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Sony: Michael Jackson Album Will Be Sold on iTunes, Contrary to Report

Michael Jackson’s posthumous album This Is It will be sold through iTunes, Sony told Wired.com, contradicting a Digital Music News report that Apple’s policy of insisting that songs be sold individually had cost it the chance to sell the album. “I’m happy to report that [that] story is incorrect,” said Epic Records (Sony) spokeswoman (and […]

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mjthisMichael Jackson's posthumous album This Is It will be sold through iTunes, Sony told Wired.com, contradicting a Digital Music News report that Apple's policy of insisting that songs be sold individually had cost it the chance to sell the album.

"I'm happy to report that [that] story is incorrect," said Epic Records (Sony) spokeswoman (and former senior vice president of publicity) Lois Najarian, of publicity firm The Door. "Michael Jackson's This It It album will indeed be for sale on iTunes Oct. 27. I don’t have much more information to impart other than that right now, but suffice [it] to say fans will be able to purchase it there."

If Sony is right, either Michael Jackson's people have agreed to let iTunes sell songs from the album individually, or Apple has reversed its general policy (updated) of insisting that songs on albums also be sold individually in iTunes. We've asked Sony and Apple about this and hope to have an answer shortly.

"I know that's the question of the day and they are working on that now," said Najarian, when asked about the bundling issue.

Update: Apple confirmed to Wired.com that the album will in fact be sold through iTunes, in two different bundles.

This widely anticipated album includes only one new track, also called "This Is It" (listen), which was co-written by Michael Jackson and Paul Anka in 1983, although four demos and a poem are also included. By making this only available as a complete album, Sony and Jackson's estate would be able to force fans who want to buy the new track and the four demos to purchase 14 tracks they probably already own.

"Seriously? Just the one new song, and only four demos on the second disc? I won't be buying this," wrote Amazon commenter Ian Roegels. "I'll just buy the few tracks I don't have on iTunes."

He and others will indeed be able to cherry-pick the new songs from iTunes -- unless Apple has reversed its anti-bundling policy (see update).

In related news, Apple has budged in another important area related to album sales, by opening up the specs for its iTunes LP program (formerly known as Project Cocktail) so that artists and labels can include album art, videos, images, lyrics, liner notes and so on with their albums. Earlier reports claimed that Apple was charging the labels $10,000 a pop to create iTunes LPs, but Apple clarified its new stance to Wired.com.

"We're releasing the open specs for iTunes LP soon, allowing both major and indie labels to create their own," Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr told Wired.com. "There is no production fee charged by Apple."

Michael Jackson's This Is It album will be available on Oct. 26 digitally, Oct. 27 in CD form, and on Nov. 10 in vinyl format.

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