Michael Jackson tops list of top-earning dead celebs

With gross earnings of $275 million, he earned more than the other 12 deceased stars on the list combined...

Oct 26, 2010

Michael Jackson never graced Forbes’ annual Celebrity 100 list during his life. In death the King of Pop earned more in the past year than any star on that list, apart from Oprah Winfrey.

It was enough to secure Jackson the No. 1 spot on our 10th annual Top-Earning Dead Celebrities list. With gross earnings of $275 million, he earned more than the other 12 deceased stars on the list combined. Still more impressive: His estate’s 12-month haul was greater than the pooled earnings of this year’s two biggest living acts, U2 and AC/DC. Jackson’s posthumous earnings come from his stake in the lucrative Sony/ATV catalog, the hit Sony film “This Is It” and renewed fan interest in music, videos and all things Michael Jackson.

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