The highest-earning deceased celebrities in 2026: 17 years after his death, he still earns 140 million US dollars per year, why does Michael Jackson only rank second?
Image source: LIZA SCHUMSKAYA FOR FORBES
Quincy Jones, Dolly Parton and Diane Keaton have newly joined the list, joining a host of musicians and athletes who have long held steady spots on the ranking, continuing to generate millions of dollars in income after their passing.
Few people have a body of work as rich, diverse and award-laden as that of Quincy Jones. The legendary producer died of pancreatic cancer in late 2024 at the age of 91. The classic songs he produced span vastly different styles, from Michael Jackson's *Thriller* to Frank Sinatra's *Fly Me To The Moon*. He also helped shape the musical styles of numerous stars including Ray Charles, Donna Summer, Miles Davis, Count Basie and Aretha Franklin. He co-founded *Vibe* magazine, served as executive producer of the hit TV series *The Fresh Prince of Bel Air*, conducted the recording of the 1985 single *We Are The World*, and earned two Oscar nominations for scoring Steven Spielberg's 1985 film *The Color Purple*.
"If God had a jukebox, I know which name would appear in the credits for the most tracks. It starts with Q," U2 frontman Bono said in a 2008 interview with *JAZZIZ*. "And you can barely find any names starting with other letters on it."
At least on another list in heaven, Jones takes the top spot — he is the highest-earning dead celebrity of 2026. Back in March this year, his estate sold the vast majority of his stakes in the aforementioned assets, along with his personal artist catalog and music publishing rights to hits such as *Soul Bossa Nova*, to HarbourView Equity Partners, a private equity-backed catalog management firm. *Forbes* estimates the deal is worth around $150 million.
This marks the 26th year that *Forbes* has tracked dead celebrities who continue to earn high incomes after their passing. Since Jackson's death in 2009, the top spot on the list has only been taken by others four times, and all four instances occurred because the other party completed or announced a large asset sale that year. (The other three instances were Elizabeth Taylor in 2012, Roald Dahl in 2021, and J.R.R. Tolkien in 2022.) Dramatically, what helped drive up the value of Jones' estate sale includes exactly the 10% producer royalty he earned for producing Jackson's three solo albums *Off The Wall*, *Thriller* and *Bad*. These three albums account for more than two-thirds of Jackson's total global annual streaming volume.
However, for Jackson's estate, this year is still a highly profitable one.
When the production of the biopic *Michael* hit a snag, the estate took a risk and invested about $25 million of its own money in reshoots. The investment paid off after the film's global box office exceeded $1 billion. *Forbes* estimates that the estate will ultimately receive more than $50 million in profit share from the film, to be received in installments over the coming years. The film's blockbuster performance has also boosted its various businesses, including music streaming, Cirque du Soleil's Las Vegas residency show, the production and performance of the musical *MJ: The Musical* in multiple regions around the world, and brand licensing operations. These businesses combined generated $140 million in revenue over the past 12 months.
This mutually reinforcing business model has also created income for several other legends on the list, including long-time ranking member Elvis Presley and newly listed Dolly Parton. The two run their huge estate businesses centered on the two physical tourist destinations Graceland and Dollywood respectively, and have expanded numerous derivative brand businesses.
However, the show of late musician Bob Marley at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas was suspended in January this year, and Bruce Springsteen's film *Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere* also suffered a box office flop in October 2025, once again confirming the lesson many producers have learned in recent years: Even the most dazzling superstars cannot guarantee success. A series of new projects will soon be put to the test of the market, including the latest Dr. Seuss film *The Cat In The Hat* which premieres in North America on November 6, and the Parton Broadway musical scheduled to open in December. A hologram concert for Presley is in the works, scheduled to launch in 2027; and four Beatles films set to be released in 2028 have already sparked widespread anticipation.
What is certain is that in an increasingly competitive and challenging content market, the most valuable asset practitioners can have right now is valuable intellectual property (IP). For these 13 late legends, their personal brands have proven to have enduring vitality.
Here are the highest-earning dead celebrities of 2026:
#1. $150 million
Quincy Jones
Date of death: November 3, 2024 (aged 91)
Cause of death: Cancer
Industry insiders believe that the premium the Jones estate received for the music and other rights sold to HarbourView in March this year stems not only from the stable annual income these assets generate, but also from Jones' exceptional reputation in the music industry, whose influence is expected to help HarbourView attract more catalog sellers in the future. The timing of this acquisition could not be better for HarbourView. With the biopic *Michael* achieving huge global success, the 10% producer royalty from the three albums Jones produced for Jackson has also brought lucrative returns.
#2. $140 million
Michael Jackson
Date of death: June 25, 2009 (aged 50)
Cause of death: Drug overdose / Homicide
Despite the long and winding road to release, after the biopic *Michael* hit theaters in April this year, its global box office exceeded $1 billion, once again confirming the enduring popularity of the "King of Pop". *Forbes* estimates that the Jackson estate will receive approximately 25% of the film's net profit, totaling more than $50 million over the coming years. The film's hit performance also drove a significant increase in the global streaming volume of his music throughout the year, and boosted ticket sales for Cirque du Soleil's Las Vegas residency show and Broadway musical, as well as the box office for residencies in Germany and Australia and the national tour across the United States.
#3. $80 million
Dr. Seuss
Date of death: September 24, 1991 (aged 87)
Cause of death: Cancer
More than 30 years after the writer's death, Dr. Seuss Enterprises is still constantly finding new ways to turn his beloved children's stories into revenue. This year, the organization launched the "Dr. Seuss Travel Agency" campaign, guiding readers who want to take a paper trip through the world of Seuss's children's books to unlock different picture books, and published *Sing the 50 United States!*, the first new book based on Seuss's posthumous manuscripts in more than a decade. The book immediately topped the *New York Times* bestseller list for picture books upon its release.
#4. $75 million
Elvis Presley
Date of death: August 16, 1977 (aged 42)
Cause of death: Heart attack
On local time October 23, the rights holders of Presley's musical works, including Authentic Brands Group which holds the majority stake, filed a lawsuit against artificial intelligence company Anthropic seeking more than $41 million in damages, accusing it of using Presley's songs to train its models and infringing copyright. Even decades after his passing, the influence of the "King of Rock and Roll" still extends beyond the music field: his former residence Graceland attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, and the sales of licensed merchandise also reach millions of dollars. What's the next project? A hologram concert scheduled to premiere in Las Vegas before the end of 2027.
#5. $46 million
Dolly Parton
Date of death: August 25, 2026 (aged 80)
Cause of death: Cancer
According to statistics from the Themed Entertainment Association, Dollywood welcomed 3.4 million visitors in 2025, representing an 8% increase. This growth is quite remarkable in a year when most theme parks across the United States saw a slight decline in visitor numbers. The park is located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, the hometown of Parton, the singer of *9 to 5*. Parton owns the copyright to her own musical works, and also holds a 50% stake in Dollywood, the adjacent Splash Country water park and supporting hotels. Among them, the water park received 390,000 visitors in 2025. The love and respect of fans for the best-selling female singer in country music history continues, and the revenue of her estate business is likely to grow significantly in 2027.
#6. $25 million
Bob Marley
Date of death: May 11, 1981 (aged 36)
Cause of death: Cancer
After only six months of performances, the stage show *Bob Marley: Hope Road* at the Mandalay Bay Casino in Las Vegas announced a "short hiatus" in January this year, and never resumed afterwards. The show was created by the Marley estate in partnership with Primary Wave, a private equity-backed catalog acquisition firm that purchased a majority stake in Marley's music catalog and music publishing rights in 2018. The Marley family retains his name, image and likeness rights, and has converted these rights into substantial income through licensing, selling all kinds of merchandise featuring Rastafarian cultural elements.
#7. $24 million
Prince
Date of death: April 21, 2016 (aged 57)
Cause of death: Drug overdose
Ten years after the passing of the "Purple Legend", his estate is still working with Primary Wave to release new music. Among them, the album *Timeless* released in August entered the top ten of the Billboard album sales chart. The album includes demos recorded by Prince in his youth in 1977, as well as live recordings from his last tour in 2016. In addition, his Paisley Park estate hosted a five-day event in June, commemorating the 10th anniversary of his passing through performances and exhibitions.
#8. $22 million
Diane Keaton
Date of death: October 11, 2025 (aged 79)
Cause of death: Pneumonia
During her 50-year Hollywood career, Keaton not only played beloved leading ladies in films such as *Annie Hall* and *Something's Gotta Give*, but also portrayed classic mother figures in *Father of the Bride* and *The Family Stone*. She died in October 2025 at the age of 79. This year, her estate sold the Brentwood mansion that she spent decades renovating — the property that was the subject of her 2017 book *The House That Pinterest Built* — for $18 million. In addition, the estate partnered with Bonhams to auction her clothing and memorabilia, including the original script of *Annie Hall*, generating an additional $4.2 million in revenue (before commission deductions).
#9. $18 million
John Lennon
Date of death: December 8, 1980 (aged 40)
Cause of death: Homicide
Sony's ambitious plan to release one Beatles film every week for four consecutive weeks in 2028 is now in production. Harris Dickinson, the star of *Triangle of Sadness*, will play Lennon. The official start of filming has brought a new stream of revenue to the legendary four-member band, who manage their joint business through the holding company Apple Corps Ltd. The company reported that its licensing revenue this year jumped from $6 million a year earlier to nearly $10 million.
#10. $15 million
George Harrison
Date of death: November 29, 2001 (aged 58)
Cause of death: Cancer
Another late Beatles member, Harrison, will be portrayed on the big screen by Joseph Quinn, the actor from *Stranger Things* and *The Fantastic Four*. The copyright to a large number of Beatles songs written by Lennon and Paul McCartney have been passed between different corporate owners for decades, and Michael Jackson once held these rights. In contrast, Harrisongs, the music publishing company founded by Harrison in 1968, has always been family-owned, managed by his wife Olivia and son Dhani. Its catalog includes his Beatles-era hits such as *Here Comes The Sun*, *While My Guitar Gently Weeps* and *Something*. The catalog of his 12 studio albums from his solo career has been incorporated into the Dark Horse Records label, which Harrison founded in 1974.
#11. $15 million
Jimmy Buffett
Date of death: September 1, 2023 (aged 76)
Cause of death: Cancer
A jury-free trial is scheduled to be held in Palm Beach County in January 2027. The court will rule whether to adjust the management of Buffett's $275 million marital trust, removing his widow Jane or his financial manager Richard Mozenter from their management positions. The two, co-administrators of Buffett's estate, have each filed lawsuits seeking to oust the other. The dispute involves a 20% stake in the Margaritaville business empire, as well as Buffett's share of music assets held through Mailboat Records.
#12. $14 million
Kobe Bryant
Date of death: January 26, 2020 (aged 41)
Cause of death: Helicopter crash
This summer, when Jalen Brunson led the New York Knicks to an unexpected NBA championship, he was not wearing his own signature shoes, but the Nike Kobe 6 Protro in the "Statue of Liberty" colorway. His choice drove a substantial surge in sales of Kobe's sneakers in the retail and resale markets. Nike renewed its licensing agreement with the Bryant family in 2022, and still maintains a pace of launching dozens of new colorways or new versions every year.
#13. $13 million
Arnold Palmer
Date of death: September 25, 2016 (aged 87)
Cause of death: Cardiovascular disease
Sales of the golf legend's eponymous beverage have declined in recent years, but Palmer's iconic four-color umbrella logo still appears on apparel from Puma and Smathers & Branson, as well as drinkware, belts and other golf accessories. In addition, the Arnold Palmer Invitational remains one of the most important events on the PGA Tour schedule.
Methodology
This year's ranking of dead celebrity earnings counts pre-tax income from sales, streaming, licensing deals and other sources between October 1, 2025 and September 30, 2026, as well as estate asset acquisition transactions completed or announced in the same period. Each celebrity is treated as an independent income entity, and all income generated by them is counted in the statistics, regardless of whether the estate beneficiaries still own or control the copyright to their works, or their name, image and likeness rights. This differs from the 2025 ranking, which estimated the funds flowing to the estate beneficiaries. *Forbes* compiles the income figures by combining data from Luminate and interviews with industry insiders,