Here’s the top ten list from Forbes of dead celebrities and how much they (or should I say, estates) earned in the last year. All dollar amounts are US. It’s amazing to see some celebrities from the 60’s and 70’s still on this list!
10 | NIPSEY HUSSLE: $11 million
Deceased: March 31, 2019
Cause of death: Homicide
Business savvy is eternal: Nipsey’s prescient focus on retaining the rights to his music monetized his 1.85 billion streams, third-most of any act on our list, at a greater rate than most artists dead or alive.
9 | PRINCE: $12 million
Deceased: April 21, 2016
Cause of death: Overdose
The Purple One continues to move music, including a robust 320,000 physical units and half a billion on-demand streams, an overall increase of 12% year-over-year.
8 | MARILYN MONROE: $13 million
Deceased: August 5, 1962
Cause of death: Overdose
One of the most popular dearly departed stars when it comes to licensing, Monroe has added a Zale’s collection to deals with the likes of Chanel and Montblanc.
7 | JOHN LENNON: $14 million
Deceased: December 8, 1980
Cause of death: Homicide
The 50th anniversary of Abbey Road has boosted the Beatles across streaming and digital—moving 2.2 million U.S. album-equivalents over the past year, more than any defunct act—with Lennon’s own catalogue leaping 52%.
6 | DR. SEUSS: $19 million
Deceased: September 24, 1991
Cause of death: Cancer
Oh, the places he still goes! Licensing deals with Hallmark, Universal Studios and others add to publishing empire that moved more than 5 million books stateside over the past 12 months.
5 | BOB MARLEY: $20 million
Deceased: May 11, 1981
Cause of death: Cancer
With nearly 1 billion streaming spins in the U.S., the ubiquity of Marley’s music keeps his House of Marley products—including headphones, speakers and turntables—from going up in smoke.
4 | ARNOLD PALMER: $30 million
Deceased: September 25, 2016
Cause of death: Heart Disease
The golf legend’s empire remains well above par, thanks to partnerships with MasterCard and Rolex. Then there’s his eponymous Arizona beverage, plus a boozy version launched by Molson Coors this year.
3 | CHARLES SCHULZ: $38 million
Deceased: February 12, 2000
Cause of death: Cancer
Snoopy’s creator continues to cash in around his Peanuts franchise’s 70th anniversary. A licensing deal with Met Life, expiring this year, also adds double-digit millions to his eternal coffers.
2 | ELVIS PRESLEY: $39 million
Deceased: August 16, 1977
Cause of death: Heart Attack
For decades, more than 500,000 visitors have made the pilgrimage to Graceland annually, prompting a recent $45 million addition called Elvis Presley’s Memphis. Up next: a biopic directed by Baz Luhrmann, starring Tom Hanks.
1 | MICHAEL JACKSON: $60 million
Deceased: June 25, 2009
Cause of death: Overdose/Homicide
The King of Pop’s streaming surged despite recent controversy: 2.1 billion U.S. spins, up from 1.8 billion a year ago. With proceeds flowing from his Mijac Music catalog, a Las Vegas show and a long-term deal with Sony, he retains his post-mortem cash crown for the seventh consecutive year.
Story: Forbes
