Black Or White debuted at #18 this week in the UK singles chart.

Source: BBC Radio 1

Especially in Italy and Spain, the singles from the ‘Visionary’ collection
are still doing extremely well.

Italy (weekly charts from March 31-April 6, 2006 (specialised shops) and
from March 27-April 2, 2006 (large distribution)):

* #5 Bad (new entry)
* #6 Dirty Diana (new entry)
* #7 The Way You Make Me Feel (new entry)

Spain (Top 20 singles and maxisingles for April 10-16, 2006):

* #1 Dirty Diana
* #2 The Way You Make Me Feel
* #3 Bad
* #5 Beat It
* #6 Billie Jean
* #7 Thriller
* #9 Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough
* #10 Rock With You

Source: MJFC, promusicae (Spain), fimi (Italy)

27 April 2006
Back To Work At Neverland

After problems with insurance and staff payments, Michael Jackson has
resolved matters at his Neverland Valley Ranch. He payed the outstanding
wages as well as $49,000 in fines and hired 10 new workers to especially
take care of the animals in his private zoo.

Source: MJFC

As if he didn’t have enough problems, Michael Jackson’s German logo has been sold to a stranger.

Wolfgang Rath, who owned the rights to the MJ logo in Germany, sold them at auction this week. The winning bid was a mere 85,000 euros, about $105,600. The name of the winner has not yet been revealed.

Jackson remains popular in Germany, with potential business ventures. Rath was surprised the rights to the logo went for so little, but he was even more shocked that neither Jackson nor any of his representatives tried to join the auction.

Rath also found it odd that Sony Music didn’t try and buy the logo, since it is currently stamped on a box set of singles issued in Germany.

The new owner can now do what he pleases with it, so any kind of merchandise can now be issued in Germany under Jackson’s name.

Source: Fox

DJ Whoo Kid wants to bring Michael Jackson and 50 Cent together, there’s no doubt about that — it’s just not happening as soon as reports might lead you to believe. Thanks to an announcement seemingly released by Jackson’s new record label, which stated the singer’s dream team was a done deal, several media outlets ran with the news, not realizing the press release was a prank.

There had been enough news in recent weeks to suggest that the press release was the real thing. Whoo Kid revealed earlier this month that Jackson had chatted him up about a possible collaboration with 50 (see “DJ Whoo Kid Spends An Evening In Bahrain ‘Chillin’ ‘ With Michael Jackson”). Whoo Kid had just come back from Bahrain, where he said he had arranged a phone conversation between the two artists.

The phony press release, sent Sunday as an e-mail claiming to be from Two Seas Records, claimed this was now happening. “I do not know who put this story out, certainly not us,” Two Seas spokesperson Sue Harris said. “But it doesn’t surprise me!”

Media outlets such as Billboard and Rolling Stone picked up the hoax on Monday, reporting details that Jackson and 50 were joining forces on a song called “Now That I Found Love,” featuring up-and-coming singer Lucy Diamonds, and that it would be out November 21.

“I don’t know who made that up,” Whoo Kid said, regarding those reports. “I don’t know who Lucy Diamonds is.”

“How are they saying it is a 50/ MJ/ Lucy song?” Diamond’s spokesperson Jonathan Hay said. “This whole thing is freaking strange.”

Reports stated that the song would also be on a Whoo Kid mixtape called MJ Unit - The Takeover, which would supposedly feature five unreleased Jackson songs and mash-ups of his prior hits with songs from members of the G-Unit camp, including Lloyd Banks, Mase, Young Buck, Mobb Deep and M.O.P. This was most likely “borrowed” from the fact that Whoo Kid is planning to work with Banks, Mase and Mobb Deep. But “Now That I Found Love” gives shout-outs to 50’s rival, the Game, as well as DJ Skee, Nu Jerzey Devil and Black Wall Street.

“This isn’t good because Lucy is talking to Game, she’s been talking to Game for a while,” Hay said. “So she won’t be on that [MJ Unit] mixtape, not unless they stole her song.”

As for Jackson, his camp refuses to give any information about the singer’s upcoming projects, even to correct fake reports or press releases.

“As far as we are concerned, details regarding the recording of Michael Jackson’s albums are being kept under wraps,” Harris said. “We will not be making any comments as to who may or may not be working with Michael Jackson in the studio. We will not be making any announcements, nor will we be reacting to any speculation or reports in the media.”

A spokesperson for 50 Cent did not elaborate on the prank.

Source: MTV

The ‘MJ’ logo had been put on auction in Germany this week and went for the
final bid of ?85,000 (about $105,600). However, it turned out that the
person who placed this bid by phone couldn’t pay the money within the given
time. Reportedly, the bidder was a fan that didn’t have the money. Thus the
logo will have to be put on auction once again.

For Germany, the company MJ Entertainment, which is not connected with
Michael Jackson himself, owned the usage rights for the ‘MJ’ logo. Due to
insolvency of the company, creditors initiated the ‘MJ’ logo to be
distrained and requested it to be auctioned.

Head marshal Walter Horz, who is responsible for the auction, will allow no
more telephone bids during the second auction. It will take place May 9,
2006.

Source: MJFC

The commercialization’s rights of Michael Jackson’ MJ logo were sold in an auction in Germany, for 85.000 euros (105,000 $). The rights of use of the logotipo - the interlaced initials of the singer - were acquired until 2010 by a follower (fan) of Jackson, that bid up by telephone, said Walter Horz, the judicial official who supervised the sale. Logotipo, that can be reproduced in t-shirts or perfumes, was put on sale by the German company MJ Net.Entertainment, holder of the rights of operation of the same one, that recently broke.

Source: Germany

Leave Me Alone debuted at #15 this week in the UK singles chart.

VIDEO GREATEST HITS - HISTORY has dropped 7 places to #38 in the Australian
DVD Charts.

Source: MJ.INF, ARIA

Just when you thought we wouldn’t have Michael Jackson to kick around any more comes word the beleaguered superstar has begun work on an album of new material tentatively set for release in late 2007, according to a report in the music biz bible, Billboard.

The artist, who currently makes his home in the Persian Gulf state of Bahrain, will record the album for Two Seas Records, a new production and label jointly created by Jackson and its chairman Abdulla Hamad Al-Khalifa. Hey, whatever happened to Frank DiLeo?

In a statement issued today, the singer said, “I am incredibly excited about my new venture and I am enjoying being back in the studio making music.” The label is reportedly considering potential distribution and licensing agreements.

Guy Holmes, Chairman of the U.K. label Gut Records, will oversee the recording as CEO of the Bahrain-based company and will double as manager of the performer’s other business interests, splitting time between Bahrain and London.

The new album will be Jackson’s first studio set since 2001’s Invincible for Sony’s Epic label, which has sold more than 2 million copies in the U.S.

Source: Hits Daily Double

Michael Jackson has announced a record deal with 2 Seas Records that will
hopefully see an album of new material in “late 2007.”

Abdulla Hamad Al-Khalifa (the Prince of Bahrain, pictured far left) owns the
label, which is also distributing Michael’s yet-to-be-released Hurricane
charity single. Michael has been staying in Bahrain recently and the new
album is a joint venture between him and the Prince.

“I am incredibly excited about my new venture and I am enjoying being back
in the studio making music,” Michael revealed.

Guy Holmes has been “tapped” to be CEO of the 2 Seas label according to
Billboard.com. Holmes (pictured above right) is mostly known for his role as
chairman of Gut Records. He was the man behind Tom Jones’ Reload album which
featured the massive hit Sex Bomb and rejuvenated the Welshman’s career.
Holmes was also responsible for the success of the animated Crazy Frog’s
Axel F single last year.

Source: MJNI

Michael Jackson has confirmed his new manager is English music mogul Guy Holmes.

Jackson has signed a record deal with Two Seas Records, the label he has founded with Bahrain ruler Sheik Abdulla Hamad Al-Khalifa.

Gut Records chairman Holmes has been named Two Seas Records Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

The superstar is currently writing a new album which is due for release late next year.

Jackson, 47, says, “I am incredibly excited about my new venture and I am enjoying being back in the studio making music.”

Holmes - who has helped Crazy Frog and Tom Jones top the charts - will oversee Jackson’s new album and manage the superstar’s other business interests.

Source: Yahoo