I'm sorry but how can you say for sure that money is the only driver? Isn't that just an assumption on your part? Yes sales, chart positions and money are probably important but I wouldn't classify it as "only" thing. All of the producers, JT, Reid etc mentioned their love towards Michael so their motivations were probably love, respect etc. rather than money. Plus this new album brings positive publicity towards Michael and increases his likability among the general public. That's also positive.. so money only driver seems to be a bit harsh..
I simply don't understand how one can love Michael and yet not care for and not respect his approach to his music, his desire to have a hand in everything and release the songs as he wanted them to sound. Because the approach to Xscape was a total opposite of that. The producers and Reid may claim that they love MJ, but in my book loving is respecting the person's views, standards and things he cared about in the first place. Putting what was important to him ahead of your own needs and desires. Michael cared about his image and privacy, that's why when the family aired all his laundry in public courtroom for their own satisfaction, I struggled to see love in that. Michael cared about the vision he put in his songs and how public will hear them, that's why when a producer throws that away as "bad" (Timbaland's words) and not "mattering" (Reid's words), I struggle to see love in that.
I've come to a conclusion that most people who are casual fans don't really love Michael the person. They may love Michael the entertainer (most often OTW/Thriller, "before all the weirdness" era), they may love the image they have of that child prodigy that shined so bright and died so early, they may feel nostalgic, but that's not love in its true form. Love shows in actions, not in statements.
As to likability... Michael saved dozens on lives, a person he found a transplant for recently had a baby, in his life Michael helped, consoled, and supported hundreds of people. That didn't win him enough likability at the time, but now someone else's music and an impersonator's performance do. How worthy is this likability? In sales numbers it may be worthy (but this comes down to money again), but in a historic sense it's cheap, hollow, it's worth nothing.
