Jackson faces tough battle to revive career, finances
By Marc Lavine
LOS ANGELES: Pop icon Michael Jackson faces a tough battle reviving his stalled career and crumbling financial empire despite his acquittal in the dramatic finale of his trial, experts say. The 1980s “King of Pop” 22 years ago produced the best-selling album in history, ‘Thriller’, and became one of the world’s most famous entertainers.
But he is arguably now better known to many for his eccentric antics and the damaging accusations that he molested a young boy.
The 46-year-old musical legend’s entertainment career was frozen after his Nov 2003 arrest as he focused on clearing his name, but it had been slowly declining for years before the case came to light.
“I don’t think we’re going to see Michael Jackson make a huge comeback even with an acquittal,” said pop culture expert Robert Thompson of the University of Syracuse in New York.
“Even before this trial, we had ceased to look forward to his latest music release and had started to look forward to his latest scandal,” he said.
Other experts agreed that Jackson’s career, further damaged by his highly publicized trial, may never quite be the same again.
“Things could work differently, but can a guy of his age make a comeback?” questioned Todd Boyd, a professor of film and pop culture expert at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.
“I think it all comes down whether a new generation of fans is going to support him,” Todd Boyd said.
But music fans appear to believe that Jackson’s image is irreparably damaged and that his career will not survive trial.
A poll of readers of music’s Billboard magazine earlier this month showed that 46 per cent of 6,851 people questioned believed Jackson’s career as a superstar was over no matter how the trial ended.
And while Thompson said Jackson would likely find work as an entertainer, he was unlikely to be a major recording force again.
But Jackson aides said he would put the damaging accusations of his trial behind him and re-emerge as a star.
“I don’t believe he’s going to be known as the celebrity who got off,” said family spokeswoman Angel Howansky.
“The world would be at a loss if Michael Jackson did not get back out and sing and perform,” she said.
But music industry experts said the trial simply aggravated a two-decade-old decline in the career of the master entertainer whose 1983 ‘Thriller’ album sold 170 million discs across the world.
“It’s been more than 20 years since he released his peak album,” said Geoff Mayfield, director of charts at Billboard.
“Even without the allegations of this trial, that is the nature of the music industry. He’s moved past his hottest period,” Mr Mayfield said.
Adding to his career woes are mounting lawsuits against Jackson — who has earned more than half a billion dollars over his career — for alleged non-payment of bills.
That, coupled with reports that he is suffering a severe cash-flow crisis, makes some industry players cautious of working with Jackson, insiders said.
Prosecutors brought evidence at Jackson’s trial claiming he spends 20 to 30 million dollars more than he earns each year and has debts of more than 270 million dollars, including 10.5 million dollars in unpaid bills.
He reportedly shells out more than 1.5 million dollars a month on overhead costs — including maintaining his fantasy-themed Neverland Ranch with its amusement park and private zoo.
After Bank of America reportedly told the star in April he was in default for at least part of his massive debt with the bank, speculation mounted over whether Jackson would be forced to sell his lucrative assets.
Those assets include Jackson’s half share in Sony/ATV Music Publishing, which controls 200,000 songs.
“He is not broke, he is still asset rich — he has assets of value,” Brett Pulley, senior editor at Forbes magazine, told CNN.
Music industry experts stressed that Jackson’s career had seen more highs than lows, despite a lack of new material and disappointing sales of his last album in 2003.
“He’s continued to be relevant on radio and relevant on music stores,” Mr Mayfield said.—AFP
