He\u2019s still the King of Pop.<\/p>\n
Michael Jackson has earned an estimated $1 billion since his death, according to Forbes.<\/p>\n
The superstar passed away in 2009 but has raked in more than $115 million in album and merchandise sales in the last year alone.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen a composer [or] a performer dies, that\u2019s it,\u201d Josh Rubenstein, National Chair of Trusts and Estates at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP, told Forbes.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s no more … once they\u2019re dead and there can\u2019t be any more [work], all of the sudden everybody comes in and says, \u2018Oh, we\u2019ve got to get this guy.\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n
Other top-earning dead celebrities of 2015 included Elvis Presley at number two with $55 million and \u201cPeanuts\u201d creator Charles Schulz at three with $40 million.<\/p>\n
Schulz\u2019s millions come thanks to the enduring popularity of his characters, which include Charlie Brown and Snoopy. \u201cThe Peanuts Movie\u201d is also set for release on November 6.<\/p>\n
Reggae legend Bob Marley ($21 million) and Hollywood star Elizabeth Taylor ($20 million) also make the top five of the list.<\/p>\n
Jackson\u2019s fortune has been generated by the Las Vegas Cirque du Soleil show \u201cMichael Jackson One,\u201d his Mijac Music catalog, recorded music sales and ownership of half of the Sony\/ATV publishing empire.<\/p>\n
It is the fourth year in a row that the former Jackson 5 singer has topped the list.<\/p>\n
Since his death, the star’s estate have released two albums of previously unreleased track; 2010\u2019s \u201cMichael\u201d and 2015\u2019s \u201cXscape,\u201d which topped album charts around the world.<\/p>\n
The remaining stars to make the top 13 were Marilyn Monroe, John Lennon, Albert Einstein, Paul Walker, Bettie Page, Theodor (Dr. Seuss) Geisell, Steve McQueen and James Dean.<\/p>\n
–<\/p>\n
Source: nydailynews<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
He\u2019s still the King of Pop. Michael Jackson has earned an estimated $1 billion since his death, according to Forbes. The superstar passed away in 2009 but has raked in more than $115 million in album and merchandise sales in the last year alone. \u201cWhen a composer [or] a performer dies, that\u2019s it,\u201d Josh Rubenstein, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":163823,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[32,2],"tags":[38,6],"yoast_head":"\n