Call us wacko, but we think 2008 just might be the year the Jackson family makes headlines for making music. JANET JACKSON, Miss Jackson if you're nasty, is wisely following the Mariah Carey blueprint to career resuscitation by bolting Virgin for the warm, urban embrace of Island Records. For "Discipline," due out Feb. 26, she also reunited with the producers - Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis - of her biggest successes, as well as hot young guns StarGate, Johnta Austin (co-writer of Carey's "We Belong Together"), and Rodney Jerkins, who's responsible for Jackson's new, fidgety single, "Feedback."
MICHAEL JACKSON has been working on it for years but began in earnest after his acquittal in 2005. We think that right around Feb. 12, when the 25th-anniversary edition of "Thriller" is released, would be an excellent time for him to announce a release date, track list, and producer roster for his long-rumored comeback album. The list of people he's reportedly worked with includes (deep breath) Kanye West, will.i.am, Akon, Pharrell, Ne-Yo, Neff-U, Jerkins, Chris Brown, Dallas Austin, and Teddy Riley. Considering those heavy-hitting hands, there's got to be at least one good song, right?
If you believe older brother JERMAINE JACKSON, 24 years after the "Victory" tour, the Jackson 5 will be getting the old band back together on the road. Michael? According to Jermaine, he'll be there. The reason we even half-believe this? If you consider recent tabloid history - wardrobe malfunctions, court cases, divorce proceedings - we're pretty sure all the Jacksons wanna be starting something just so they can pay their legal fees.
