This star earned $2.7 billion since 2009, despite being dead all this while; all about world's highest-paid dead celeb

Michael Jackson died in 2009 but still makes hundreds of millions of dollars each year, more than many top celebs of today.

They say that in death, all things stop. That may not be true for celebrities, though. A list from Forbes, released annually, reveals how much dead celebrities earn each year. And the answer is millions and billions of dollars. Many celebs, mostly actors, singers, writers, and painters, continue to generate royalties from their work even after their demise. The 'highest-paid' of them earned $115 million last year and a staggering $2.7 billion since they died in 2009. (

Michael Jackson has been the world's highest-paid dead celebrity since 2009

World's highest-paid dead celebrity

The Prince of Pop, Michael Jackson, was one of the biggest names in world music during his peak in the '80s and '90s. And even though controversies dulled his stardom to an extent later, even death failed to dim it completely. After his sudden death in 2009, Michal Jackson's estate has continued to earn money through the royalties of his countless chartbusters. According to Forbes' list of 'The Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities Of 2023', Michael Jackson earned $115 million last year through royalties. He beat Elvis Presley ($100 million) and the Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek ($45 million) to top the list.

World's highest-paid dead celebrities of 2023

How Michael Jackson earns money even in death

In fact, Michael Jackson has topped this annual list 11 times in the 15 years since his death. He has consistently been the highest-paid dead celebrity worldwide since 2009. According to Forbes, his estate has earned over $2.7 billion during this period. The bulk of this - a whopping $825 million - came in a single year, 2016. This was largely due to the $750 million sale of his half of the Sony/ATV Music Publishing catalogue that year.

All about Michael Jackson

Born in 1958, Michael Jackson first gained fame as part of the Jackson Five, a musical group with his four siblings. In 1971, at 13, he began his solo career but got his true breakthrough with the album Thriller in 1982. Over the next two decades, he was the biggest musical act on the planet. However, the singer lived a troubled life and battled allegations of child abuse till his death.