# Michael Jackson Boosts Sony Music Sales By 22% Amid Quiet Quarter For Movie Studio

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/michael-jackson-boosts-sony-music-sales-by-22-amid-quiet-quarter-for-movie-studio/
- Published: 2026-07-31T07:08:03+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-31T08:06:49+00:00
- Original publisher: Deadline
- Original article: https://deadline.com/2026/07/michael-jackson-boosts-sony-music-1237014316/
- Topics: Art, Business, Companies, Culture, Entertainment, Film, Music

## Key points

- Michael Jackson’s catalogue helped lift Sony Music sales by 22%.
- Sony Pictures revenue fell during a sparse theatrical quarter.
- Film division operating income still rose 21%.

## Summary

Sony Music Entertainment’s sales rose sharply in the quarter ending June, helped by renewed demand for Michael Jackson’s catalogue following the release of the Lionsgate biopic *Michael*. The result contrasts with a comparatively quiet period for Sony Pictures’ cinema releases in North America, although the film division still increased operating income.

Sony Music sales climbed 22% year on year to 557.9 billion yen ($3.5 billion), with *Thriller* and *Bad* among its ten best-selling recorded-music projects. Sony Pictures’ revenue fell 13% to $1.98 billion, as theatrical sales reached only $30 million—about $100 million below the previous year—while television sales fell 32% to $571 million because fewer series were delivered; operating income nevertheless rose 21% to $156 million.

---
Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.