Walter forced that to happen, and with that decision, the wall came tumbling down. He also took the groundbreaking step of giving Michael ownership of his masters, unheard of in the business at the time. In short order, ‘Billie Jean’ was added to MTV in heavy rotation, opening the flood gates for Michael’s extraordinary success and also for a whole generation of black artists. It is difficult today to imagine the level of cultural apartheid at the music channels in 1983 when MTV refused to play Michael Jackson’s short film ‘Billie Jean.’ But Yetnikoff was ferocious on Michael’s behalf and didn’t hesitate to play corporate chicken with the powerful music channel.
Jackson’s estate released a statement Tuesday, saying: “Walter Yetnikoff was a giant in the music industry at a time when it was more fun, more outrageous and complex and extremely less corporate than today, and he was a man for the times. In the Joel documentary “The Last Play at Shea,” Yetnikoff recounts how he physically threatened Billy’s former manager Artie Ripp to make the deal happen. Known as a strong advocate for artists, Yetnikoff frequently went to bat for his clients, helping Billy Joel re-acquire his publishing rights and presenting them to him as a birthday present. “In the old days, you were running a huge risk if you didn’t.” “People sometimes don’t return my calls,” he said later, about his years as a star maker. To get a sense of how powerful a figure Yetnikoff was in the record business, his 50th birthday party in 1983 drew a who’s-who of celebrities, including Mick Jagger, Billy Joel, Christie Brinkley and Ahmet Ertegun.
Yetnikoff also helped launch the careers of new artists such as Cyndi Lauper (on CBS Portrait), “Weird Al” Yankovic (on CBS’ Scott Brothers Records) and Gloria Estefan. While at the helm of CBS, Jackson – whom he had signed as a solo artist just three months after being named label head on the recommendation of his A&R staff (Yetnikoff wanted to pass) – sold over 40 million copies of “Thriller,” while Earth, Wind & Fire’s “I Am” and Springsteen’s “Born in the U.S.A.” each sold over 20 million, and Billy Joel”s “The Stranger” tallied 13 million.Īt the 1984 Grammy Awards, Jackson called Yetnikoff up to the podium, saying he was “the best record company president in the world.” Streisand, too, scored her biggest-selling album under Yetnikoff’s watch, with 1980’s “Guilty,” a collaboration with the Bee Gees’ Barry Gibb. He also gained notoriety for breaking down color barriers and forcing MTV to play Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” threatening to withhold all his other artists if the fledgling music network refused to comply. Yetnikoff worked hard and partied harder during a time of stratospheric profits.
The cause of death was a recurrence of bladder cancer. His wife, Lynda, confirmed the death to friends Monday. Walter Yetnikoff, a colorful record label executive who led CBS Records as president/CEO from 1975 to 1990 - when its roster was stacked with superstars like Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Barbra Streisand, Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones - died Sunday night at age 87.