Michael Jackson: The King Of Pop–and celeb earnings–dead or alive. According to Forbes just-released ‘Highest-Paid Dead Celebrities of 2016,’ Jackson earned a staggering $825 million this year. How is that number possible when the superstar passed away back in 2009? Well… The number is most likely due to the March sale of half of his Sony/ATV music catalog, which included the Beatles library, Forbes reported.
Peanuts creator Charles Schulz claims the second spot of top-earning dead celebrities with $48 million. The cartoonist died of colon cancer 16 years ago, but lives on through the franchise—and its licensing revenue, boosted by last year’s well-received 3-D Peanuts movie.
Professional golfer Arnold Palmer, who died less than a month ago, also found himself on the list of highest earning deceased celebrities at No. 3, bringing in a whopping $40 million in 2016.
Also making the list? Recently deceased music superstars Prince and David Bowie. Prince, who died from an accidental drug overdose in April, earned nearly $25 million and took the No. 5 spot, while the late David Bowie made $10.5 million and came in at No. 11.
Here’s Forbes list of the highest-paid dead celebrities of 2016:
1. Michael Jackson – $825 million (Died: June 25, 2009)
2. Charles Schulz – $48 million (Died: February 12, 2000)
3. Arnold Palmer – $40 million (Died: September 25, 2016)
4. Elvis Presley – $27 million (Died: August 16, 1977)
5. Prince – $25 million (Died: April 21, 2016)
6. Bob Marley – $21 million (Died: May 11, 1981)
7. Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel – $20 million (Died: September 24, 1991)
8. John Lennon – $12 million (Died: December 8, 1980)
9. Albert Einstein – $11.5 million (Died: April 18, 1955)
10. Bettie Page – $11 million (Died December 11, 2008)
11. David Bowie – $10.5 million (Died: January 10, 2016)
12. Steve McQueen – $9 million (Died: November 30, 1980)
13. Elizabeth Taylor – $8 million (Died: March 23, 2011)
John Legend?