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13. Whitney Houston -

In thirteenth place, we have Whitney Houston, who died so tragically back in 2012. Her annual earnings for this period were US$13 million.

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13. Whitney Houston -

Strangely enough, a lot of this income is said to be generated by Whitney-branded slot machines in Las Vegas that play her music and videos.

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12. Arnold Palmer -

While he was alive, Arnold Palmer found success as a golfer. In death, however, he makes his money selling ice tea and lemonade drinks.

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12. Arnold Palmer -

What started as a homemade drink to which Palmer himself was partial is now produced by AriZona. Around 500 million cans are sold annually, and in 2024 the late Palmer earned around US$14 million.

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11. James Brown -

In 2024, the "hardest working man in show business" is estimated to have earned US$15 million with his intellectual property. He died of heart failure in 2006.

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11. James Brown -

Going forward, Primary Wave intends to boost Brown's posthumous earnings by turning his former home into a tourist attraction.

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10. John Lennon -

Ever since he died in 1980, the former Beatle, John Lennon, has been making money from his music. In 2024 he is estimated to have made $US17 million.

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10. John Lennon -

Part of those earnings came from the restoration of a 1978 demo tape by director Peter Jackson that Lennon was unable to finish before his death in 1980.

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9. Matthew Perry -

When the former 'Friends' actor, Matthew Perry, died of a ketamine overdose in October 2023, many were left with strong feelings of shock and grief.

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9. Matthew Perry -

Since his death, he continues to make money from his 2022 memoir, 'Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing,' as well as collecting an annual US$17 million in 'Friends' royalties.

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8. Charles M. Schulz -

Although he's not necessarily a household name, the characters he created certainly are. Charles M. Schulz was the cartoonist behind Charlie Brown and Snoopy.

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8. Charles M. Schulz -

With TikTok igniting Gen Z's interest in the franchise, Schulz earned another US$30 million in 2024, thanks to brand collaborations and streaming.

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7. Bob Marley -

The legend that is Bob Marley comes in at number seven on the list, with an estimated US$34 million in catalog royalties and other 'big brand business' revenue streams.

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7. Bob Marley -

The year 2024 also brought a spike in the former reggae artist's earnings, thanks to the release of the biopic, 'Bob Marley: One Love.'

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6. Prince -

The iconic artist behind 'Purple Rain,' Prince continues to rake in millions every year from his masters, including the 'Purple Rain' album.

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6. Prince -

In 2024 he is estimated to have made US$35 million, thanks to income from his music, as well as revenues from his name, image, likeness, and visits to his home, Paisley Park.

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5. Ric Ocasek -

Next up we have Ric Ocasek, former frontman of The Cars, who earned US$45 million in 2024 thanks to a deal with Primary Wave.

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5. Ric Ocasek -

As a result of the September deal, the company acquired a stake in the late artist's publishing, name, image, and likeness rights for a hefty sum.

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4. Elvis Presley -

Coming in hot at number four is Elvis Presley, who has estimated earnings of US$50 million for 2024. Again, he has multiple sources of income.

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4. Elvis Presley -

On the one hand, he continues to collect royalties from licensing and music streaming. On the other hand, his home in Memphis, Graceland, also makes money.

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4. Elvis Presley -

According to Presley's family representatives, Graceland welcomed 600,000 visitors in the past year. All this despite a fraudster's efforts to auction it off illegally!

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3. Dr. Seuss -

The beloved children's author, Theodor Seuss Giesel (or Dr. Seuss to you and me), continues to collect royalties as his timeless characters are introduced to new generations of kids.

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3. Dr. Seuss -

The creative legend continues to sell books from the beyond, and at the same time, he makes money with licensing for theme parks, TV, movies, and apparel.

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3. Dr. Seuss -

Taking into account all his various sources of income, Dr. Seuss is estimated to have raked in US$75 million in 2024. This brings him in at number three on the list.

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2. Freddie Mercury -

Next up we have the formidable Freddie Mercury, who re-joins the list after a four-year hiatus. The former Queen front man earned an estimated US$250 million in 2024.

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2. Freddie Mercury -

These US$250 million are Mercury's part of the US$1 billion catalog sale that Queen made to Sony in June. According to Forbes, this was the most expensive acquisition of a single artist's catalog ever made.

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2. Freddie Mercury -

According to a source with close knowledge of the deal, the proceeds from the transaction were split equally four ways between the band's late front man and the remaining living band members. 

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1. Michael Jackson -

The King of Pop tops the list in 2024, largely thanks to a catalog sale of his publishing and recorded masters' rights to Sony. The value of the deal was US$600 million.

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1. Michael Jackson -

The lucrative deal finally went through, despite protestations from the late musician's mother. At the same time, he continues to collect earnings from his touring musical productions.

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1. Michael Jackson -

According to Forbes, Michael Jackson has pulled in US$600 million in 2024, and in total he has earned an eye-watering US$3.3 billion since his death in 2009.

Sources: (Forbes)

See also: Discover what these celebrities said on their death beds

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