Just three months shy of the 1st anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death, his estate has entered into a renewed partnership with Sony Music: a $200 million guaranteed contract with the record label calling for 10 projects to be released during the next seven years.

What’s more, the unheard-of contract, which gives Sony exclusive rights to new releases through 2017, could be worth up to $250 million if all aspects of the deal are kept. According to initial reports, the contract calls for at least one project to contain never-before-released Jackson recordings from his legendary vault of recorded, but unused material that could come out as early as November 2010.

With the exact wording of the contract unknown, speculation is the proposed 10 projects could include everything from a proposed Thriller-inspired video game, a music video compilation DVD or even a rerelease of his acclaimed Off The Wall cd, which was originally released back in 1979.

It seems Sony, in a show of good faith has generously included last year’s two-disc cd that coincided with the release of MJ’s final concert film, This Is It as part of the 10 projects.  That audio release alone sold more than 5 million units. (Examiner)

If only Michael Jackson could have seen his work praised in such a way.

If you’re not sure which tune it is in the old Sonic game, don’t lose hope. Jackson reused most of the chord progressions from the video game tune in his hit “Strangers In Moscow”.

Forbes counted money earned from October 2008-October 2009, even for Jackson, who died June 25. But about $72 million — or 80% of the $90 million earned in the past 12 months — came after Jackson’s death, said a spokesperson for GreenLight, a consultancy company that represents “delebs,” their term for dead celebrities still earning money.

Given that the Forbes countdown year starts in October, this makes it look like Michael Jackson will most likely make next year’s list as well, since “This Is It” will still be available for theatre viewing well into next month.

The intention was to use the new videos as transitions into the performed versions of the songs, transitions that are a long way from the original. Payne promises that the new “Thriller” is nothing like the boy on the date with the girl, while at the same time, “We didn’t touch what we considered the sacred inside of it.” And while the new version of “Thriller” and the other songs will be screened with This Is It in plain old 2D next week, that’s not how they were intended to be seen, and that might not be the last we see of them either. Read on…

This should most certainly be interesting! The article goes on to say that even This Is It could end up in 3-D, along with music videos that were originally intended to play during the concert. Very interesting indeed.

As it’s currently preparing for the big release of the “This Is It” docu-film and the accompanying 2-CD album, the Michael Jackson Estate is also working on the release of two new albums. Written and recorded sometime in the time interval 2004-2009, the never-before-heard tracks are all said to be “class A,” as TMZ informs.

Speculation about the unreleased tracks that Michael left behind after his tragic and sudden death in June this year first started shortly afterwards, when the Estate began inquiries into his affairs. First reports had it that he had over 100 complete songs in his possession at the time of death, which would have been more than enough for two whole albums.
Later on, rumors said sister LaToya Jackson had removed the finished tracks from Michael’s home, but nothing was heard of that later.

Now, the rumors emerge again, and they say all tracks currently in the possession of the Estate are much better than the recently released “This Is It” single. “Sources who have heard the unreleased recordings of Michael Jackson say there are at least 2 albums worth of class A songs that will be released over time, and some of them are even better than ‘This Is It.’ We’re told many of the songs that will make the cut were written and recorded by Jackson after he left Sony in 2004.” TMZ writes of the recent rumors.

According to the same unnamed but reliable sources, the celebrity gossip website / paparazzi agency can also report that, while there are countless other MJ songs better than “This Is It,” releasing it as the first posthumous single was a business decision, given its tone and lyrics. “As for ‘This Is It’ – we’re told everyone involved liked the tune but it wasn’t the best. As one source said, given the title and the tone, ‘It was the most appropriate song for the end of the movie.’” TMZ further explains.

As fans must already know, “Michael Jackson’s This Is It” docu-film, comprised of footage shot during rehearsals at Staples Center for his London comeback, arrives in theaters for a limited run on October 28. The 2-CD boxset “Michael Jackson’s This Is It The Music That Inspired the Movie” will be released a day earlier, on the 27th. (source)

The eight remaining Jackson kids vary a lot in fame and talent, so it’s tough to get them all together for a series of gigs without running into complaints about different pay scales, air time, and perks. Janet, the only other Jackson who seems to have a solid career as a solo artist, will reportedly make $4 million if she does the tour. Compare that to Rebbie, who’s stuck with a comparatively paltry $250,000.

Will money and fame tear this family apart, or can they keep it together to pull off this tour? The Daily Beast has more:

The latest point of contention, these associates say, is a 10-city U.S. “Jackson Family Reunion Tour” involving all of Michael’s siblings. The Daily Beast has obtained a proposal from New Jersey-based AllGood Entertainment, a concert promoter that claimed it had a similar concert plan in place in June when it sued Michael for allegedly breaching that agreement, and my sources confirm that the Jackson family is seriously considering this new offer. The guaranteed collective payday for the clan: more than $12 million, including a $1 million advance upon acceptance. And it indicates that this new grouping—call it the Jackson 8—will have Janet fronting in her big brother’s place.

The biggest holdup with a concert tour, or other deals, are sibling rivalries, as each brother and sister weighs individual deals, while family matriarch Katherine Jackson preaches for a long-term family-size agreement which will provide security for everyone. The details of the proposed pay split among the family members illuminates both the opportunities for the surviving Jacksons following their famous brother’s death and their competing—and not equal—prospects.

The tour pay scale in the proposal is specifically broken out as follows:

Janet Jackson — $4 million
Jermaine Jackson — $1.5 million
Jackie Jackson — $1.5 million
Randy Jackson — $1.5 million
Marlon Jackson — $1.5 million
Tito Jackson — $1.5 million
La Toya Jackson — $500,000
Rebbie Jackson — $250,000

MJ wore a lot of gloves during his stint as a world super star, but this particular one has special significance. Jackson wore the glove during his 1983 “Billie Jean” performance, complete with moonwalk, which propelled him into mega stardom.

So, if you’ve got the desire (and a huge chunk of cash!), come on down to the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City’s Times Square on November 21 to bid!

The glittery glove that Michael Jackson wore when he unveiled his moonwalk on TV in 1983 is hitting the auction block.

This one isn’t like his other glittery gloves, which were made for the right hand and adorned with hand-sewn crystals. This left-handed glove, which accompanied Jackson’s fedora and dance moves on Motown’s 25th-anniversary TV special, is a modified, store-bought glove covered with a mesh of rhinestones.

The glove, which Darren Julien of Julien’s Auctions called “the Holy Grail of Michael Jackson memorabilia,” will be featured alongside other one-of-a-kind items — such as an early Madonna demo tape and unreleased Jimi Hendrix lyrics — at the Nov. 21 “Music Icons” auction at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City’s Times Square.

Walter “Clyde” Orange, a founding member of the Commodores, has been holding onto the glove since Jackson gave it to him in 1983.

(From the AP)

Reuters has more:

His sister LaToya has taken possession of computer hard drives that contain a trove of unreleased songs he recorded with A-list singers such as Ne-Yo, Akon, and will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, according to Rolling Stone magazine.

The drives were in the “Thriller” singer’s rented Holmby Hills, Calif., mansion when he died suddenly in June. Hours afterward, the family descended on the house to claim all its contents, and LaToya grabbed the drives, Rolling Stone said, quoting the late singer’s manager, Frank DiLeo.

“They backed up trucks, removing everything,” DiLeo was quoted as telling the magazine in its issue that hits newsstands on Friday. “They thought Michael owned it all, so they took even the rented furniture. That’s who’s going to run his estate?”

The company paid a whopping $60 million for rights to over 100 hours of footage, which they will compile into a feature-length film. Columbia finally came to an agreement with Jackson reps and AEG Live following weeks of negotiations. We can’t wait to see it!

MTV reports the details:

Columbia Pictures has solidified its plans to bring a Michael Jackson film — complete with footage of his final rehearsals in preparation for a comeback tour — to theaters in the fall, according to The Associated Press.

After weeks of negotiations, Columbia, which is owned by Sony, agreed to pay $60 million for rights to the project. The agreement was reached Friday between Columbia, concert promoter AEG Live, Jackson’s representatives and others.

All that remains is for a Los Angeles judge to approve the deal at a Monday hearing, when Jackson’s mother, Katherine, will have an opportunity to raise any objections.

The deal includes the rights to more than 100 hours of rehearsal footage, clips that were intended to be used during Jackson’s comeback concerts at London’s O2 arena, as well as merchandising, special DVD editions and product tie-ins. Among the prohibited tie-ins are products related to alcohol, tobacco, gambling and pharmaceuticals, along with personal-hygiene products and firearms. Jackson’s company would receive 90 percent of the movie’s profits, and AEG would receive the rest.