Michael Jackson performs on stage. November 10, 1996.
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Sony Music is denying recent reports that the label admitted in court on Tuesday to faking Michael Jackson vocals on the recent compilation album Michael.
“No one has conceded that Michael Jackson did not sing on the songs,” Sony said in a statement to Variety. "The hearing Tuesday was about whether the First Amendment protects Sony Music and the Estate and there has been no ruling on the issue of whose voice is on the recordings.”
The claims of false Jackson vocals stem from a lawsuit filed in 2014 by fan Vera Serova against Sony Music, Michael Jackson's estate, and Jackson collaborators James Porte and Eddie Cascio. It alleges that Cascio sold fake Jackson vocals to Sony that were used on three songs on the 2010 project Michael: “Breaking News,” “Keep Your Head Up” and “Monster.” A segment of Jackson fans have believed that the voice on these songs are not his since Michael's release.
According to Variety's sources, the erroneous reports stem from a hypothetical statement made by lawyers from who reportedly used the phrase “even if the vocals weren’t Jackson’s” in court.
