Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, Bob Marley still earning millions: See who else is on Forbes 2025 top 10

[NinaFromCanadaEh]

1. Michael Jackson – $105 million | Michael Jackson remains on top, with the estate’s sale of half his master recordings and publishing to Sony in 2024 helping fuel earnings. A larger royalty share, global expansions of MJ: The Musical, and the long-running Las Vegas show Michael Jackson ONE keep his legacy strong ahead of a 2026 biopic release. (Image: Reuters)

2. Dr Seuss – $85 million | The iconic author’s estate continues to thrive, with 4.8 million books sold in 2024. Licensing deals for beloved characters and new projects with Netflix and Warner Bros.—including a 2026 Cat in the Hat film and a newly discovered manuscript—power major earnings. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

3& 4. Richard Wright and Syd Barrett – $81 million | Pink Floyd’s Richard Wright and Syd Barrett share the third spot thanks to a $400 million catalogue sale to Sony Music Publishing. Their songwriting credits and continued revenue from classic tracks solidify strong posthumous income systems. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

5. The Notorious B.I.G. – $80 million | The hip-hop icon’s estate saw a boost with the sale of 50% of his music and likeness rights to Primary Wave. Strong merchandise demand and enduring cultural impact keep Biggie’s star alive. (Image: Reuters)

6. Miles Davis – $21 million | Ahead of his 100th birth anniversary, Miles Davis’ estate sold a majority stake to Reservoir Media. Planned centennial concerts and a biopic announcement helped fuel renewed commercial interest. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

7. Elvis Presley – $17 million | The King remains a top earner decades after his passing, with Graceland tourism, licensing ventures, and publishing rights delivering steady revenue. His estate overcame an attempted identity-fraud scheme to protect the iconic property.

8. Jimmy Buffett – $14 million | Jimmy Buffett’s expansive Margaritaville empire—from hotels to apparel and cruises—continues generating millions. Legal disputes around the distribution of his trust funds have brought renewed attention to his business legacy. (Image: Reuters)


9. Bob Marley – $13 million | A new Las Vegas residency and continued brand licensing—from cannabis to lifestyle products—keep Marley’s global appeal strong. His estate benefits from broad merchandising and publishing revenue streams. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

10. John Lennon – $12 million | A new HBO documentary focused on Lennon’s 1972 concert is expected to boost streaming and royalties. Yoko Ono retains rights to his solo catalogue, and Lennon continues earning from ongoing Beatles legacy deals. (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

[NinaFromCanadaEh]

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The annual highest-paid dead musicians is out for 2025
November 4, 2025
Alan Cross
0 Comments
2 min read
Sometimes, the best thing you can do for your career is die. Just ask Elvis Presley. Once he kicked in August 1977, he went from Las Vegas has-been to one of the highest-earning celebrities on the planet.

Forbes tracks this ghoulish sort of thing, releasing a list of highest-earning dead celebrities around Halloween. Here’s what we learned in 2025. All figures in US dollars for the past 12 months.

1. Michael Jackson: $105 million.

Money is flooding in from music sales, streaming, a publishing sale, the musical based on his life, and a Cirque du Soleil show. He’s finished on top of this Forbes list 13 of the last 16 years. The estimates are that the Jackson estate earned $3.5 billion during that period.

2. Dr. Seuss: $85 million

That’s a lot of books. There are also licensing deals and a Netflix partnership.

3/4. Richard Wright/Syd Barrett: $81 million each

Syd left Pink Floyd in 1968 and died in 2006. Keyboardist Richard Wright died in 2008.

5. Notorious B.I.G.: $80 million

Credit continuing merch sales and a publishing sale in March.

6. Miles Davis: $21 million

The jazz great died of a stroke in 1991. In 2025, there was a publishing sale of 90% of his catalogue.

7. Elvis Presley: $17 million

The Presley family owns just 15% of Elvis Presley Enterprises. That company operates Graceland, an adjacent shopping mall, all merch rights, and whatever is left of his publishing.

8. Jimmy Buffet: $14 million

All that time in the sun resulted in fatal skin cancer, but Jimmy lives on through two trusts. Income is derived from the Margarita chain of restaurants, clothing, and a cruise line, as well as legacy income from his music.

9. Bob Marley: $13 million

Given the continued ubiquity of Marley’s music along with all the merch and licensing, you’d think this number would be higher. However, recent deals should juice this number in 2026.

10. John Lennon: $12 million

Lennon has been a reliable earner since he was shot in December 1980. With more Beatles projects imminent and in development, this number should be higher in 2026.

11. Prince: $11 million

He should be earning more, but there’s so much confusion over his estate that it’ll take a while to maximize returns.



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Nina notes - if the money that Sony makes off Elvis' RCA catalog was counted, and the movie studios too, Elvis would never have left the #1 spot