The Michael Jackson estate was only kidding when they declared, "This Is It."
The King of Pop is set to join the company of Tupac, Johnny Cash and the original beyond-the-grave recording artist, Elvis Presley, with a record-breaking $250-million (post-mortem) record deal.
The agreement, signed with Sony, is the biggest record deal in history. It requires 10 projects over seven years, Yahoo is reporting.
Included in the deal are unheard recordings and the one-gloved icon's back catalogue. Sony is expected to release an album of previously unreleased Jackson songs by the end of this summer. The company will then rerelease expanded versions of old albums, new remixes of his old songs and DVDs.
If past sales are any indicator, the deal should be a success — Jackson is estimated to have sold about 31 million albums since his sudden death last June at age 50.
Let's hope they all somehow keep making music. Some music scholars are not so enamored with the idea though, arguing that if Michael Jackson didn't feel the songs were good enough to be released while he was alive, they shouldn't be made public now.
The Jackson estate will certainly be bringing in plenty of cash — it holds a 50-percent stake in the music publishing company that owns rights to the catalogues of several icons, including Elvis Presley's.
Like with Presely, the music may not be looked at the same way, but the money never dies. Who needs artistic integrity when the Brink's trucks are backing up?
Legendary rockers Styx and Kevin Cronin, lead singer of REO Speedwagon, will team up to co-headline the “Brotherhood of Rock” tour in 2025, which will include a stop at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in The Woodlands on Friday, June 6.
The large, 40-city tour will take place over three months, starting in Greenville, South Carolina on May 28, and wrapping up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on August 24.
In addition to Houston, the tour will go to Austin on June 4 and Dallas on August 1. It will include special guest Don Felder, former lead guitarist for the Eagles, at all dates.
Fans can expect some of the greatest rock anthems of all time, including “Renegade,” “Keep On Loving You,” “Come Sail Away,” “Can't Fight This Feeling,” and “Hotel California.”
Styx and Cronin (as part of REO Speedwagon) first toured together in 2000 and in 2001 after the 9/11 attacks, coming together to form the Rock to the Rescue 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. This will mark their sixth time joining forces on the road.
2022 was the 50th anniversary of Styx's self-titled debut album, but they have yet to slow down. The band released their 17th album, Crash of the Crown, in 2021. Of course, not everyone is a fan, as this classic clip from The Simpsons illustrates.
REO Speedwagon's recording days appear to be done, with their last album coming out in 2009, but the main group of five has been together since 1989. On this tour, Cronin will be joined by REO's lead guitarist Dave Amato and drummer Bryan Hitt.
General tickets for the tour will go on sale starting on Friday, December 13 at 10 am at LiveNation.com.
Citi cardmembers will have access to presale tickets in the U.S. beginning on December 9 at 10 am through the Citi Entertainment program.
Styx and Kevin Cronin will be offering VIP packages via their own exclusive pre-sales beginning on Tuesday, December 10 at 10 am, as well as at LiveNation.com.
