The juror questionnaire containing 117 questions.
It’s Official: Number Ones – The Multi Million Album!
Michael Jackson reached yet another landmark UK sales figure this week: his 2003 chart-topping collection ‘Number Ones’ has just sold more than 2 million copies!
A MASK of Michael Jackson’s face made for the recording of his *“Thriller” video is up for sale.
The incredibly-detailed image was created from a plaster cast of MJ back in 1983.
The mask is expected to make thousands at auction in Los Angeles on Saturday.
Teddy Riley, Nefu-Feemster, 50 Cents, Akon, Frank Casico, Lenny Kravitz discuss Michael and the making of the Album "M I C H A E L"
Exclusive: Michael Jackson, even in death, remains in the middle of the current musical chairs deals in the declining record industry.
For all these years, Michael’s MiJac Publishing has been administered by Warner Chappell, part of what is now Warner Music Group. MiJac includes not only Michael’s hits that he wrote, like “Billie Jean” and “Beat It,” but a vast number of other hits including those of Ray Charles, Curtis Mayfield, and Sly and the Family Stone.
Warner Chappell doesn’t own MiJac but it administers the rights to it and collects hefty fees. With WMG for sale, and talk of Warner Chappell being sold off, MiJac would seem like an integral part of their story.
MiJac is leaving Warner Chappell and going to become part of Sony/ATV Music Publishing, the company that Michael Jackson’s estate co-owns with Sony and contains the Beatles catalog.
According to sources, this arrangement was written into the MiJac contract with Warner Chappell years ago. It would be triggered by the release of the next Jackson album–in this case, the recent “Michael”–and the repayment of loans.
Sony/ATV could be kicking the tires of each company’s publishing divisions for purchase. But Warner Chappell might be less interesting to Sony ATV considering they’re already getting Mi Jac. And without MiJac, Warner Chappell–which just had a down quarter–might not look so good to other potential buyers.
What may happen now: the newer, and very hot, BMG Music Rights will likely make a play for EMI Music Publishing. EMI Music–the record company, which has the Beatles albums in its catalog–the physical albums and box sets–could then be merged with another record company like Sony Music or, more horrifyingly, Warner Music. Stay tuned.
Michael Jackson's estate has already made more than $310 million since his passing in 2009, according to accounting documents obtained by TMZ.com.
The documents show MJ had more than $400 million in various debts when he died.
Executors of the estate have already spent roughly $159 million paying back various debts, income taxes and other expenses such as providing "uninterrupted support for Mrs. [Katherine] Jackson and Michael Jackson's children as Michael intended."
The "uninterrupted support" includes substantial improvements to the family's home in Encino, CA.
Besides the $400M, the estate also owes an additional $40M to concert promoter AEG from MJ's planned "This Is It" concert tour. Executors have admitted that the estate still faces several lawsuits in multiple countries.
Noteworthy costs included a $900,000 payment to Forest Lawn Memorial cemetery where Michael's body is interred, and $35,000 in expenses listed as "costume for memorial."
Administrators paid $27.2 million in taxes, as well as $5.3 million for Jackson family members and properties he owned. They made $4 million in mortgage payments on his properties.
The estate has also fended off 65 different lawsuits, including one by a man who said Michael stole his formula for healing herpes. Most of the suits were frivolous, but all had to be dealt with.
The executors came in and revised the agreements Michael had signed with AEG Live. Of course, those agreements were not made with Michael’s current lawyers, but through his former manager Tohme Tohme. When Michael died, he was already in debt to AEG for $40 million. That number came from expenses Jackson had incurred before even starting to perform in London.
They have, however, been working on successfully rebuilding MJ's image since they've been empowered to run the estate.
Here's your chance to listen to the entire Michael Album coming out December 14th.