MJ, Hussle among Forbes’ top-earning dead celebs

Late King of Pop Michael Jackson has topped the Forbes list of Top-Earning Dead Celebrities Of 2019. Jackson, who died in 2009, continues to top the list with $60 million.

The “Thriller” star is far ahead of other celebrities. He is the title holder for the highest-earning dead celebrity for the seventh year in a row, reports aceshowbiz.com.

Forbes released its annual list of the Top-Earning Dead Celebrities for 2019, and rapper Nipsey Hussle, who was shot and killed on March 31, has made it to the list at the No. 10 spot with $11 million (from October 2018 to October 2019).

The publication notes that “The Life” hitmaker netted most of the money from the rights to his music as his songs were streamed 1.85 billion times, the third-most of any act on the list. He also ran a clothing company, Marathon Clothing, during his life, though it’s unknown how much the money made from his clothing business made up his earning in the last 12 months.

Another rapper, XXXTENTACION who was fatally shot in a robbery in June 2018, trails close behind Nipsey at No. 11 with $10 million. He holds the same spot as last year, when he made his debut on the list just months after his death.

The rest in the Top 10 sees holdovers, with Elvis Presley still placing second. “Snoopy” creator Charles Schulz and golf legend Arnold Palmer swap places at No. 3 and No. 4 respectively, followed by Bob Marley who still places fifth.

John Lennon, Marilyn Monroe and Prince round out the Top 10 at No. 7, 8 and 9 respectively, with Whitney Houston and George Harrison placing twelfth and thirteenth, respectively.

The late Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, who claimed the seventh place last year, is out of the Top 10 this year.

Overall, the total earnings for the 13 dead celebrities drop significantly from last year. The sale of Michael Jackson’s EMI publishing stake alone made up almost half of the total earnings, $628 million, last year.

With the “Thriller” singer’s earning dropping from $400 million to $60 million, the 13 dead celebrities collected a total of $285 million this year.

Top-Earning Dead Celebrities of 2019:

Michael Jackson – $60 million
Elvis Presley – $39 million
Charles Schulz – $38 million
Arnold Palmer – $30 million
Bob Marley – $20 million
Dr. Seuss – $19 million
John Lennon – $14 million
Marilyn Monroe – $13 million
Prince – $12 million
Nipsey Hussle – $11 million
XXXTENTACION – $10 million
Whitney Houston – $9.5 million
George Harrison – $9 million