Jackson's New Album Ready to Roll

By Stephen M. Silverman

Thursday August 23, 2001 01:00 PM EDT

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Yahoo Buzz
• E-mail

Michael Jackson's first studio album in six years, to be called "Invincible," will be released on Oct. 29 in the U.S. and on Oct. 30 in Canada, according to announcement made Thursday by Sony Music's Epic Records label. There are reports that say that the album has cost $30 million to produce (about the same price of a small movie, an office building or 10 million copies of PEOPLE). Reuters reports the eccentric star took far longer than expected to produce the album, recording an estimated 50 tracks with some of the most expensive producers in the business. Ultimately, the CD was whittled down to 15 selections. The first single, "You Rock My World," was produced and written by Jackson and Rodney Jerkins. (Ignoring an as-yet-unannounced official release date, two New York City radio stations previewed the single last Friday, but were quickly handed cease-and-desist orders from Epic, according to SonicNet. The song reportedly opens with a conversation between Jackson and comic Chris Tucker, talking about a beautiful, unapproachable woman.) Epic would not comment on the cost of "Invincible," but CEO Dave Glew said in a statement, "The release of this new album is a global event. As a singer, composer, producer, arranger and musician, Michael Jackson is one of the most talented and influential artists in the history of recorded music."