Late American singer, Michael Jackson, has been crowned the highest-paid deceased celebrity of 2025.
The ‘King of pop’ topped the list of the highest-paid deceased celebrities of 2025 recently released by Forbes.
According to the magazine, Jackson earned $105 million over the past year, more than any other late icon by a wide margin.
The majority of Jackson’s recent earnings came from the 2024 sale of a 50% stake in his master recordings and publishing catalog to Sony Music for $600 million.
Other musicians on Forbes’ annual list of top-earning deceased celebrities cover ten of the top thirteen spots including Prince, John Lennon, and Bob Marley. Collectively, the group earned $541 million in the past year.
Since Jackson’s death in 2009, his estate has generated a staggering $3.5 billion, making him the most posthumously successful celebrity of all time.