Michael Jackson Leads Forbes List of Top-Earning Dead Celebrities
Michael Jackson has come out top in a list of top-earning deceased celebrities according to Forbes in an announcement made Tuesday. The publication gave him the title for the second year in a row following his death.
Jackson died in June 2009 at the age of 50 of a drug overdose, and yet earned an estimated $170 million in the past year, which also makes him the second highest earning pop star of the year period.
The circumstances surrounding Jackson's death is still being determined. A jury is trying to decide if Jackson caused his own death by taking the drug propofol or if his physician Dr. Conrad Murray gave him the lethal dose.
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Regardless of the outcome, Jackson's name has steadily been in the media everyday, resulting in increased sales of albums and memorabilia.
Cirque Du Soleil created a musical tribute to the late King-of-Pop called "immortal" that followed closely the tribute shows of Elvis and the Beatles.
Presley was second on the list with $55 million in earnings with help from "Viva Elvis," a musical variety tribute show.
In third place was Marilyn Monroe who died in 1962 at the age of 36. She earned $27 million.
Recently deceased celebrity, Elizabeth Taylor was in fifth place with $12 million with most of those sales coming from her fragrance "White Diamonds." She died in March at 79.
In order to qualify for the list a celebrity had to make $6 million between Oct. 2010 and Oct. 2011.
