Michael Jackson’s estate remains the most lucrative franchise in post-mortem entertainment, earning an estimated $105 million over the past year, according to Forbes‘s annual ranking of the highest-paid dead celebrities. The King of Pop, who died in 2009, secured the No. 1 position for the 13th time since 2010, driven by a blockbuster asset sale and steady income from his deep intellectual property portfolio.
A significant portion of the total pre-tax earnings stems from a strategic 2024 transaction where the estate sold a 50% stake in Jackson’s publishing rights and master recordings to Sony Music for an estimated $600 million. That deal, alongside consistent revenue streams from the long-running Las Vegas Cirque du Soleil show Michael Jackson ONE and the globally produced MJ: The Musical stage show, solidified the estate’s financial dominance. The estate’s total earnings since 2009 now stand at an estimated $3.5 billion.
The aggregate earnings from the top 13 deceased public figures totaled approximately $541 million in 2025, underscoring the escalating value of legacy intellectual property (IP) and recorded music catalogs in the financial markets. Ten of the top 13 earners are musicians, reflecting a broader investment trend in evergreen music assets that offer predictable long-term revenue streams to private equity and major labels.
The No. 2 slot on the 2025 roster went to Theodor Geisel, the children’s author known as Dr. Seuss, whose estate generated $85 million. Geisel’s revenue streams include book sales, licensing agreements, and content deals with platforms like Netflix.
Two former Pink Floyd members, guitarist Syd Barrett and keyboardist Richard Wright, shared the third spot, each earning an estimated $81 million. The figures are likely a result of a major catalog sale involving the band’s music assets.
The Notorious B.I.G., or Christopher Wallace, ranked fifth with $80 million in earnings. The rapper’s estate benefited from a March transaction that saw Primary Wave Music acquire a 50% stake in his catalog, publishing, and name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights, in addition to consistent merchandise revenue.
Other high-value music IP on the list included jazz legend Miles Davis, who saw his estate pull in $21 million following a 90% catalog sale. Elvis Presley’s estate, sustained primarily by the Graceland operation and merchandise, reported $17 million in earnings, while singer Jimmy Buffett’s estate, largely driven by the Margaritaville hospitality and licensing empire, brought in $14 million.
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