Jacko still King

Deceased superstar is still a top earner...

10:12 27 October 2010

Late superstar Michael Jackson is still one of the highest earners in pop, despite being dead for over a year.

The much-loved Thriller singer made £175m over the last year, making him the highest earning dead celebrity, according to Forbes.

Not only has the former King of Pop earned more than any other deceased celebrity, he also earned more than Lady Gaga, Madonna, U2 and Jay-Z combined.

The surge in sales is thought to be due to his mass following honouring his life by purchasing his work; album sales and radio airplay amounted to £32m of the overall amount, whilst this was doubled when memorabilia, video games and an autobiography is taken into account.

The film detailing his planned This Is It tour, which took place just before his death in June 2009, is said to have earned his estate £38m.

His £175m fortune is more than treble that of Forbes’ second highest dead celebrity earner, which was Elvis Presley with £38m.