Michael Jackson Tops ‘Forbes’ List As Highest-Earning Dead Celebrity With $105 Million

Michael Jackson earned $105 million in 2025, making him Forbes‘ top-paid deceased celebrity for another year. The King Of Pop’s estate has generated $3.5 billion since his 2009 death. “When it comes to estate earnings, it’s MJ, then an enormous canyon, then everybody else,” an estate attorney told Forbes. Most recent earnings came from selling a 50% stake in his music catalog to Sony Music for $600 million in 2024. The deal included improved royalty terms despite opposition from his mother. Jackson’s Las Vegas show Michael Jackson ONE surpassed 5,000 performances this year and runs through 2030. Broadway’s MJ: The Musical has grossed nearly $300 million worldwide since 2022. A biopic starring his nephew Jaafar Jackson premieres in April 2026. Musicians filled ten of thirteen spots on Forbes‘ deceased celebrity list, including Prince, John Lennon, and Bob Marley. (Story URL)