Bill Bottrell:
The SONGS belong to the Kids, Katherine, and co-publishers, and it's sketch to make money playing them in a public place.
The MASTERS (released recordings) belong to the record co. and/or the estate.
The thousands of hours of "work tapes" belong to the one who possesses them, but MJJ productions always collected all work tapes at the end of a project, and they are important to keep safe and valuable as further work may happen.
At MJJ, the vault is where all this was kept, where for years Craig Johnson was librarian. (maybe still? IDK)
I noticed after Cirque I started seeing multitracks up on the internet. I thought the Estate had gone lax on security. Michael's multitracks flying all over the world to be worked on at studios with assistants and desk people, various new engineers and producers. These are masters and the property of MJJ, but somebody was copying them for profit. That is theft.
Work tapes and outtakes are another subject: basically unless MJJ/the Estate just doesn't care anymore, which is an impossibly stupid idea - they could be used in a million ways for decades to come - they belong in the vault, they belong to MJJ/estate, unless somebody can prove they just found them in a dumpster or sitting on the sidewalk outside of Westlake.
This community taught me about the hunger for unreleased material out there, and that there is a big market and money is involved.
I love that the fans are so expert on these trivia and obscure leaks, but it's complicated morally, and as to business practice, surprisingly chaotic.