No matter the generational differences between music fans, one thing that is rarely disputed is Michael Jackson’s place and influence in music.
As the revered King of Pop, fans are serious about preserving his legacy and honoring the rich musical history associated with his work. Fans have leveled up their fandom by working on getting some of his music removed from streaming services.
Questionable Tracks
Michael Jackson tragically passed away in June 2009. However, Sony Music and the Jackson Estate posthumously released the self-titled compilation album in 2010, “Michael.” The album featured never-released songs, including “Monster,” “Keep Your Head Up,” and “Breaking News.” The songs mentioned above are alleged to be sung by a session singer, not Michael Jackson himself.
BBC reports that after consistent backlash from music fans, the songs were removed from Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and other streaming services — bringing the album’s total song count down to seven from the original ten.
“The album’s remaining tracks remain available,” explained Jackson’s estate and Sony Music to USA TODAY via a statement. “Nothing should be read into this action concerning the authenticity of the tracks — it is just time to move beyond the distraction surrounding them.”
The Sony Saga
Although the streaming services have little to do with the validity of vocals on any given track, the fans were adamant about the authenticity of the alleged voice representing the late “Thriller” singer.
According to USA Today, it is assumed that Jason Malachi provided the vocals for the three tracks in question. Such speculation has led to lawsuits against Sony Music.
In 2016, Sony acquired the rights to Michael Jackson’s music catalog from the Jackson Estate in a deal that was worth $750 million.
