Wondering which all dead celebrities are still minting money?
The first is Michael Jackson who heads Forbes’ Top 13 list of highest-earning dead celebrities for the fifth straight year after collecting $75million in a one year period so far.
Forbes reported that Jackson’s earnings were boosted by the Las Vegas Cirque du Soleil show, Michael Jackson One, a stake in the EMI music publishing catalogue and a new greatest hits album Scream that released in September among other endeavours.
Two other singers join Jackson in the list’s top five: Having earned $35million, Elvis Presley ranks fourth while Bob Marley ranks fifth with $23million.
Presley came in at number four on the list, with $35million, improving on 2016’s earnings of $27million. The King’s increased earnings, Forbes noted, were due to two new openings within Graceland: The Guesthouse hotel and Elvis Presley’s Memphis Entertainment Complex.
Golf legend Arnold Palmer has been named the second-highest earner roping in $40million. His posthumous earnings comes in part through sales of the AriZona lemonade and ice tea beverage made in his name and his branded apparel line.
Peanuts creator Charles Schulz took third place on the list, with $38million, thanks to a still lucrative MetLife campaign which expires in 2019 as well as other licensing, retail and book sales.
Reggae superstar Marley took up the fifth place with $23million, thanks to income from House of Marley audio equipment and the Marley Beverage Co., which includes a variety of natural teas, coffee drinks and sparkling waters.
Three recently deceased musicians also landed on the Forbes list.
Rock star Tom Petty, who died on October 3, came in at number 6, with $20million in earnings which included income from his band’s spring and summer tour, which ended on September 25.
Lastly, increase in records sales followed the deaths of music icon Prince and David Bowie.
Prince, who died in April 2016 of an opioid overdose, came in at number seven with $18million in earnings, while Bowie, who died in January 2016 of liver cancer, landed at number 11 with $9.5million.
