If Michael Jackson’s estate earns $75 million a year, how much is the entire catalog worth?
Sony Music is reportedly in talks to buy a 50% stake in Michael’s catalogue.
Billboard estimates that it is worth more than the 1.8 billion that the market estimates.
In addition to the songs written by Michael, the catalog includes hits by other composers that he started buying in the 80s.
Of the 1,000 songs in the catalog, only about 250 are by Michael.
The catalog of songs NOT written by him (about 750), includes classics like “Love Train”, “Express Way To Your Heart”, “Cowboys To Girls” and “If You Don’t Know Me By Now”.
There are also songs by Daryl Hall, John Oates, Len Barry, Tim Moore, Tom Sellers, John Madera, David White, Sly & the Family Stone’s Sylvester Stewart (“Dance to The Music,” “Everyday People” and “Hot Fun in The Summertime”).
Incredibly, the Michael Jackson catalog also has these great classics:
Jerry Lee Lewis (“Great Balls of Fire”)
Jackie Wilson (“Higher and Higher”)
Curtis Mayfield (“People Get Ready”)
Ray Charles (“What’d I Say”)
Percy Sledge (“When A Man Loves A Woman”)
The Crests (“Sixteen Candles”)
Jerry Jeff Walker (“Mr. Bojangles”)
Dion and the Belmonts (“Runaround Sue” and “The Wanderer”)
Dion (“Abraham, Martin and John”)
Shirley Bassey (“Goldfinger”)
Ringo Starr (“You’re Sixteen”)
The Archies (“Sugar Sugar”)
McFadden & Whitehead (“Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now”)
JJ Cale (“After Midnight”).
