Late Pop legend, Michael Jackson has been named by Forbes magazine as the top earning dead celebrity of the past year. Jackson raked an estimated $140 million in the past year for his estate, Forbes said on Wednesday.


It is Jackson’s second straight year atop the list. He regained the title in 2013, a year after being pushed into second place by actress Elizabeth Taylor.

According to Forbes, “Only few celebrities prove the point that there is (financial) life after death better than Michael Jackson”.

Singer Elvis Presley, who died in 1977, came second with $55 million.

Cartoonist Charles Schulz took third place with $40 million, while reggae singer Bob Marley completed the top five with $20 million in earnings. Marley died of cancer at the age of 36 in 1981.

The 13 deceased celebrities included on Forbes list earned a total of $363.5 million. Forbes compiled the list by talking to estate managers, lawyers and licensors and analysing estimated posthumous earnings between October 2013-14, the magazine said.

Jackson was born 29 August 1958, in Gary, Indiana, to an African-American working-class family. At first, the Jackson Family performers consisted of Michael’s older brothers Tito, Jermaine, and Jackie.