The King of Pop topped Forbes' list of the top-earning dead celebrities in 2015, bringing in a massive $115 million this past year alone That multi-million dollar haul is from recorded music sales, owning half of the Sony/ATV Music Publishing empire and the Vegas Cirque du Soleil show Michael Jackson One, according to Forbes.
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Following Jackson on the list was another music king, Elvis Presley. The rock and roll icon earned $55 million last year, thanks in large part from ticket sales to tour his Graceland estate in Memphis, Tenn. and Elvis Presley Forever, a compilation CD released by the U.S. Post Office that became the singer's 53rd Top 40 album. Cartoonist Charles Schulz, creator of the beloved Peanuts comic strip, drew up $40 million in 2015, thanks to licensing revenue earned from bringing Charlie Brown and gang worldwide.
1. Michael Jackson, $115 million. (Joel Ryan/AP)
2. Elvis Presley, $55 million. (AP)
3. Charles Schulz, $30 million. (AP)
4. Bob Marley, $21 million. (AP)
5. Elizabeth Taylor, $20 million. (AP)
6. Marilyn Monroe, $17 million. (L. J. Willinger/Keystone Features/Hulton Archive/Getty)
7. John Lennon, $12 million. (AP)
8. Albert Einstein, $11 million. (AP)
9. Paul Walker, $10.5 million. (Andrew Medichini/AP)
10. Bettie Page, $10 million. (Michael Ochs Archives/Getty)
11. Theodor Geisel (Dr. Seuss), $9.5 million. (Gene Lester/Getty )
12. Steve McQueen, $9 million. (Michel Lipchitz/AP)
13. James Dean, $8.5 million. (AP)