Last year ELVIS once again jumped back up the Forbes charts to become #2 Top-Earning Dead Celebrity and this year he retained that same position earning a cool $39 million - helped no doubt by the expanded Elvis Presley's Memphis museum and interest surrounding the 1969 '50th Anniversary'.
In 2019 Michael Jackson again tops Forbes magazine's annual list of the highest-earning deceased celebrities but with an estimated of $60 million income - this is a massive drop from his income last year of $400 million. Golf legend Arnold Palmer drops to No.4 with $30 million while "Peanuts" cartoonist Charles Schulz is back to No.3 with a $38 million. As last year, rounding out the top five is reggae icon Bob Marley ($20 million).
Even with CD sales collapsing nine musicians feature in the list of 13, up from just six a year ago. John Lennon is the richer late Beatle at #7 on the list with $14 million (much of it owed to the 50th anniversary of Abbey Road) while George Harrison is 13th on the list, with $9 million.
Other musicians included are Prince #9 ($12M), Rapper Nipsey Hussle (who was shot in Los Angeles) comes in at 10 with $11 million, XXXTentacion, who died in June 2018, is 11 on the list having made $10 million since his death. He is most-streamed deceased celebrity in America. Whitney Houston is #12 ($9.5M). The great Marilyn Monroe is #8 ($13M) while children’s author Dr. Seuss is #6 ($19M)
Top Ten Forbes magazine Top-Earning Dead Celebrities 2019.
1. Michael Jackson $60 million (down from $400m!)
2. Elvis Presley $39 million (down from $40m)
3. Charles Schulz ('Peanuts' creator) $38 million.
4. Arnold Palmer $30 million.
5. Bob Marley $20 million.
6. Dr. Seuss $19 million,
7. John Lennon $14 million,
8. Marilyn Monroe $13 million,
9. Prince $12 million,
10. Nipsey Hussle $10 million.