Zack O'Malley Greenburg's Blog, page 69
June 30, 2014
Jesus Christ Superhero: Survivor’s Mark Burnett Turns Bible Stories Into Blockbusters
Perched on a divan at his Malibu home, the Pacific Ocean offering a backdrop dramatic enough for the beard he’s been growing since Lent–which has now reached biblical proportions–Mark Burnett seems eager to ask me what appears a straightforward question about one of the most popular film franchises of all time.
“What was Superman based on?”
“The comic book,” I reply, falling conveniently into his trap. The 54-year-old Burnett is the most successful person in the genre that has dominated prime-t...
June 25, 2014
How Michael Jackson Earned Over $700 Million Since His Death
see photosClick for full photo gallery: Michael Jackson’s Career Earnings, Year-By-Year
Add up the earnings of Jay Z, Taylor Swift and Kanye West since 2009, and the total is $544 million. It’s an astounding sum, but Michael Jackson has earned more than all three—combined—since his death five years ago.
The King of Pop has pulled in over $700 million during that span, more than any artist dead or alive, and he shows no signs of slowing down. His latest postmortem release, Xscape, debuted at No....
June 24, 2014
Man In The Translucent Material: How Virtual Michael Jackson Came To Be
For someone who passed away half a decade ago, Michael Jackson seems very much alive. This year alone has seen the King of Pop continue a permanent show in Las Vegas (One, a collaboration between the singer’s estate and Cirque du Soleil), tour the world (via Immortal, another joint venture) and release a new album (Xscape).
Then, last month at the Billboard Music Awards, Jackson came to life in the form of a hologram-like illusion—and performed the song “Slave To The Rhythm” from his latest po...
June 19, 2014
The Road To Marrakech: Three Can’t-Miss Hotels In Morocco’s Most Magical City
Richard Branson’s Kasbah Tamadot served as the backdrop for the latestForbesLifecover story, but it’s not the only uber-luxe lodging to be had in Marrakech and its environs. For those looking to get a little closer to the city’s legendary souks and minarets, we recommend the following.
El Fenn
In 2002,Richard Branson’ssister Vanessa purchased a ruined riad in the heart of Marrakech and rebuilt it into an elegant boutique hotel. “Richard and I have a very healthy sibling rivalry,” says Vanessa....
A Kasbah That Rocks: Inside Richard Branson’s Moroccan Retreat
see photosMichael PrinceClick for full photo gallery: Inside Richard Branson's Moroccan Retreat
It’s a few minutes before lunchtime at Kasbah Tamadot in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains, and Richard Branson is about to leap into a turquoise infinity pool, fully clothed. He curls his toes around the edge, counts to three and jumps–making sure to offer a huge grin and two thumbs-up signs–before plunging feet-first into the water.
“It’s warmer than I expected!” he exclaims upon surfacing.
“Warmer than the...
June 17, 2014
Jay Z And Mariah Carey, Coming To A Walgreens Near You
see photosClick for full photo gallery: The Forbes Five: Hip-Hop's Wealthiest Artists 2014
The summer of 2014 is already shaping up to be a season of blockbuster pairings in the world of hip-hop and pop music—Jay Z and Beyoncé are about to co-headline their On The Run stadium set, while Eminem and Rihanna will do the same with their Monster Tour.
Add another duo to the list: Jay Z and Mariah Carey. The rapper and the songstress won’t be hitting any arenas together, but they will be appearing at...
June 16, 2014
Big Bank, Big Break: Inside LP’s Unusual Launch, Live From Forbes
On a lazy early-summer Friday earlier this month, singer-songwriter LP found herself in a setting befitting a rising rock star: belting her lungs out on a rooftop, backed by her band and a cartoonishly bright blue Manhattan sky, as cameras rolled.
Though the scene could have easily been part of a music video, it was actually the latest installation of the Forbes Concert Series (see videos below).LP joined the likes of Bon Jovi and Train in dropping by our New York headquarters to play a few so...
June 13, 2014
Why Apple And UMG Could Sink Amazon’s Prime Music
see photosAP Photo/Apple, Paul SakumaClick for full photo gallery: Apple's Most Notable Acquisitions
By Zack O’Malley Greenburg and Ryan Mac
Amazon.com introduced its long-awaited streaming service, Prime Music, on Thursday to much fanfare. As it entered a crowded space ready to do battle with the likes of Spotify and Google, industry observers were quick to note that, with more than 20 million subscribers already in place, Jeff Bezos’ new audio toy immediately became one of the largest paid mu...
June 2, 2014
Buying The Beatles: Inside Michael Jackson’s Best Business Bet
see photosClick for full photo gallery: Michael Jackson’s Career Earnings, Year-By-Year
The following is an excerpt from the new book Michael Jackson, Inc.
Once every few months during the mid-1980s, a handful of America’s savviest businessmen gathered to plot financial strategy for a billion-dollar entertainment conglomerate.
This informal investment committee included David Geffen, who’d launched multiple record labels and would go on to become one of Hollywood’s richest men after founding Dre...
May 30, 2014
Evaluating Apple’s $3 Billion Beats Buy: Wins, Losses And Draws
[brightcove videoID=3596702971001 playerID=2540257919001]
The ink is barely dry on Apple’s agreement to purchase Beats for $3 billion, and many details—namely, the cash/stock breakdown that will determine how much Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre’s fortunes will increase—have yet to be fully revealed.
But we now know enough to start naming some of the people and companies who will come away from the landmark buyout with a win, a loss or a draw. Here’s an early look:
WIN
Dr. Dre
Some may be disappointed to...
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