Master Recordings and Early Catalog
Michael Jackson owned the master recordings for several of his solo albums, including early titles from the 1970s and 1980s. He also held rights to many of his own compositions and related masters, giving him direct control over how those recordings were licensed and used.
ATV Music Publishing and Songwriting Catalog
In 1985, Jackson purchased the ATV Music Publishing catalog, which included the rights to thousands of songs, including a large collection of Beatles compositions. He later merged ATV with Sony to form Sony/ATV, retaining a significant ownership stake in the joint venture.
Mijac Music and Personal Songwriting Rights
Jackson founded Mijac Music, his own publishing company, which held the rights to many of his original songs. Through Mijac and other entities, he controlled the publishing and licensing of his compositions across multiple albums and projects.
Jackson’s ownership of masters and publishing made him one of the most prominent music-rights holders of his era. Details on his catalog and business structure are documented by industry sources such as Billboard.
