Whitney Houston’s Estate Could Owe Sony Records Millions

[jobeterob]

Whitney Houston’s Estate Could Owe Sony Records Millions
7:53 AM EST 3/2/2012 by Amir Shaw1,376 Views SHARE
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Whitney Houston’s illustrious career included six Grammy Awards, 22 American Music Awards and 30 Billboard Music Awards. However, the greatest R&B female singer in history may have died owing her record company millions.

According to a report by Radar Online, an insider revealed that Houston’s earnings had dwindled tremendously.

Most of it stems from her failure to recoup on her Sony deal that paid an advance of $100 million. It was also reported that Clive Davis gave her a $1.2 million loan through Sony records.

Houston’s estate should hire great attorneys who can fight to get the family more residuals from her earnings. Otherwise, it could take years before any profits are realized. –amir shaw

[midnightman]

There were rumors prior to Whitney's death that she was penniless and was often seeking handouts from friends both personally and professionally.

[nomis]

L.A Reid gave her a 100 mil to re-sign at the begining of the decade..thats a hell of alot of money to burn thru..when sales of "Just Whitney"stalled Arista asked for the advance back she told them to take a hike..I heard in her last weeks she was asking friends if she could loan a 100 bucks..there is so many parallels to what happened To Garland..apparently Davis was paying her expenses but wouldnt give her outright cash when she asked for it...

[carlo]

Whitney signed the new deal in 2001 and received a $100 million dollar advance to release six albums with Arista. She released Just Whitney, One Wish and I Look To You. Some fans think that the "Ultimate Collection" and "Love Whitney" compilations may have also been included in the six. It's all speculation. If that's true, that leaves Arista with one more album outstanding...and that could be the soundtrack for "Sparkle", if they're the company releasing it.

[midnightman]

@carlo, hmm "The Ultimate Collection" was released in 2000 but I forgot what year Whitney signed the $100 million contract. I think it was probably 2001. I wonder how many compilations, studio albums and other projects she had to release to complete the contract.

@nomis, yeah I also see parallels between Whitney and Judy Garland and how they died...

[nomis]

..theres hardly any unreleased Whitney tracks in the Arista vault..Clive had a hard time getting her into the studio once that first Lp exploded..theres a telling scene on the first Greatest Hits dvd where hes playing her demos and that husband tells him she aint gonna record one track called "think about me" which they are listening to and even in demo form it sounds great..for all the media portrays godfather Clive he really had a hard time telling her what to do..she wouldnt sing anything she didnt instinctivly feel..he had a hell of a time getting her to do "where do broken hearts go" cos she wasnt feeling the demo..so dont expect lots of unreleased studio tracks cos they dont exist..she was very choosy about what she recorded...

[Roberta75]

..theres hardly any unreleased Whitney tracks in the Arista vault..Clive had a hard time getting her into the studio once that first Lp exploded..theres a telling scene on the first Greatest Hits dvd where hes playing her demos and that husband tells him she aint gonna record one track called "think about me" which they are listening to and even in demo form it sounds great..for all the media portrays godfather Clive he really had a hard time telling her what to do..she wouldnt sing anything she didnt instinctivly feel..he had a hell of a time getting her to do "where do broken hearts go" cos she wasnt feeling the demo..so dont expect lots of unreleased studio tracks cos they dont exist..she was very choosy about what she recorded...

How do you know what she was feeling or what she did or didn't record? Were you in the studio with her?

Roberta

[nomis]

Roberta - "where do broken hearts go" was talked about on the original GH dvd - heres the quote - "I didnt want to do it..I didnt want to record it..but I found some meaning I could relate to and Clive called me and said ' I told you that this is your seventh consecutive number one.." end quote..theresa couple of unreleased tracks from the first lp including a much more soulful version of "saving all my love for you"..and "Iam Changing" theres a version of Steve Winwoods "Higher Love" from the 2nd lp [[that made a bonus track on "Im your baby tonight" in Japan in 1990)..if you have read about Whitney she made no bones about her sometimes lack of interest in tracks another case in point- again the gh dvd she talks at length about turning Babyface down to record "Shoop Shoop..also telling him "Listen Im not doing the soundtrack I want to be the consumate actress on this.."..then theres the demo session with Davis I reffered to when Bobby was calling the shots turning down tracks the tension between Davis and Brown is palpable..its a fact - there isnt many unreleased tracks in the vault..thats why the 25th anniversary set got no material besides remixes and a live track there just isnt much stuff..trust me

[carlo]

@carlo, hmm "The Ultimate Collection" was released in 2000 but I forgot what year Whitney signed the $100 million contract. I think it was probably 2001.

The Ultimate Collection was released in 2007. The 2 CD "The Greatest Hits" was released in 2000.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ult...uston_album%29

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitney:_The_Greatest_Hits

[nomis]

she had slaved away as a backing singer,done gigs forever with her mother..once that first LP hit stores she was rich..and not just a bit rich but a multi millionare practically overnight Parrish's exellent biography details the strains and pains Davis had to go to to get her back in the studio..another case in point "I will always Love you" she turned it down flat saying "it was a country version and I really wasnt listening..Kevin brought it back to me in the trailer and said Im telling you this is the song..I want you to hear it with your ears" and then she admits he was right [[ thats also on the original GH dvd)..if she didnt feel it..she didnt record it

[marv2]

Whitney signed the new deal in 2001 and received a $100 million dollar advance to release six albums with Arista. She released Just Whitney, One Wish and I Look To You. Some fans think that the "Ultimate Collection" and "Love Whitney" compilations may have also been included in the six. It's all speculation. If that's true, that leaves Arista with one more album outstanding...and that could be the soundtrack for "Sparkle", if they're the company releasing it.

Carlo, first of all don't believe any of it! It is all speculation and could be motivated as a run up to the for certain win fall that is about to occur from sales of any and everything WHITNEY generated by her recent passing. Her product will generating many millions for many years to come. Just as it's been with Elvis, Marilyn, Jimi and more recently Michael.

[marv2]

Roberta - "where do broken hearts go" was talked about on the original GH dvd - heres the quote - "I didnt want to do it..I didnt want to record it..but I found some meaning I could relate to and Clive called me and said ' I told you that this is your seventh consecutive number one.." end quote..theresa couple of unreleased tracks from the first lp including a much more soulful version of "saving all my love for you"..and "Iam Changing" theres a version of Steve Winwoods "Higher Love" from the 2nd lp [[that made a bonus track on "Im your baby tonight" in Japan in 1990)..if you have read about Whitney she made no bones about her sometimes lack of interest in tracks another case in point- again the gh dvd she talks at length about turning Babyface down to record "Shoop Shoop..also telling him "Listen Im not doing the soundtrack I want to be the consumate actress on this.."..then theres the demo session with Davis I reffered to when Bobby was calling the shots turning down tracks the tension between Davis and Brown is palpable..its a fact - there isnt many unreleased tracks in the vault..thats why the 25th anniversary set got no material besides remixes and a live track there just isnt much stuff..trust me

I began looking back at Whitney Houston's music recently just like millions of others and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go?" has now become probably my favorite of all her releases. Incredible song and a video that is just very special.

[marv2]

L.A Reid gave her a 100 mil to re-sign at the begining of the decade..thats a hell of alot of money to burn thru..when sales of "Just Whitney"stalled Arista asked for the advance back she told them to take a hike..I heard in her last weeks she was asking friends if she could loan a 100 bucks..there is so many parallels to what happened To Garland..apparently Davis was paying her expenses but wouldnt give her outright cash when she asked for it...

Although, I know it would never happened, I would need to see audited financial statements to believe Whitney Houston was in the red by the time she passed. There is just no way I am going to believe that she not only spent the $100 million advance, all her World-wide royalties [[from music and film), her concert proceeds and all other products associated with her name or image that generated revenue. Even if she was buying castles all over Europe, I would still find it almost to believe that she was almost broke!

[carlo]

Carlo, first of all don't believe any of it! It is all speculation and could be motivated as a run up to the for certain win fall that is about to occur from sales of any and everything WHITNEY generated by her recent passing. Her product will generating many millions for many years to come. Just as it's been with Elvis, Marilyn, Jimi and more recently Michael.

Exactly. I was thinking the same thing. It's a shame, because for years, many of us fans have been asking Arista to release many unreleased projects...including a live album. Now that she's gone, I'm sure Sony will be opening its vaults and releasing anything and everything. All of her albums have always been huge sellers and will continue to be, so I also have a hard time imaging that the estate is in debt. If it is, it won't be for long.

[soulster]

There were rumors prior to Whitney's death that she was penniless and was often seeking handouts from friends both personally and professionally.

Right after the stories broke, Whitney denied that she was in debt. Now, with this little bit, it may appear that it was true.

Exactly. I was thinking the same thing. It's a shame, because for years, many of us fans have been asking Arista to release many unreleased projects...including a live album. Now that she's gone, I'm sure Sony will be opening its vaults and releasing anything and everything. All of her albums have always been huge sellers and will continue to be, so I also have a hard time imaging that the estate is in debt. If it is, it won't be for long.

She may not have brought in enough to cover the advances.