Quincy Jones has won his lawsuit against the estate of Michael Jackson and Sony Music over the cash haul of money they have received since Jackson’s death.
The lawsuit said that MJJ Productions and Sony Music have been making large sums of money off of Jackson’s music, much of which was produced by Jones, while “disguising” the owed royalties. Jones was particularly upset over remixes and edits that were made without his approval when contracts said that he would be the first person that the work would be offered to. Examples would be the deluxe version of Bad and the reworked music used by the Cirque du Soleil.
Jones’ initial suit claimed $30.3 million in unrecognized royalties while the Jackson estate said that they owed him less than $400,000.
Jackson’s estate plans to appeal.
Jones and Jackson first worked together when Quincy was the music supervisor on the film The Wiz. Their production affiliation started with Jackson’s solo breakout album Off the Wall (1979) and continued through Thriller (1982) and Bad (1987). The three album collaboration produced seventeen top ten hits including nine number 1’s.
Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough (1979 / #1)
Rock With You (1979 / #1)
Off the Wall (1980 / #10)
She’s Out of My Life (1980 / #10)
The Girl is Mine (with Paul McCartney) (1982 / #2)
Billie Jean (1983 / #1)
Beat It (1983 / #1)
Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ (1983 / #5)
Human Nature (1983 / #7)
P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) (1983 / #10)
Thriller (1983 / #4)
I Just Can’t Stop Loving You (with Siedah Garrett) (1987 / #1)
Bad (1987 / #1)
The Way You Make Me Feel (1987 / #1)
Man in the Mirror (1988 / #1)
Dirty Diana (1988 / #1)
Smooth Criminal (1988 / #7)
Jones also produced the Jackson penned (with Lionel Richie) We Are the World.
