July 14, 2009
The Scramble Begins for New Michael Jackson Songs
Ownership of up to 150 unreleased songs, including a comeback album, may be up for grabs among Sony and other music labels
NEW-ALBUM ROADBLOCK TILL 2012?
That may mean that Branca could try to block Sony for the next two and a half years from using new Michael Jackson music for an album, thus giving Branca the right to negotiate a deal to distribute music through another label. That would effectively pit most of the music industry against Sony in a potential bidding war, says one current label executive. Once Jackson's estate is out of the contract with Sony, says University of Southern California law professor Lance Grode, a former head of worldwide business affairs for MCA Music, it would have wide latitude to distribute Jackson's music how it wishes, even doing so without a music label.
If there is such a free-for-all, there would be no shortage of takers. Universal Music Group, which owns the Motown label, would likely be interested. This month, the Vivendi-owned (VIV.PA) music company began distributing more than 300 types of Michael Jackson merchandise to retail outlets, including sunglasses and clothes, some of which Jackson had designed. Warner Music Group (WMG) would likely also be interested since it administers the publishing rights to Jackson's music under his MiJack catalog, by which other musicians pay royalties to use the words to Jackson's songs. Universal and Warner executives would not comment.
