Top 11 Highest Earning Deceased Musicians

Many musicians will earn more dead then they did alive. Here is a list of the top eleven highest earning deceased musicians.

I'm sure that next year Michael Jackson will lead this list and far surpass Elvis Presley and Kurt Cobain. But for now Elvis Presley remains in the number one spot.

1) Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley is the highest earning deceased musician or deceased celebrity. His estate earned over 52 million dollars last year. It seems that there are many ventures that are currently making the Presley estate huge sums of many such as the new Sirius Radio Show called Elvis. Merchandise sales and people sightseeing the Elvis estate of Graceland also bring in large dollar signs.

2) Kurt Cobain

Kurt Cobain who was front man for Nirvana's and created the grunge music craze never made that much while alive but since his suicide his estate made more then Elvis Presley but he has now fallen into the number two spot with only 50 million per year.

3) John Lennon

Estimates vary on how much John Lennon's estate brings in per year. According to Forbes it earns approximately 9 million per year on royalties and merchandising. However, other sources say his estate brings in considerably more at 24 million per year. This money is donated to charities in various anti war efforts.

4) George Harrison

Like his Beatle counterpart, George Harrison's estate is rumored to bring in 22 million per year off royalties and merchandising.

5) Ray Charles

The Ray Charles estate is believed to bring in approximately 10 million per year.

6) Tupac Shakur

This murdered rappers estate is rumored to bring in 9 million per year since his early demise in 1996 when he was shot four times in a drive by shooting in Las Vegas.

7) Johnny Cash

Various estimates put his yearly earnings since his death in at 3-8 million dollars. It is strongly believed that the estate earned 7 million dollars last year.

8) Bob Marley

The reggae musician Bob Marley's estate brings in 7 million dollars per year.

9) Jimi Hendrix

The legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix's estate is rumored to bring in approximately 6 million per year since his early demise in 1970 when he asphyxiated in his own vomit after what is believed to be an overdose of drugs.

10) James Brown

It is rumored that Mr Browns estate brings in approximately 5 million per year.

11) Marvin Gaye

Mr Gaye's estate is believed to bring in 3 million per year.

Sources:

http://www.nme.com/news/elvis-presley/40722

http://www.shortlist.com/arts-music/article/the-top-earning-dead-musicians/1

http://www.forbes.com/fdc/welcome_mjx.shtml