Michael Jackson has once again proven that his title as the King of Pop extends far beyond his lifetime. The late music icon has been crowned the highest-paid dead celebrity of 2025 by Forbes, an honour he has frequently held since his passing.
His estate generated a staggering $105 million ( Ksh 13.5 billion) in the past 12 months alone. Since his death in 2009, his estate’s total earnings have reached an astronomical $3.5 billion ( Ksh 451 billion).
Jackson’s continued financial dominance comes primarily from lucrative deals and the enduring global appeal of his music and brand.
A major contributor to the recent earnings was a significant 2024 sale when the estate sold a 50% stake in Jackson’s master recordings and publishing catalogue to Sony Music for a reported $600 million (Ksh 77.4 billion).
This massive deal not only delivered a huge cash injection but also secured an enhanced royalty structure, ensuring his music continues to generate substantial profits globally.
“When it comes to estate earnings, it’s MJ, then an enormous canyon, then everybody else.”
Beyond catalogue sales, the King of Pop’s legacy is kept alive by massive entertainment ventures like Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson ONE, a long-running, successful residency show in Las Vegas that continues to sell tickets globally, MJ The Musical, a hit Broadway production that has been a major box-office draw and has started international productions, and The Biopic, a major film about his life, Michael, starring his nephew Jaafar Jackson, is set for release in 2026, which is expected to boost future earnings further.
Jackson leads a list filled with creative giants who continue to earn substantial sums from beyond the grave. Musicians feature heavily, a testament to the lasting value of music rights.
Here are the other top names on the Forbes 2025 list:
- 1. Michael Jackson $105 million ( Ksh 13.5 billion)
- 2. Dr Seuss(Theodor Geisel) $85 million(Ksh 10.9 billion)
- 3. Richard Wright $81 million (Ksh 10.4 billion)
- 4. Syd Barret $81 million (Ksh 10.4 billion)
- 5. The Notorious B.I.G $80 million (Ksh 10.3 billion)
While Michael Jackson is the clear leader among deceased stars, his $105 million annual income makes him one of the highest-earning musicians in the world, often eclipsing many active artists.
For comparison, here are some of the wealthiest living music artists, whose net worth figures illustrate the pinnacle of lifetime and active earnings, contrasting with the continuing revenue streams of deceased legends:
Jay-Z – $2.6 billion( Ksh335.6 billion), Taylor Swift – $1.6 billion( ksh206.5billion), Bruce Springsteen – $1.2 billion(Ksh 154.9 billion) and Rihanna – $1.0 billion(Ksh 129 billion)
