whole family; there's no use rehashing this anymore with the likes of you; what have you done in your whole damn life that means anything. He was acquitted, but you most likely can't even spell the word. Hater.

March 16 2010 at 7:38 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Granny

We know that there was a pile of debt to be cleared after his death. We also know that there were court hearings that wanted the money in the estate turned over to so called parents and they were turned down but were given an allowance. If the release of this album helps clear the debts, fine and dandy. The three kids are the only ones that deserve or should gaet anything from the estate. I just hope that there is something left for them when they come of age.

March 16 2010 at 4:38 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
For MJ

Nope, Michael wrote the majority of his hits. Yes, the issue of his drug use can be viewed in a bad light but he maintained a personal physician to administer and monitor him. That is not the definition of a drug addict. It's not as if people have never suffered complications due to prescribed drugs administered in a hospital or clinic. It happens. It's sad. Don't hold it against the guy. He thought his doctor could protect him. Oh and did he need the drugs? Well try dancing and singing like that for hours a day at any age, never mind 50 and then deal with years of mental abuse by the press and people you thought were friends and lets see how you do.

March 16 2010 at 3:29 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
For MJ

Really people? Really? Yes, Sony will profit here but so will the children so I firmly believe MJ would be cool with it in the long run. Give the family a break. They have limited options and this seems like a pretty basic one. They re-release some albums, video's and add some lost material. If MJ had any concerns it would likely lie with releasing unfinished material because he was such a perfectionist. Oh and for the uninformed, MJ wrote a great majority of his hits and songs during his solo career, not Quincy Jones ( who produced mostly ). And for you unbelievably idiotic brainwashed baboons who keep harping on about pedophilia, he won those trumped up cases ( fair and square ) the most recent and celebrated being brought on by a notorious couple who had played out many scams over the years. The guy donated millions as well as time for children all over the world. He was very active in working to save the entire planet. What have you done lately?

March 16 2010 at 3:08 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
Alice

This would be like people buying things that Michael Vick owned when he dies. When a man rapes and abuses young boys and a man kills innocent dogs, they should be in prison, not become popular.

March 16 2010 at 3:03 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply
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