Michael Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman.He was born August 29, 1958 and death June 25, 2009. He was inducted onto the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1980 as member of The Jacksons and in 1984 as solo artist. Throughout his career he received numerous honors and awards, including the World Music Awards' Best-Selling Pop Male Artist of the Millennium, the American Music Award's Artist of the Century Award and the Bambi Pop Artist of the Millennium Award and more and more he got award.The late King of Pop’s eye-popping total is higher than the combined earnings of the other 12 celebrities on the list announced by Forbes.
It has been two years since Michael Jackson passed away at the age of 50 but the King of Pop's earning power shows no sign of waning. For the second year in a row, Jackson tops our annual list of the Top-Earning Dead Celebrities. Over the past 12 months Jackson's estate brought in $170 million from sales of his music and his stake in the Sony/ATV catalog. That's a big drop from the $275 million Jackson earned in the previous 12 months but it's still enough to make him the second highest-earning pop act over the past year, dead or alive, after U2.
The late King of Pop’s eye-popping total is higher than the combined earnings of the other 12 celebrities on the list announced by Forbes..
Michael Jackson has been named this year's top-earning dead celebrity by Forbes magazine. With $275m (£175m) in licensing and sales revenue, the late singer's estate earned "more ... than Lady Gaga, Madonna and Jay-Z combined". He even beat Rodgers & Hammerstein.
Jackson earned $90 million in 2009. He died on June 25 of that year.
"Jackson's spot atop our top earning dead celebrities list should come as no surprise given the renewed fan interest in music, videos and all things Michael Jackson," said Forbes writer Lacey Rose.
“The death of Michael Jackson really put a focus on — crassly, quite frankly — what someone’s worth when they’re deceased,” says David Reeder, vice president of Corbis' GreenLight, which manages the personality rights for Albert Einstein and Steve McQueen, among other dead celebrities. “In a more positive way, it exposed consumers to this idea that there actually is a market for, and an enduring legacy for, these people.”
“The Lord of the Rings” author J.R.R. Tolkien is in third place, clocking in at $50 million in earnings.
“Peanuts” creator Charles Schulz finished fourth with $33 million, while John Lennon earned $17 million this year, the thirtieth anniversary of his death.
Stieg Larsson, whose “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” book series has become a blockbuster since his 2004 death, earned $15 million.
“Peanuts” creator Charles Schulz finished fourth with $33 million, while John Lennon earned $17 million this year, the thirtieth anniversary of his death.
Stieg Larsson, whose “Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” book series has become a blockbuster since his 2004 death, earned $15 million.
"Many of the deceased icons on our list offer the marketing community name recognition, broad cultural appeal and, unlike their living counterparts, an indelible image that can't be damaged by a rehab stint or tabloid story," Rose said.
A deceased celebrity needed to earn at least $5 million between October 1, 2009 and October 1, 2010 to make this year's list, Forbes said. The magazine spoke to agents, lawyers and other sources to estimate annual gross earnings.
