andPOP - Pop Culture With Substance

It looks as though the King of Pop will live on, not just in spirit, but in a documentary entitled “Michael Jackson’s This Is It.” Less than a week after the trailer for the eagerly anticipated production debuted during the VMAs, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge has approved a deal to release a soundtrack to the film.

According to the LA Times, Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff approved a deal on Thursday afternoon that gives Jackson’s longtime label home, Sony Music Entertainment, permission to release a CD to accompany the film, which chronicles Jackson’s rehearsals for what was to be his comeback residency at the O2 arena in London.

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Could adding a fourth judge help American Idol’s sinking ratings?

Execs at the show hope so, after adding Grammy-winning songwriter Kara DioGuardi to the roster.

While all the usual faces will also be back, some other changes will be made to the format. Deadline Hollywood Daily reports that AI will include less footage of the embarrassing auditions, as it gets to be “too repetitive.”

Nigel Lythgoe has also stepped down from his executive producer role, which is thought to allow a fresher sound on the show. “At one point, we had Neil Diamond on, and Andrew Lloyd Webber and Dolly Parton. Nigel wanted to be old school,” said a source at Fox. “But the show needs younger music.”

The eight season of Idol will begin in January.