US popstar Michael Jackson performs during his ‘HIStory World Tour’ concert in Vienna, Jul 2, 1997. Reuters U.S. popstar Michael Jackson performs during his ‘HIStory World Tour’ concert in Vienna, Jul 2, 1997. Reuters Michael Jackson topped an annual list of the top-earning dead celebrities on Wednesday for the fourth straight year, far outstripping fellow musical icons Prince and David Bowie who passed away earlier this year. Jackson, who died in 2009, raked in a bumper $825 million in earnings for the 12 months ending October 1, according to estimates from Forbes.
That came mostly from the Jackson estate’s $750 million sale of the late singer’s remaining stake in the Sony/ATV music publishing catalogue – which includes the rights to many Beatles songs – to Sony Corp.
Sales of Prince albums soared after the musician died of an accidental drug overdose in April. Forbes ranked him in fifth place overall with estimated earnings of $25 million, just below Elvis Presley with $27 million.
Top-earning dead celebrities
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