Let's explore how these deceased A-listers continue to leave an everlasting mark on both our hearts and the global economy.
In a world where fame knows no boundaries, even death can't dim the financial glow of some of the world's most iconic personalities.
Forbes, the renowned business and finance magazine, has released its much anticipated annual list of the highest-earning deceased celebrities. This tradition not only pays tribute to the enduring legacies of a number of musicians, authors, creators, and other A-listers, but also serves as a reminder that their influence continues to generate staggering fortunes from beyond the grave.
This year's rankings include earnings from sales, stream, licensing deals and other sources of income from Oct. 2022 through Sept. 2023. As we delve into the list, let's also explore how these iconic figures continue to leave an everlasting mark on both our hearts and the global economy.More than ten years after Michael Jackson's death, the King of Pop has returned to the top of the 2023 highest-earning list for the first time since 2019.
While his Graceland estate in Memphis, Tennessee, opened to the public more than 40 years ago, it has remained one of the top tourist destinations in the state. The estate welcomed some 600,000 visitors over the past year, generating income from ticket and merchandise sales. Not to mention Presley's music catalog, which includes his popular Christmas album that remains the biggest selling holiday album of all time.3.
In one of the year's most lucrative music deals, deceased Doors keyboardist Ray Manzarek and living guitarist Robby Krieger jointly sold their band's catalog to Primary Wave Music. While details of the acquisition were not disclosed, a source told American magazine Variety that the numbers were"big." The deal includes the rights to all of the band's recorded music, publishing, trademarks, merchandising, and any related income.