Disputed Michael Jackson Songs, Which Fans Claim Were Sung by a Different Vocalist, Removed From Streaming Services
variety.comJem Aswad Senior Music EditorThree songs from the posthumous 2010 Michael Jackson album “Michael,” which some fans have long insisted were not sung by the late artist, have been removed from streaming services.A statement from Jackson’s estate and Sony Music, which acquired the rights to unreleased material from the singer’s vaults in a blockbuster $250 million deal in 2010, says the songs were removed in an effort to “move beyond” the controversy but effectively maintains that the vocals were not faked: “Nothing should be read into this action concerning the authenticity of the tracks,” it emphasizes.“The Estate of Michael Jackson and Sony Music decided to remove the tracks ‘Breaking News,’ ‘Monster’ and ‘Keep Your Head Up,’ from the 2010 album ‘Michael’ as the simplest and best way to move beyond the conversation associated with these tracks once and for all,” the statement, issued Tuesday, reads. “The album’s remaining tracks remain available.
Nothing should be read into this action concerning the authenticity of the tracks – it is just time to move beyond the distraction surrounding them,” it concludes.
The songs in question have been at the center of an unusually aggressive legal campaign by fans that ultimately was won by the estate in 2018.
They were reportedly recorded in 2007 with songwriter/producers Edward Cascio and James Porte, two years before the Jackson’s death from an accidental overdose.
Read more on variety.com