
The Kinks Were BANNED From America for YEARS?!
23 Aug 2026

Three opinions. No agreement.
Listener Land is where music news, nostalgia, opinions and absolute nonsense turn into long conversations.
Keep Listening
Some podcasts tell you what happened. Listener Land gives you something to argue about afterwards.
01
Every episode starts with music, then usually ends up somewhere more interesting.
02
Classic albums, old myths, gigs, voices and moments that still mean something.
03
New episodes, strange stories and opinions worth coming back for.

Current conversation
Michael Jackson's music continues to generate millions long after his death. But who actually gets the money? This week on Listener Land, we look at the extraordinary business of the Michael Jackson estate, how a superstar who generated enormous amounts of money ended up hundreds of millions in debt, who controls his estate today, and where the money it continues to make actually goes. But that's only the start. We also get into the Beastie Boys somehow sampling FIVE Beatles tracks in a single song, the story behind The Verve's Bitter Sweet Symphony royalties, Mick Jagger's surprisingly open opinion on AI music, why Albert King's real name wasn't actually Albert King, a brilliant story about Michael Stipe at college, and the surprising musician invited to play on a Beatles classic. Plus, as always, plenty of arguments, tangents and things we probably shouldn't have said. THREE OPINIONS. NO AGREEMENT. MUSIC. CULTURE. NO FILTER. https://listenerland.com Subscribe for more music stories, trivia, nostalgia and completely unnecessary arguments every week. CHAPTERS 00:00 This Week on Listener Land 01:22 Diddy, Prison & Another Court Story 04:23 Michael Jackson's Latest Court Case 05:25 Should We Finally Leave Michael Jackson Alone? 06:25 How Was Michael Jackson $500 Million in Debt? 06:57 Who Actually Controls Michael Jackson's Estate? 08:02 Turning Michael Jackson Into a Money Machine 10:34 The New Michael Jackson Film 13:00 Neverland, Bubbles & Michael Jackson's Childhood 15:52 Will There Be a Michael Jackson Part Two? 17:54 Could Jaafar Jackson Win an Award? 18:22 Who Gets Michael Jackson's Millions? 22:13 Beastie Boys Sampled FIVE Beatles Tracks 22:57 The Bitter Sweet Symphony Royalty Story 23:58 The Real Mick Jagger? 25:34 Mick Jagger's Take on AI Music 28:25 Albert King's Real Name Wasn't King 29:50 How B.B. King Got His Name 31:23 The Michael Stipe College Story 34:54 Who Was the First Outsider to Play With The Beatles? 36:30 Eric Clapton & While My Guitar Gently Weeps 36:53 Who Really Wrote Layla's Piano Ending? #MichaelJackson #MusicStories #ListenerLand
Watch episode
23 Aug 2026

22 Aug 2026

20 Aug 2026

18 Aug 2026

15 Aug 2026

31 Jul 2026

26 Jul 2026

17 Jul 2026
Want the full run of conversations, older debates and whatever else has been kicked around the table?
More videosNews & articles

25 Jun 2026
Exploring how modern technology shapes our relationship with music.
Read the piece25 Jun 2026
In a world obsessed with instant access, can the mysterious marketing of The Cockroaches reignite our passion for music's authenticity?
Read the piece
12 Jun 2026
A discussion on whether artists are becoming mere data points in the digital world of music.
Read the piece
12 Jun 2026
Reflecting on how rock radio once shaped music culture and community.
Read the pieceCurrently being argued about
Sponsors
Built for brands that naturally belong around music culture.
Listener Land brings together long-form conversation, music obsession and an audience that still cares about albums, gigs and culture.
Work With Listener LandAbout Listener Land
Louis, Geoff and Wayne talk like fans because they are fans: funny, suspicious, nostalgic and happy to say when the emperor's latest comeback single has no clothes.
Read the storyNew episodes, strange music stories and the occasional opinion worth arguing about.