Sony Music and the Estate of Michael Jackson have re-upped their global recording deal.
The agreement will continue the label’s 42-year relationship with Michael Jackson and his music, and was jointly announced today by Rob Stringer, Sony Music CEO and John Branca and John McClain, co-executors of the Estate of Michael Jackson.
Effective January 1, 2018, Sony Music will extend the term of its administration of Michael’s record catalog in a long-term agreement.
Sony will also have the opportunity to partner on additional projects that the Estate may produce during the term of the agreement.
Interestingly, the recordings copyright on Jackson’s albums – including classics like Bad and Thriller – is currently credited simply as ‘(P) MJJ Productions’ on streaming services.
Rob Stringer, Chief Executive Officer, Sony Music Entertainment, said: “Michael Jackson was an unsurpassed genius and an iconic force in music entertainment.
“The music – and videos – he made as an artist as part of the Sony Music family are essential to pop culture history. We’re proud to be part of that history, and to find new innovative ways to make Michael’s music available to future generations of fans.”
John Branca and John McClain commented, “We couldn’t ask for more creative and innovative partners than Sony and Rob Stringer (whose history working personally with Michael goes back to the 1990s).
“We’re proud to be part of this history, and to find new innovative ways to make Michael’s music available to future generations of fans.”
Rob Stringer, Sony Music
“Michael continues to inspire generations of artists who have come after him and attract new fans who understand that his music and message are more important than ever. We look forward to continuing to preserve and develop his remarkable musical legacy with Sony.”
To date, Michael Jackson has achieved 40 RIAA certifications and 40 No.1 chart positions and 102 Top 5 chart positions.
Jackson’s overall worldwide record sales exceed the 1 billion threshold including over 100 million sales of “Thriller” which remains the biggest selling album in history.
Jackson’s latest release, the compilation album Scream, became his 16th Billboard Top 40 Album earlier this year.
In 2016, Thriller became the first and only album in RIAA history to pass the triple Diamond mark with a 33X platinum certification; Bad also achieved Diamond status.
Sony and the Estate have also partnered in the production of two documentaries directed by Spike Lee: Bad 25 and Michael Jackson’s Journey from Motown to Off the Wall.
Other projects created in conjunction with Sony include the crowd-sourced music video for “Behind the Mask” (2010), the first Twitter music video premiere for “A Place With No Name” (2014) and an augmented reality campaign for Scream (2017).Music Business Worldwide
