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RENOWNED ENTERTAINMENT ATTORNEY AND FORMER BOARD CHAIR OF MUSICARES JOHN BRANCA TO RECEIVE SERVICE AWARD
SPOTIFY CEO DANIEL EK TO DELIVER KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT GRAMMY FOUNDATION®'S 14TH ANNUAL ENTERTAINMENT LAW INITIATIVE® LUNCHEON & SCHOLARSHIP PRESENTATION

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Dec. 19, 2011) — It was announced today by the GRAMMY Foundation that John Branca, a partner in the law firm of Ziffren Brittenham LLP and former Board Chair of the GRAMMY Foundation's sister charitable foundation, MusiCares®, will be the recipient of the 2012 Service Award at the GRAMMY Foundation®'s 14th Annual Entertainment Law Initiative® Luncheon & Scholarship Presentation on Friday, Feb. 10, 2012, at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. Daniel Ek, co-founder and CEO of Spotify, will deliver the keynote address at this year's luncheon.


The Service Award was established in 2006 to recognize contributions by prominent entertainment attorneys that include outstanding service to individuals (pro bono or otherwise); leadership and participation with organizations that help advance the music community; and work to affect positive change that benefits the community overall. Past honorees include David Braun, Jay L. Cooper, John T. Frankenheimer, Joel A. Katz, Paul G. Marshall, and Al Schlesinger. The ELI luncheon is one of the most prestigious events held during GRAMMY® Week, a celebration that will culminate with the 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards at STAPLES Center on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2012. The telecast will be broadcast live on the CBS Television Network at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

"For close to 15 years, our GRAMMY Foundation Entertainment Law Initiative has created a forum where law students and seasoned attorneys can come together for research, dialogue and debate in the field of entertainment law," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy®, the GRAMMY Foundation and MusiCares. "This year, we are pleased to have a digital visionary such as Daniel Ek join us for what will undoubtedly be an insightful and thought-provoking keynote address. It is also our pleasure to honor our good friend, former MusiCares Board Chair and steward of our current MusiCares 20th Anniversary Campaign, John Branca, with our Service Award. Both of these individuals are at the forefront of our industry."

"It’s a really exciting time for the music industry," said Ek. "Today we have the ability to listen to all the world’s music, instantly and wherever we are on the planet. That’s a pretty amazing idea and one which inspired me to launch Spotify. I’m a big supporter of the GRAMMY Foundation's Entertainment Law Initiative and look forward to catching up with everyone in February."

"I'm honored by the recognition and pleased to join such a distinguished group of past Service Award recipients," added Branca. "Daniel is one of our industry’s real visionaries, and I looking forward his talk, as well as hearing about the topics presented in the winning student papers — they often prove to be cutting-edge topics in our industry."

Ek, a serial entrepreneur and technologist who started his first company in 1997 at the age of 14, co-founded Spotify in 2006 with Martin Lorentzon. As CEO of Spotify, Ek's role is to guide the vision and strategy of the company as it grows. Leading the management team from his hometown of Stockholm, Ek is also responsible for nurturing a passionate working environment for everyone at Spotify.


Prior to Spotify, Ek founded Advertigo, the online advertising company acquired by TradeDoubler, and previously held senior roles at Nordic auction company Tradera (acquired by eBay). He was also chief technology officer at Stardoll, the fashion and entertainment community for tweens that now boasts more than 100 million users worldwide.

Branca specializes in the music and live appearance industries. He is a leading artist representative, having represented an unprecedented 29 members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, including Aerosmith, the Beach Boys, Bee Gees, the Doors, Fleetwood Mac, Michael Jackson, the Rolling Stones, and Carlos Santana, among others, and such other artists and celebrities as Enrique Iglesias, Nickelback and Mike Tyson. He has been at the forefront in the acquisition and sale of music publishing catalogs, including the acquisition of the Beatles catalog, ATV Music, for Michael Jackson, as well as its merger with Sony Music to create the world’s third-largest music publisher, Sony ATV Music. Branca has also been the architect of the sales of many major music catalogs, including Berry Gordy’s Jobete Music Co., the Kurt Cobain catalog, the Leiber and Stoller catalog, and the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization.

He serves on the board of trustees for Occidental College, participates as an active fundraiser for the UCLA athletic department and serves as the Co-Chairman of MusiCares' 20th Anniversary Campaign, a campaign in support of the leading industry charity devoted to helping members of the music community. Branca also serves on the Board of Trustees for the GRAMMY Museum and the Pauley Pavilion Renovation Campaign Committee.

ELI has three components: the Writing Competition, a GRAMMY Week ELI luncheon featuring a prominent keynote speaker, and a Legal Seminar series. The ELI Writing Competition invites law students to write a 3,000-word paper on a compelling legal topic facing the music industry today. Past award-winning topics have featured issues germane and timely to the music industry including bootlegging, music sampling and litigation against peer-to-peer network users. The deadline to submit an online application is Jan. 2, 2012, at 11 a.m. PT. For complete contest rules, send an e-mail to eli@grammy.com or visit www.grammyfoundation.org.

The contest culminates with the winning student authors discussing their essays in a question-and-answer presentation at the prestigious ELI luncheon. Past luncheon keynote speakers have included Edgar Bronfman Jr., chairman and CEO of Warner Music Group; Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.); Clive Davis, chief creative officer of Sony Music Entertainment; Timothy J. Leiweke, president and CEO of AEG; will.i.am, GRAMMY Foundation Board member and frontman/producer of the multi-GRAMMY-winning group the Black Eyed Peas; and Strauss Zelnick, former president and CEO of BMG Entertainment, among others.

Once again, this year the Foundation added ELI Writing Competition workshops at prominent law schools around the country with the goal of helping students with their essays. ELI also continued its partnership this year with www.box.com to allow students to upload their submissions directly over the Internet. Box.com's mission is to make it easy for individuals and businesses to access, manage and share all their content online.

For information on purchasing tables or tickets to the event, please call Loren Fishbein at
310.392.3777 or e-mail loren.fishbein@grammy.com.

The GRAMMY Foundation was established in 1989 to cultivate the understanding, appreciation and advancement of the contribution of recorded music to American culture — from the artistic and technical legends of the past to the still unimagined musical breakthroughs of future generations of music professionals. The Foundation accomplishes this mission through programs and activities that engage the music industry and cultural community as well as the general public. The Foundation works in partnership year-round with its founder, The Recording Academy, to bring national attention to important issues such as the value and impact of music and arts education and the urgency of preserving our rich cultural heritage. For more information, please visit www.grammyfoundation.org.

Box was founded on a simple, powerful idea: people should be able to access and share their content from anywhere. Since 2005, Box has helped more than nearly 6 million individuals, small businesses and Fortune 1000 companies do just that. We want to reinvent what businesses can do with their content through Box's cloud content management platform, made for a new kind of worker, a new kind of workplace and a new kind of IT.


MEDIA R.S.V.P. MANDATORY:
Christina Cassidy/The GRAMMY Foundation/310.392.3777/christina.cassidy@grammy.com
Hilary Ratner/GRAMMY Foundation/310.392.3777/hilary.ratner@grammy.com



Media Contacts:
Christina Cassidy
GRAMMY Foundation
310.392.3777
christina.cassidy@grammy.com

Hilary Ratner
GRAMMY Foundation
310.392.3777
hilary.ratner@grammy.com

Jaime Sarachit
The Recording Academy
310.392.3777
jaime.sarachit@grammy.com

ELI Program Contact:
Loren Fishbein
The GRAMMY Foundation
310.392.3777
loren.fishbein@grammy.com

Fonte: http://www.grammy.org/recording-academy/press-release/dec-19-2011-405-pm

1993
Randy moves into Hayvenhurst with Alejandra and their children Genevieve and Randy Jr.

Early January:
Back from Japon, Michael celebrates his first Christmas at Neverland with Elizabeth Taylor & her husband Larry Fortensky.

Michael invites the Cascio family (Dominic, Connie, Frank, Eddie, Marie Nicole & Aldo) to Neverland for the first time)

January 9 :
Michael and Oprah Winfrey make a photoshoot to promote their upoming TV Special for ABC.

Michael starts rehearsing for his upcoming American Music Aards and Superbowl performances.

January 16:
Michael attends the NAACP Image Awards with Katherine in Pasadena, California.

He receives the Best Video Of The Year Award for Black Or White and the Entertainer Of The Year Award.

Patti Labelle sings "Will You Be There" with Michael joining for the last verse.

January 18:
Michael appears at the Pre-Inaugural Celebration for Bill Clinton and joins other celebrities (including Diana Ross) on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to sing We Are The World.

January 19:
Michael sings Gone Too Soon & Heal The World at the 52nd Presidential Inaugural Gala.

January 25:
Michael opens the American Music Awards ceremony held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles with a performance of Dangerous. He also receives three awards including the first ever International Artist Award presented by Elizabeth Taylor & Eddie Murphy.

Michael stays at "The Hideaway", his secret apartment in Century City with Frank & Eddie Cascio and Jordy Chandler.

January 26:
Michael attends a press conference at the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles to accept a cheque of $100 000 from the NFL and Frito Lay (Sponsor of the Superbowl) and $500 000 from Best Foundation for his Heal The World Foundation. Heal LA is launched at this event.

Later he takes, Frank, Eddie & Jordy (with his mother & sister) to Disneyland and at night the whole group goes to Neverland.

January 31:
Michael performs a medley of Jam, Bilie Jean, Black Or White and Heal The World at the Superbowl Halftime Show in the Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena (California) before an audience of 100 000 in the stadium and 133 millions on TV.

February 8:
Michael is on the cover of Jet magazine with Oprah Winfrey.

February 10:
Michael Jackson Talks…to Oprah is telecast live from Neverland Valley around the world attracting around 100 million viewers. During the interview, Michael reveals that he suffers from a skin disorder that destroys the pigmentation of his skin. He also shows his ranch to the world, premieres the video of Give In To Me and improvises a beat box on Who Is It after doing the Moonwalk. Elizabeth Taylor makes a surprise appearance to support his friend.

February 24:
Michael attends the Grammy Awards with Brooke Schields where Janet presents him with the Grammy Legend Award. Following the presentation, Michael & Brooke attend the Polygram Party at A&M Studios and later show up at the Sony Party in Century City .

February 26:
Michael is on the cover of Entertainment Weekly. He talks about Elizabeth Taylor in a video for the Arts & Entertainment Network.

Late February:
Michael invites Jordy Chandler, his sister Lily & mother June to Neverland for the first time.

March 9:
Michael attends the Soul Train Awards with Bill Bray where he wins two awards + the Humanitarian Award Of The Year presented by Eddie Murphy. He also perfoms Remember The Time seated in a gold chair because he twisted his ankle the night before (Wayne & Bill help him to the podium on a wheelchair!)

March 11:
Walking on churches, Michael attends an American Film Industry dinner in honour of Elizabeth Taylor at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles .

March 27:
Michael makes a five-minute speech in front of 1200 teachers and politicians at a conference in the Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles which is sponsorised by the Milken Family Trust.

Late March:
Michael takes Jordy, Lily & June Chandler to Las Vegas & Disneyworld.

April:
Who Is It is released in the while Give In To Me is released in the rest of the world.

April 11:
Joe, Katherine, Jemaine, Tito, Randy & Jackie give an interview from Hayvenhurst to ABC’s Day One programme.

April 15:
The video to Watzupwitu, a duet between Michael & Eddie Murphy is premiered on FOX & BET.

April 26:
As part of Heal L.A drive, Michael visits Los Angeles South Central with Caroline Bingham & Adrian Grant.

Michael is on the cover of Jet magazine with Eddie Murphy.

Early May:
Evan Chandler invites Michael to spend time with his son at his house…

May 5:
Michael is invited by ex president Jimmy Carter to Atlanta in order to boost the
Atlanta Immunisation Drive. Afterwards, Michael joins Ted Turner, Jane Fonda, Emmanuel Lewis & Lisa Marie Presley in the front row during the Kids Celebration at OMNI.

May 9:
Michael checks in the Hotel de Paris in with Jordy, Lily & June + Bob Jones.

May 10:
Michael dines with Prince Albert De Monaco.

May 12:
Michael attends the World Music Awards with Jordy, Lily & June where he wins three awards presented by Michael Douglas, Prince Albert & Princess Stephanie.

May 13:
Michael & the Chandlers leave Monaco By helicopter and in Nizza transfers to a plane to Paris where they spend three day visiting Disneyland .

May 16:
Michael & the Chandlers fly back to Los Angeles.

May 18:
Michael receives two awards at the BMI Pop Awards Dinner at the Regency Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Los Angeles .

May 19:
Michael receives the first ever Lifetime Achievement Award from Norris McWhirther, the Editor of the Guinness Museum of World Records in Los Angeles .

May 24:
Will You Be There, the eighth single from Dangerous is released worldwide.

May 27:
ASCAP presents Michael with three awards for Dangerous.

June:
Michael is on the cover of LIFE magazine with an exclusive cover story of Neverland.

June 5:
Michael is interviewed by Rick Dees on the Radio Sation KIIS FM in Los Angeles .

June 10:
Michael makes an appearance at an afternoon rally at a middle school in Los Angeles to launch a new DARE programme.

July:
The American Friends of Hebrew University award their 1994 Scopus Award to Michael Jackson.

Michael starts working on a short film named "Is This Scary" with Stephen King and Mick Garris for a song scheduled to appear on "The Adam Family Values" soundtrack.

Evan Chandler & his attorney Barry Rothman set a plot to extort money from Michael. During a phone call to Dave Schwartz (Jordy’s stepfather), Evan threatens to destroys Michael if he doesn’t get what he wants. Michael’s attorney Bert Fields hires private investigator Anthony Pellicano.

July 9 :
Dave & June Schwartz play the tape conversation to Pellicano who then visits Jordy & Lily at Michael’s Century City condominium.

July 11:
Chandler & Rothman ask June To let Jordy stay with Evan for a “one week visitation period”

August 4:
Evan & Jordy meet Michael & Pellicano in a suite at the Westwood Marquis Hotel (this is the last time Michael & Jordy ever see each other)

Later that evening, Pellicano go to Rothman’s office where he & Chandler make their demand for $20 millions!!!

August 13:
During another meeting in Rothman’s office, Pellicano proposes a counter offer : a $ 350 000 screenwriting deal but Chandler rejects it…

Rothman makes a counterdemand: a deal for three screenplays or nothing but Pellicano refuses it…

August 16:
On behalf of June Schwartz, attorney Michael Freeman notifies Rothman that he will be filing paper early the next morning that will force Chandler to turn over Jordy.

Reacting quickly Chandler takes Jordy to psychiatrist Mathis Abrams. During a three hour session, Jordy (under drug sodium Amytal) alleges that he was sexually molested by Michael.

Abrams, who is required by law to report any such accusations to authorities calls a social worker at the Department of Children’s Services who in turn contact the police…

August 17:
The Los Angeles Police Department officially opens a criminal investigation against Michael Jackson based on accusations of child molestation made by Jordy Chandler

August 21:
Michael arrives in Bangkok ( Taiwan ) for the third leg of his Dangerous World Tour.

The Los Angeles Police Department serve search warrant on Michael’s Neverland Valley Ranch in Santa Barbara and on his condominium in Century City .

August 23:
Michael attends a Pepsi Tour Press Conference at the Oriental Hotel.

August 24:
Michael gives a concert in Bangkok while the media reveal that Michael is under criminal investigation for child molestation which becomes of the biggest scandals af all time and will dominate newspapers, magazines, TV shows and tabloids for many months to come…

Michael’s criminal lawyer, Howard Weitzman reads a statement to the press on behalf of Michael while Anthony Pellicano reveals the accusations are the result of a failed attempt to extort money from Michael

August 25:
Michael’s second concert in Bangkok is rescheduled to august 26 because Michael is suffering from acute dehydration

Elizabeth Taylor flies to to be with Michael.

August 26:
Michael’s concert is is again rescheduled for august 27 (he releases an audio-taped message to his fans)

Brett Barnes & Wade Robson appear on CNN to defend Michael but their admissions that they shared a bed with Michael Jackson (in a friendly, slumber party spirit) only causes more damage…

August 27:
Michael finally performs his second concert in Bangkok .

August 28:
Michael arrives in Singapoure.

August 29:
Michael gives a concert in Singapoure on his 35th birthday;

August 30:
Joseph, Katherine, Jermaine, Tito & Rebbie Jackson give a press conference to support Michael & announce the Jackson Family Honors

Police search Michael’s hotel room at the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas .

The second concert in Singapoure is cancelled when Michael collapses backstage moments before the show is due to begin suffering from a severe migraine.

August 31:
Michael undergoes a brain scan in hospital and he releases a second audio-taped message to apologise for the late cancellation of his concert.

Attorney Gloria Allred is retained to represent Jordy Chandler.

September 1:
Michael performs his second concert in Singapoure and after the show he goes shopping until 2;30 am!

September 2:
LaToya Jackson supports Michael on US Today Show.

Many attendees at the MTV Video Music Awards express well wishes for Michael.

The Singapoure Zoo trucks six ourang-utans to Michael’s hotel!

September 3:
Michael arrives in Taipei with Elizabeth Taylor. Joe, Katherine, Jermaine, Jackie, Rebbie & the 3T also arrive in Taipei to support him.

September 4:
Michael performs in concert in Taipei .

September 5:
Michael goes shopping to Toy’s R Us in Taipei with the 3T.

September 6:
Michael performs his second concert in Taipei .

September 7:
Michael & the 3T arrive in Fukuoka (Japon) then board a bus to Huis Ten Bosh, a theme park, where they stay for two days.

September 9:
Michael returns to Fukuoka .

September 10:
Michael is on the cover of Entertainment Weekly.

He performs in concert in Fukuoka .

September 11:
Second concert in Fukuoka .

September 12:
Michael arrives in Moscow ( Russia )

September 13:
Michael is on the cover of Jet magazine.

He goes shopping in Moscow and tours the Kremlin museum ad armoury.

September 14:
Gloria Allred mysteriously resigns from representing Jordy and is replaced by Larry Feldman.

A civil suit against Michael is filed in Los Angeles Superior Court.

Michael shoots a video of himself marching with Russian army soldiers.

September 15:
Michael performs in concert in Moscow .

September 17:
Michael arrives in Tel Aviv ( Israel ). At Michael's request, Dominic Cascio and his children Frank & Eddie arrive from NYC to support him.

September 18:
Michael visits Jerusalem . He is met by religious protesters at the ancient Western Wall but is welcomed at Masada , another historic site.

September 19:
Michael performs in concert in Tel Aviv.

September 21:
Second concert in Tel Aviv.

Two detectives fly to Manila to question Mark & Faye Quindoy.

September 22:
Michael arrives in Istanbul ( Turquy ) with Frank & Eddie. They go to the cinema to watch Jurassik Park !

Jeanne White, Ryan White’s mother, tells the press that she met Jordy at Neverland in July and doesn’t believe he was molested by Michael.

September 23:
Michael perfoms in concert in Istanbul .

September 24:
Michael arrives in Tenerife with the Cascios.

September 26:
Michael performs in concert in Tenerife . Minutes before the show he meets backstage Laurent Hopman, the president of the French fan-club.

September 27-October 6:
Following the cancellation of the South African concerts due to continued violence there, Michael takes a break and go Switzeland with Frank & Eddie.

They stay at Elizabeth Taylor’s chalet in Gstaad for several days and then visits Geneva .

October 7:
Michel arrives in Buenos Aires with Frank & Eddie.

October 8/10/12:
Concerts in Buenos Aires .

October 13:
Michael arrives in Sao Paulo ( Brasil ) with Frank & Eddie.

October 15/17:
Concerts in Sao Paulo .

October 18:
Michael arrives in Santiago ( Chile ) with Frank & Eddie.

Dr Arnold Klein & Debbie Rowe visit Michael to support him and treat his skin condition.

October 21:
Michael’s first concert in Santiago is cancelled due to a back injury.

October 23:
Michael performs in Santiago .

October 24:
Michael arrives in Mexico with Frank & Eddie.

October 27:
Michael meets the President of Mexico.

October 29:
Michael performs before 100 000 people in Mexcico!

October 31:
Second concert before 100 000 people in Mexico

Michael’s grandfather, Samuel Jackson dies at the age of 90.

November 2:
Michael cancels his third Mexican concert due to a severe toothache.

November 4:
Michael receives oral surgery to have an abscessed molar extracted and stays in hospital overnight.

November 5:
Michael attends a party for children at the Hard Rock Café.

November 7:
Third concert in Mexico

November 8:
While the Jackson family is in Phoenix for Samuel Jackson’s funerals, the police search Hayvenhurst…
Michael's attorney Howard Manning flies to Mexico City to take a deposition from Michael for a copyright infringement lawsuit brought by three songwriters claiming Thriller, The Girl Is Mine & We Are The World were stolen from them...

November 9:
Elizabeth Taylor & Larry Fortensky fly to to join Michael.

Fourth concert in Mexico

November 11:
Michael performs the 69th and last concert of the Dangerous World Tour in Mexico.

November 12:
Michael leaves with Liz & Larry, stopping off in Canada and Iceland and finally lands at Luton airport in England. Liz & Larry fly on to Gstaad while Michael secretly goes to London .

Frank & Eddie fly back to NYC

He announces in an audio-taped message that he is cancelling the rest of the tour in order to seek treatment for an addiction to painkillers

November 14:
A spokesman for Pepsico announces their relationship with Michael Jackson is over.

Following Elton John’s advice, Michael checks in a private detox clinic in London .

November 16:
Police obtain a strip search warrant for Michael Jackson in order to verify a descrition of his genitals given by Jordy…

November 23:
Dangerous: The Short Films is released on VHS

November 24:
The administration of Michael’s music catalogue ATV moves from MCA Music to EMI Music Publishing.

Los Angeles Superior Court judge, David Rothman sets March 21, 1994, as the date for the civil suit against Michael to begin, denying a request from Michael’s attorneys to delay the proceddings until the criminal investigation is completed.

Janet launches jer Janet World Tour in Cincinnati, Ohio. Early in her performance she asks her audience to bow their heads and say a silent prayer "for my brother Michael".

November 29 :
Michael is on the cover of People magazine.

December 02 :
Katherine and Jermaine appear on CNN'sShowbiz Today and Hard Copy to defend Michael and refute remarks made by five former security guards.

December 06 :
Michael is on the cover of Jet magazine.

December 08 :
LaToya shocks the world by holding a midnight press conference in Tel Aviv, Istrael where she says that she "can no longer be a silent collaborator" to Michael's 'crimes against young innocent victims". Her husband and manager Jack Gordon is by her side.

The Jackson family reacts immediately and holds a press conference at Hayvenhurst to refute LaToya's claims. Katherine, Joe, Jermaine, Jackie, Tito & Randy tell CNN that LaToya has been brainwashed by her "money hungry" husband Jack Gordon.

Frank & Eddie visit Michael at his rehab center in London

December 10 :
Michael leaves London and returns home to Neverland with Frank & Eddie.

December 11 :
Margaret Maldonado leaves Jermaine & Hayvenhurst with Jeremy & Jourdyn

December 14 :
Six members of the Jackson family appear on BET live from Hayvenhurst to support Michael.

December 15 :
Blanca Francia, Michael's former personal maid gives a deposition in the civil lawsuit and sell her story to tabloid TV show Hard Copy claiming that her son Jason was a victim of Michael when he was 10.

December 20 :
Attorney Johnnie Cochran joins Michael's legal team with Howard Weitzman. Cochran replaces Bert Fields.

December 22 :
Live from Neverland and around the world, Michael makes a 4 minutes statement where he claims his innocence and reveals that earlier this week he was forced bt the LAPD and SBPD to submit to a photo session of his body and genitals.

December 24/25 :
Michael celebrates Christmas with the Cascios at Neverland.

December 28 :
Concert promoter Marcel Avram files a $20 million breach of contract against Michael claiming Michael's true condition was concealed on signing the contracts for the Dangerous Tour.

December 30/31 :
Michael appears in public for the first time since returning home at the Treasure Island complex in Las Vegas with friends Steve Wynn and Michael Milken.

Michael Jackson's Estate Wants to Keep Thrilling
More than two years after his death, Jackson is still on top. His estate wants to keep him there

By Ronald Grover and Andy Fixmer




Long Live the King: Michael Jackson's executors are intent on pitching the artist to a new generation of fans Ho New/Reuters

More than two years after his death, Michael Jackson is still moonwalking to the bank. Already one of the best-selling artists of all time, the singer was the top-selling act of 2009, thanks to a post-mortem surge in interest in his albums. That raised his career total to more than 750 million records worldwide. This Is It, the backstage look at Jackson’s unrealized final tour, was released four months after his death and became the highest-grossing concert film ever. In the 18 months after his passing, his estate reported that it collected $310 million from music, merchandise sales, and its share of publication rights on a music catalog that includes songs by the Beatles, Elvis Presley, and Jackson himself.

Now the hard part begins. As unseemly as it may sound, the first year of a celebrity’s death can be a bonanza. “When a star first dies, fans are desperate for just one more performance,” says Mark Young, a University of Southern California professor who specializes in sports and entertainment. Maintaining that buzz could be a challenge for even the King of Pop as fans move on to the next Lady Gaga-du-jour. Jackson wouldn’t be the first king to fade. The Elvis Presley estate, long the gold standard of money-making by dead stars, now has all the earmarks of an aging brand. In 2010 the estate generated $57 million for CKX, which owns the rights to the Elvis name.

Not bad for someone who’s been dead for more than 30 years. Still, tourist visits fell in five of the last six years at Graceland, Presley’s Memphis home, which provides more than half the estate’s revenue. Occupancy at the Heartbreak Hotel next door slid from 80 percent in 2006 to 67 percent in 2010. That’s a reason the estate scrapped plans to develop a hotel and convention center adjoining Graceland, taking a $900,000 write-off. “We learned a lot from the Elvis estate, and we see opportunities,” says John Branca, Jackson’s former lawyer who is co-executor for the estate with music executive John McClain.

Branca has tackled some urgent financial issues. He refinanced $300 million in debt that was pledged against the singer’s 50 percent stake in Sony/ATV, the music catalog behind much of his wealth. The estate paid off Jackson’s $4 million mortgage on the family home in Encino, Calif., and paid $35 million to concert promoter AEG to satisfy debts from the singer’s aborted tour. In all, Jackson’s debt was cut to around $300 million from $500 million.In November the estate was part of a group that agreed to pay $2.2 billion for EMI’s music publishing business, bolstering the revenue stream for its beneficiaries—Jackson’s mother Katherine, his three children, and some unnamed charities.

Now, the estate is focusing on projects to keep the Jackson flame alive for long-time fans while introducing younger audiences to his work. Jackson left behind enough music for one more album, according to a person with knowledge of the singer’s business. (A 2010 album of new songs that the estate released sold a half-million copies.) Plans for a biopic film have been shelved, however, until the right script and director come along.The executors can wait: The estate has rights to Jackson’s music, so an unauthorized film is unrealistic.

The estate signed with Ubisoft for a video game Branca hopes will help introduce a new generation to moonwalking like the master. It also paid half the $60 million production cost for Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour, a show by Cirque du Soleil that opened in October. Rather than backing a show anchored on Broadway or in Las Vegas, Branca opted for a touring show in hopes that fans will bring their kids—who later may become fans themselves. The estate gets half of ticket and merchandise sales plus royalties.

Once The Immortal’s U.S. tour is over, foreign versions will continue. A permanent Cirque show will open in Las Vegas in 2013, along with an interactive museum where fans can dance with the mummies from the Thriller music video. A Broadway show and a tribute concert tour could be next. “There’s a whole generation out there who doesn’t know about Michael and his music,” says Branca. “We’re going to change that.”

The bottom line: Thanks in part to a wave of fan interest, Michael Jackson’s estate was able to trim about $200 million from his debts after his death.


Fonte: MJJC