Michael Jackson's death equals an incredible bottom line
By Tom Corless
New Rochelle, NY --- Since the death of Michael Jackson in 2009, his family, record company, and his estate have been raking in the dough. Jackson became the highest selling musical artist of 2009 without even releasing a song, creating an unexpected wave of profits for anyone connected to the "King of Pop". Since the dust has settled and a year has passed, anyone who can has tried to profiteer on the passing of the music icon. Are these individuals trying to honor Jackson, or is this just good business? Most of the projects tend to be a Little bit of both, but there are some that really have people raising their eyebrows.
In March 2010, Sony records reached a deal with Jackson's estate worth $250 million to retain distribution rights on his music until 2017 and to release seven posthumous albums over the decade following his death. These albums would feature unfinished songs from Jackson completed by others. Jackson's family and fans have publicly stated they are unhappy with the concept, since Michael refused to release these particular tracks during his lifetime for not being of the quality he was happy with. Regardless, Sony announced that Michael, the first posthumous album, will be released on December 14, 2010 (Just in time for holiday shopping). Early reviews of the songs have been mixed, leading some to wonder how several more albums would perform if the first is only so-so.
Albums aren't the only new Michael Jackson offering this holiday season. Video game developer Ubisoft announced it would release a new dancing-and-singing game featuring Michael Jackson before 2010 is over.
The game entitled Michael Jackson: The Experience will be among the first to use Kinect and PlayStation Move, the respective motion-detecting control systems for Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Again, many people are asking if the game is in response to popular demand, or if Sony will license the music to just about anyone for anything to turn profit on their $250 million investment.
One of the stranger tie-ins with Michael Jackson was announced by Cirque du Soleil on November 3, 2010. They will launch "Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour" in October 2011 in Montreal. The 90-minute, $57 million production will combine Jackson's iconic musical style and choreography with the Cirque's signature artistry, dance and aerial displays involving 65 artists. The tour was written and directed by Jamie King and centers on Jackson's "inspirational Giving Tree - the wellspring of creativity where his love of music and dance, fairy tale and magic, and the fragile beauty of nature are unlocked."
The Disney theme parks even entered the mix earlier this year, resurrecting the extinct 3-D attraction called Captain EO. The show originally debuted back in 1986, starring Michael Jackson and combining the creative forces of Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas, and Walt Disney Imagineering. As soon as Jackson died, fans asked Disney to bring the show back to the parks around the world. After months of rumors, Disneyland debuted the show in February 2010. After a successful opening, the attraction returned to Disneyland Resort Paris, Walt Disney World, and Tokyo Disneyland during the summer. In this case, it seemed like the public wanted this return, however, Disney has also seen huge profits from Captain EO merchandise sales.
While the public may never know what the true intentions of these projects are, it is safe to assume it is a little bit tribute and a little bit business. Is this flood of Michael Jackson an overdose that will destroy a legacy? Only time will tell, but results and reviews are mixed thus far.
Expand Your Knowledge
-The Unofficial Captain EO Fan Site
-The Official Michael Jackson Website
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