Michael Jackson crowned Forbes’ highest-earning deceased celebrity of 2025
From beyond the grave, Michael Jackson still runs the music industry earning more than most living artists.
Even from beyond the grave, Michael Jackson is out here breaking records and telling the haters to Beat It.
The King of Pop has just been crowned Forbes’ highest-paid dead celebrity of 2025 with a jaw-dropping $105 million in posthumous earnings this year alone.
Yep, Michael’s still out-earning most of today’s living pop stars while, you know… not being alive.
According to Forbes, MJ is dominating. His estate has generated an astronomical $3.5 billion since his death in 2009.
As one estate attorney perfectly put it: “When it comes to estate earnings, it’s MJ, then an enormous canyon, then everybody else.”
How is Michael Jackson still making money?
Well, part of it stems from a 2024 mega-deal with Sony Music, where the estate sold a 50% stake in his master recordings and publishing catalog for a cool $600 million.
The agreement didn’t just bring in a mountain of cash, it also gave the estate a fatter slice of royalties worldwide.
Even with family drama (because what’s an MJ headline without a bit of that?), the deal solidified his catalog as one of the most valuable in history.
Let’s also not forget that MJ’s financial brilliance started long before the moonwalk.
In 1985, he pulled off one of the slickest business moves in music history by buying the ATV Music catalog, which owned most of The Beatles’ songs, for $47.5 million.
In 1995, Michael sold a 50 percent share of ATV to Sony for around $100 million.
That same catalog sold for $750 million in 2016. That’s roughly $1 billion today.
His 2009 concert film 'This Is It' made $267 million at the box office.
Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour pulled another $160 million.
The Las Vegas residency Michael Jackson ONE has officially surpassed 5,000 performances at Mandalay Bay, and it’s been extended through 2030.
Meanwhile, MJ: The Musical is moonwalking across the globe, having grossed nearly $300 million since 2022.
Pretty soon, his nephew, Jaafar Jackson, is set to play him in the upcoming biopic Michael, which is set to drop in April 2026.
You can practically feel the estate’s bank accounts warming up.
Who else made the list?
Other legends like Prince, John Lennon, and Bob Marley also made Forbes’ list of top-earning deceased musicians (collectively earning $541 million).
MJ still stands in a league of his own. Or as the King of Pop himself might say: “You wanna be startin’ somethin’? Too late, I already finished it.”
Even in death, Michael Jackson’s influence is untouchable, his impact immeasurable, and his empire unstoppable.
The man didn’t just change music, he redefined what it means to live forever. A Smooth Criminal, that one.
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