Jackson Estate Ranks Second on Forbes Dead Celebrity List
Forbes ranked the Michael Jackson estate second among highest-paid dead celebrities for 2026, behind Quincy Jones.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Pop
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Should celebrity estates keep earning huge profits from decades-old catalogs?
Forbes placed the Michael Jackson estate second on its 2026 list of highest-paid dead celebrities, with an estimated $140 million in earnings over the past year. Quincy Jones topped the list with an estimated $150 million.
Why it matters
The ranking reflects how legacy music catalogs and film productions continue generating large sums long after an artist's death. It also shows the financial value of publishing rights and royalties in the U.S. entertainment market.
Forbes estimated the Jackson estate earned $140 million between October 1, 2025, and September 30, 2026, and that the biopic "Michael" grossed more than $1 billion worldwide. Forbes's figures are estimates, and the estate's exact revenue split across catalog, touring and film was not itemized.
The players
Michael Jackson
The "King of Pop" whose catalog of albums, including "Thriller" and "Bad," continues to generate royalties nearly two decades after his death.
Quincy Jones
The producer who worked on "Off the Wall," "Thriller" and "Bad," and who earns ongoing producer royalties from those albums.
Forbes
The business magazine that publishes an annual ranking of the highest-paid dead celebrities based on estimated earnings.
HarbourView Equity Partners
The investment firm that acquired most of Quincy Jones's music interests and publishing rights in March 2026.
The details
The Jackson estate's earnings include royalties, the Cirque du Soleil show in Las Vegas and international productions of "MJ: The Musical." The estate also spent around $25 million on additional filming for the biopic "Michael," which opened in April 2026.
Timeline
June 2009: Michael Jackson died at age 50.
October 1, 2025 – September 30, 2026: Forbes tracked earnings for the 2026 ranking.
March 2026: Quincy Jones's estate sold most of his music interests to HarbourView Equity Partners.
April 2026: The biopic "Michael" opened in theaters.
Market Dynamics
Investment firms buying catalogs of publishing rights, as with HarbourView's deal for Quincy Jones's interests, has become a notable route for valuing legacy music assets. The Forbes ranking shows how these catalogs continue to produce large earnings for estates long after an artist's death.
Fans can currently stream Jackson and Jones catalog recordings and see the biopic "Michael" in theaters. The estate's ongoing profit participation is tied to continued releases and performances rather than new purchases by listeners.
The takeaway
Legacy catalogs can outlast the artists who created them, and their value increasingly shows up in financial deals and rankings. For readers, the ranking is a useful reminder that a song's earning power often extends well beyond its original release.
Further reading
Explore more in Pop coverage of how legacy artists continue earning decades after their peak.
Source note: This article includes information reported by EURweb.
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Should celebrity estates keep earning huge profits from decades-old catalogs?
