Michael Jackson: Reissue, repackage, repackage

We often scoff at the claims of record labels when they say they invest millions in developing new artists, so hats off to Sony who've just announced a ten-album, quarter of a billion dollar deal with a bright young artists called... erm, Michael Jackson.

As if to prove that labels are happier having an artist who can't talk back, this is the biggest deal ever. Even counting artists who have a pulse. And he's not even going to turn up at gigs to promote them - although given that the living Jackson hardly ever turned up to play the gigs he'd been booked for, they might as well carry on announcing tours.

The ten albums - you can half-unclench your buttocks - only includes one album of totally new stuff. The other nine will be re-releases and best of collections.

Even if Sony haven't totally over-estimated the level of interest in the dead Michael Jackson - and they have - they've completely overpaid. How many exciting new records could have been made with just a quarter of the money being pumped into the Jackson hole?