Michael Jackson's spokesman confirmed to the Associated Press on Wednesday that the pop star, 42, has been dropped by the entertainment management company The Firm, which guides the careers of such hot acts as Backstreet Boys and Limp Bizkit. Spokesman Howard Rubenstein said only, "It just didn't work out, and Michael Jackson thanked them for all of their hard work on his behalf." The Firm, which reportedly handled Jackson for more than a year, would not comment. Jackson's last album was 1997's "Blood on the Dance Floor," a poor-selling album of his remixed hits. His upcoming album has reportedly been in the works for more than a year. A spokeswoman earlier this week said that it was expected to be released in the fall.