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In 2001, Elvis Presley\u00a0topped\u00a0Forbes\u2019 first list tracking the highest-earning celebrity estates, and The King has appeared on every edition of the rankings since, earning over $1.2 billion during that time.<\/p>\n
READ:\u00a0Geliefde ‘Egoli’- en ‘Binnelanders’-akteur sterf<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n Yet another member of music royalty has truly broken the paradigm for posthumous earnings, Elvis\u2019s own onetime son-in-law, Michael Jackson.<\/p>\n Even from beyond the grave, Michael Jackson is out here breaking records and telling the haters to ‘Beat It’.\u00a0<\/p>\n READ:\u00a0Famous DJ claims he dated Canadian Prime Minister<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n The King of Pop has just been crowned\u00a0Forbes\u2019\u00a0highest-paid dead celebrity of 2025 with a jaw-dropping\u00a0$105 million\u00a0in posthumous earnings this year alone.\u00a0<\/p>\n Jackson is still out-earning most of today\u2019s living pop stars.<\/p>\n READ:\u00a0\u2018Friends\u2019 actress goes Instagram official with new love<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n According to\u00a0Forbes<\/a>, MJ’s estate has generated an estimated $3.5 billion since his death in 2009.\u00a0<\/p>\n As one estate attorney perfectly put it: \u201cWhen it comes to estate earnings, it\u2019s MJ, then an enormous canyon, then everybody else.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The biggest paydays came from unwinding assets (converting assets to cash) that Jackson accumulated during his life.<\/p>\n READ:\u00a0Ireland’s most iconic musical family ready to take SA stage for the first time<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n Jackson owned his publishing rights and master recordings, and purchased the ATV catalogue for $47,5-million, which is equivalent to approximately $142-million today.\u00a0<\/p>\n This included nearly 4,000 songs, almost every hit written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney.\u00a0That same catalogue sold for $750-million in 2016.\u00a0<\/p>\n That\u2019s roughly $1-billion today.<\/p>\n READ:\u00a0The most-watched content on Netflix for 2025<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n In a 2024 mega-deal with Sony Music, the estate sold a\u00a050% stake\u00a0in his master recordings and publishing catalogue for a cool\u00a0$600-million.\u00a0<\/p>\n The agreement didn\u2019t just bring in a mountain of cash; it also gave the estate a fatter slice of royalties worldwide.\u00a0<\/p>\n Even though he faced considerable controversy, the deal solidified his catalogue as\u00a0one of the most valuable in history.<\/p>\n READ:\u00a0Khloe vs Kourtney: ‘The Kardashians’ new season starts with explosive premiere<\/a><\/b><\/p>\n The MJ-themed Cirque du Soleil tour in 2012 grossed $160-million, making it the most successful concert tour of that year and earning Jackson more money than any living musician.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Michael Jackson ONE residency in Las Vegas has officially surpassed 5,000 performances at Mandalay Bay, and it has been extended\u00a0through 2030.\u00a0<\/p>\n