The Rebirth of an Empire: A New Book on the Business Genius of the King of Pop
Many books have been written about the life and music of Michael Jackson, and without a doubt, a gap was felt on bookstore shelves for a book about his business instincts and commercial genius. This has been addressed by Forbes magazine’s well-known writer Zack O’Malley Greenburg with a book titled Michael Jackson INC: The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of a Billion-Dollar Empire. This book was released today and is now also available on Amazon.
In this book, Zack O’Malley describes Michael Jackson as a major businessman.
O’Malley himself says: “After his death, Michael Jackson generated a staggering $700 million in revenue. That’s more than any other living star over the same period.”
O’Malley believes Michael was a pioneer in turning fame into money. He was one of the first artists to have, at the same time, a shoe line, a clothing line, and a brand mark.
O’Malley hopes his book will open people’s eyes to Michael Jackson’s business genius.
O’Malley: “Many people don’t know how good a businessman he was because of the problems from the final years of his life.”
This book brings fresh air to a community that has been bombarded with many negative articles about Michael’s heavy debts, his unfinished projects, and the claim that he was even homeless. One such article has recently been adapted by Roger Friedman, who described Zack O’Malley’s book as pointless and imaginary. In contrast to O’Malley’s view, he wrote that Michael Jackson was a bad businessman and attributed his success solely to buying the music publishing rights of other artists (Sony/ATV).
Zack O’Malley is one of the senior editors at the respected Forbes magazine. He writes about the music business and has appeared on many television programs. It’s not surprising that his book has drawn attention and received many reviews. Below, we’ll review some of them.
William DeCohen from The New York Times:
“In this book, written with extremely careful research, Zack O’Malley reveals a mastery of the late King of Pop that we hadn’t previously noticed: a changeable but highly shrewd businessman who created millions of dollars during his lifetime—and created even more after his death.”
Chak Leow; keyboardist for The Rolling Stones:
“The King of Pop is portrayed brilliantly by Zack O’Malley, who has a gift for seeing details. Words dance between the pages—this is a sign of a writer with innate genius. Bravo, Zack.”
Steve Forbes, president of Forbes magazine
“What story Zack Greenburg tells, and how beautifully—an engrossing and thrilling account of Michael Jackson’s presence on stage during his peak. This modern version is Citizen Kane of the pop world.”
Michael Gross, author of House of Outrageous Fortune
“Jackson was a fox—shrewd in business, as cold as it was hot on stage and in the studio. I’m crazy about this captivating, beautifully written book.”
David Benner, Grammy-winning musician, actor, and entrepreneur
“Greenburg examines Michael Jackson’s sharpness and cunning. He explores, in detail, the truth behind the man who rose out of poverty and changed and paved the way for artists to become business giants.”
Devon Thomas, editor of Ozy.com
“We know the circus that has been set in motion around Michael Jackson’s personal life in the media, but Zack found stories that reveal his character in the world of business—something that was completely different from what was shown in the media and had a major impact on the industry. Jackson was formidable in the recording booth—and even more formidable in the boardroom. The world owes him artists and entrepreneurs like Jay Z, Diddy, and Lady Gaga. We also owe Zack for shining a light on Jackson’s commercial shrewdness.”
Fab Five Freddy, hip-hop veteran and longtime host of Yo! MTV
“We all know Michael Jackson worked hard to become the undisputed King of Pop. Zack Greenburg’s well-researched book shows us how Michael learned from the best, acted unexpectedly, and appeared in business just as well as he did on stage. This book is fun and compelling, and offers one of the deepest looks at the programming industry at its highest level.”
Kirkus Book Reviews magazine
“With skill, Greenburg records Jackson’s artistic growth and achievements—not with financial jargon or flattering praise, but with a fruitful narrative of the relationships the artist built with others. He has mixed in surprising facts about recording innovative works, his ambitions, and expensive, high-profile music videos that became the industry’s standard. This book is a useful and educational review of the career of this important artist.”
Joseph Vogel, author of the acclaimed book Man in Music: The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson
“A mesmerizing, fresh narrative packed with details about how Michael Jackson changed the game for artists in the entertainment industry. Full of insight and new angles; Greenburg leaves behind a cynical view in favor of realism and research-based reporting. The result is a story about Jackson’s commercial cunning and sharp mind. Although Jackson’s success came at a steep price, reading this book shows us how he paved the way for the future of generations of artists.”
Jim Eswad, president of SPIN
“Zack follows, step by step, the story of how Jackson became the Citizen Kane of the pop world and created an empire so immense that even the most incomprehensible mistakes by Jackson couldn’t bring it down. This book offers the deepest research and the strongest proof that Jackson was as much a pioneer in business as he was in music—a guide in turning an artist into a brand.”
Source: eMJey.com / Amazon