Belgian fans can vote for their 5 favourite Michael Jackson tracks on the web site of the Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad. The songs with the most votes will be included on the Belgian edition of the album ‘King Of Pop’ - celebrating Michael’s 50th birthday.

The 2 CD Album will be released on August 25, 2008.

Source: Het Nieuwsblad

JAM / MJFC Germany is calling on fans worldwide to participate in their birthday project: Make your own video with a birthday greeting for Michael Jackson - who will celebrate his 50th birthday on August 29, 2008.

Record your personal greeting message for Michael Jackson on video. It can either be a few words addressed at the King of Pop or you can sing or dance. You can upload your videos at the popular video portals (e.g. YouTube, MyVideo, Clipfish). Then send the link of your video to JAM via their contact form. The videos shall not contain any kind of racist, sexual or otherwise offensive content. All videos will be checked before publication on a special birthday page.

Michael Jackson will be the first to have the possibility to view the videos on the special birthday page (JAM does not give any guarantee that Michael Jackson will view the video.) All other fans will get a chance to view them a few days later.

If you don`t have a video camera, you can also send an image of yourself or a painting together with your birthday message (in English) to MJFC Germany via their contact form.

The new deadline for this project is August 26, 2008.

Source: JAM (MJFC Germany)

A few weeks ago rumors were circling around that Michael Jackson was set to collaborate with New Kids on the Block on their upcoming new CD. However, band member Donnie Wahlberg dispelled these rumors on his online blog today:

“And while I also (sometimes) enjoy the audacity of people writing blatantly fabricated “news” articles…We are NOT recording with Michael Jackson and/or Madonna. We never claimed to be either. Good fun reading about it though! Sorry to let ya down….”

Source: nkotb.com

Gary, Indiana (USA) could soon be the site of a museum devoted to one of the most famous family’s in music – The Jackson’s! This was one of the topics discussed with Joseph Jackson and Gary Mayor Rudy Clay on Mr. Jackson’s visit back to Gary on July 22, 2008. Clay explained that there had been previous discussions to exhibit some of the Jackson family memorabilia in Gary; all of which were unsuccessful.

“We had to get a commitment solid from Joe here today. We got that on camera,” Clay said. Asked whether he got the commitment in writing, Clay said, “Let me put it like this, the paperwork has to come after the commitment.”

Although the project developer would not directly comment on the project, she did indicate that the project is still in the early stages of development and that the museum would be located Grant Street and Interstate 80/94.

Source: CBS Broadcasting Inc

On Tuesday, Joe Jackson was presented with the key to the city of Gary by Mayor Rudy Clay, heard about updated plans for the proposed Jackson Museum and Cultural Center and unveiled a new street sign in honor of the Jackson family at 2300 Jackson St. in front of the original home of the Jackson Five.

The entire interior of Gary City Hall was decked out with large, fresh-cut flower arrangements and draped fabric swags, while signs reading “Welcome Home Joe Jackson” covered all the doors and windows.

Clay said during a brief morning ceremony:

“This key not only represents the key to Gary, but also represents the key that will unlock the door of the future Jackson Family Museum.”

Clay, Jackson and Joel Rodriguez, special assistant to the mayor for the department of development, had also met for a roundtable discussion before the key ceremony to discuss plans for the Jackson Family tribute property. The concept first was unveiled by former Mayor Scott King during Michael Jackson’s 2003 visit.

Afterwards they left to lunch at the new Dusty’s Buffet Restaurant inside the Gary RailCats stadium.

“We, as the Jackson family, are proud of our Gary roots,” said Jackson, whose last visit to Gary was nearly two decades ago.

So much has changed here since my last visit. There are great days ahead for Gary.”

He was particularly pleased to see an easel in the main foyer of Gary City Hall displaying a photograph of Clay with Obama, or as Joe Jackson described him: “the next president of the United States”:

“Myself and my entire family supports Obama and he will be our next president.”

Source: NWI Times

Ne-Yo may have won a Grammy for his last album, Because of You, and penned Beyoncé’s massive “Irreplaceable,” but that doesn’t mean he’s sticking with the formula. When we ran into the singer at a Tanqueray No. Ten–sponsored party for VH1’s Save the Music in East Hampton this weekend, he told us he’s trying to change things up for his upcoming album, Year of the Gentleman. “For inspiration I started listening to stuff like Coldplay, Radiohead, some of the Beatles’ old stuff.” He even tried to learn how to play guitar, but it didn’t take. “They didn’t tell me that learning to pay the guitar hurts. Your fingers bleed and they cramp. I was like, ‘This is not sexy. I do not like this.’” He gave it the old college try for two weeks before calluses started to show, “and that’s when I gave up. I was like, ‘Nah. I’m okay.’ Playing guitar is not the hottest thing. And then when you shake a person’s hand, you’ve got sandpaper hands. No, thank you.”

Also trying to change it up? Michael Jackson, who asked Ne-Yo to write songs for his comeback album. “Yeah, Michael’s putting together a new album, and I’m helping him out with it,” he confirmed. According to Ne-Yo, Jackson himself called to get him onboard. “I actually hung up on him because I thought someone was playin’,” he said. “‘Who’s this?’ [high voice] ‘This is Michael Jackson.’ Click. Then his representative called back. ‘This is Peter Lopez. I have Michael Jackson on the phone.’ And I was like, ‘Oh my God. Are you serious?’ And then I apologized for the next ten minutes. Any comedian who has ever made fun of Michael Jackson was right on. Sad but true. He does have a very high, not very manly voice.”

But in the end, Jackson managed to talk Ne-Yo into the project. “He said he had a very high appreciation for my appreciation for melody. His music is all about the melody, and that’s the only sort of real direction he gave me: ‘Just make sure the song is as melodic as possible. I want to get back to that.’” Jackson apparently also gave some instructions on subject matter for lyrics, but, Ne-Yo said, “it was very much keep it to yourself.” At this point, Ne-Yo has written a number of tracks, which he submits to Jackson as MP3s via e-mail; then, Ne-Yo said, “he’ll call me back and say, ‘I really like song No. 3. Song No. 4, the hook could be stronger. Song No. 1, change the first verse. Okay, bye.’ Click. And then I redo them and he’s like, ‘Okay, they’re perfect. Send me more.’ So I don’t know what he’s keeping, what he’s getting rid of, what he’s recording.”

Will this be Michael Jackson’s comeback album? Ne-Yo hopes so. “He’s definitely trying,” he said. “He’s trying to get back to a place where people remember why they love Michael Jackson in the first place. In the beginning, you didn’t care about Michael Jackson’s personal life. It was about his dancing and his music. That was why you loved Mike. He’s trying to get back there. And I’m trying to help.”

Source: New York Magazine

At the end of August, Sony BMG will release The Jacksons albums ‘Triumph’ and ‘Destiny’ in remastered versions and expanded with bonus tracks.

Destiny track listing:

1. Blame It On The Boogie
2. Push Me Away
3. Things I Do For You
4. Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground)
5. Destiny
6. Bless His Soul
7. All Night Dancin
8. That s What You Get (For Being Polite)

BONUS TRACKS:
9. Blame It On The Boogie (John Luongo Disco Mix)
10. Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground) (John Luongo Disco Mix)

Triumph track listing:

1. Can You Feel It
2. Lovely One
3. Your Ways
4. Everybody
5. This Place Hotel (a/k/a Heartbreak Hotel)
6. Time Waits For No One
7. Walk Right Now
8. Give It Up
9. Wondering Who

BONUS TRACKS:
10. This Place Hotel (a/k/a Heartbreak Hotel) (Single Version)
11. Walk Right Now (John Luongo Disco Mix)
12. Walk Right Now (John Luongo Instrumental Mix)

Source: SonyBMG Switzerland

The Australian Edition of ‘King Of Pop’, a fan-voted album in celebration of Michael’s 50th birthday, will be the first Australian fan-driven album of its kind. It will contain the top 30 tracks chosen from Michael’s Australian fans, plus rare tracks from Michael’s career and a never before released track plus a brand new “MegaMix” from the legendary Jason Nevins.

‘King Of Pop’ - Australian Edition will be released in two editions. The first is a limited edition digi-pak that will feature selected voters names and messages left by the fans on the MJ50-Australia site and a special fold-out poster that follows Michael through his illustrious musical career. The second edition will be a standard release of the album without the poster.

Source: SonyBMG Australia

Dutch fans can vote for their favourite Michael Jackson tracks by clicking here, choosing 5 songs from a list of 100. The songs with the most votes will be included on the Dutch edition of the album ‘King Of Pop’ - celebrating Michael’s 50th birthday.

The release date of the album will be August 22, 2008.

Source: SonyBMG Netherlands

According to a report by the Enfield Independent, a secondary school in Enfield (UK) broke the world record for the largest number of people to ever take part in a version of Michael Jackson’s famous ‘Thriller’ dance last week. Previously, the world record was held in Canada with 62 people dancing the routine. This was officially beaten in Enfield with 147 dancers participating and around 700 “extras” - acting as zombies.

Students and staff from Highlands School, in Grange Park, and three local primary schools, celebrated the 25th anniversary of the acclaimed album, with a fund-raising performance of the dance. Every participant was asked to contribute a minimum of £1. The event raised over £750 for the Teenage Cancer Trust charity, which builds specialist units around the country for teenagers and young adults who are suffering with cancer.

Simon Davies, the chief executive of Teenage Cancer Trust, said:

“What an incredible achievement for the school to beat the world record.

We’d like to say a huge thanks to all the students and staff involved with this challenge and for raising money for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

This money will help us ensure that young cancer patients get the best possible care in hospital, and the chance to do all the things that other teenagers do. We couldn’t do this without people like Highlands School.”

The Thriller dance has proven to be a popular routine ever since the famous video for the song was released, attracting the attention of worldwide simultaneous dances.

Source: Enfield Independent