https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/michael-jackson-catalog-deal-sony-1234965818/

MAJOR DEAL

Michael Jackson Catalog Stake Sold to Sony, Valued at Whopping $1.2 Billion

Sony agreed to acquire half of the artist's publishing and recorded masters catalog

BY CHARISMA MADARANG

FEBRUARY 9, 2024

IN WHAT IS likely the largest transaction for a solo musician’s body of work, Sony completed an agreement to acquire half of Michael Jackson‘s publishing and recorded masters.

The deal values the music assets at above $1.2 billion, sources told Billboard. The outlet also estimated that Sony will pay at least $600 million for its stake. An attorney for Jackson’s estate declined to comment to Rolling Stone.

Last February, Variety reported that Jackson’s estate was in negotiations seeking $800 million-$900 million for half of its interests in the singer’s music catalog. At the time, Billboard assessed that the estate earned about $75 million annually, with assets including ownership of master recordings, publishing for Jackson’s share of his songs, the singer’s Mijac publishing catalog, and royalties from theatrical shows based on his iconic music.

In 2016, 21 years after Jackson and Sony formed Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Sony bought out his half of the company in a deal netting the Jackson estate $750 million. Jackson first acquired ATV Music Publishing, which owned the publishing rights to the majority of the Beatles‘ music, in 1985 for $41.5 million. The singer merged his stake in ATV with Sony Music to form Sony/ATV eleven years later.


Although Jackson’s legacy has faced multiple allegations of child sexual abuse, he continues to be one of best-selling artists of all time. These claims were the subject of renewed scrutiny following the 2019 release of HBO’s documentary, Leaving Neverland, in which Wade Robson and James Safechuck claimed Jackson, who died in 2009, groomed and sexually abused them for years while they were boys. Jackson and his estate have repeatedly denied the allegations.

This article was updated at 12:44 a.m. E.T.on Feb. 10, 2024 to include a rep for Jackson’s estate decline to comment.

Not really since he no longer works for Sony

Didn’t know he converted to Judaism

A more apropos statement… Sony won

Guess the following was incorrect up until now

Only a devil would scheme and not give me my green
That's why Michael Jackson called out Jimmy Iovine
His words were too extreme so they had to solve that
Mike was killed then Sony got the catalog back

https://youtu.be/E6XZVfEd8BQ?si=5dtdbkM6Fk3v29iv

🤷🏾

Unfortunately it’s restricted now.

This is How They Rob You: (or Michael Jackson Was Right)
https://medium.com/the-brothers/this-is-how-they-rob-you-or-michael-jackson-was-right-603ced1503e0

They eventually sold that half to Sony?

I feel this is an old article thats propped up to look new.

shit earns $75 Mill per year and they just can’t wait 10 years to get that much AND still have control of the whole catalog?

smh..