Top 10 Deceased Celebrities That Are Still Earning

There are plenty of rich celebrities alive today but the following died many years back but still continue to make more money than you can imagine!

1. Kurt Cobain

This legendary singer died in 1994 and it is said that he committed suicide. He earns a totally of 50 million dollars annually through royalties on his music and memorabilia and the money is donated to charity.

2. Elvis Presley

The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll died in 1977 of a heart attack. He makes about 42 million dollars every year because fans keep buying his albums, especially the boxed sets. Presley’s estate is a popular tourist attraction in Memphis.

3. Charles M. Schulz

This cartoonist created Peanuts and died in the year 2000, aged 77 of colon cancer. He earns about 35 million dollars ever year because the cartoon is still published in over 2,100 newspapers all over the world. Most of the money comes from the merchandise that is created and sold to the ever-doting public year after year.

4. John Lennon

John Lennon was a part of the celebrated rock band, The Beatles. He died in 1980 when Mark David Chapman shot him four times outside his apartment. Lennon earns a grand total of 24 million dollars every year which primarily comes from the albums that are bought by die hard fans.

5. Albert Einstein

This genius died at age 76 and earns about 20 million dollars annually. People request for his him more than anybody else at image licensing shops and Walt Disney produces a truckload of education videos and toys under the popular Baby Einstein label. He will continue to earn this kind of money for all eternity, it seems.

6. Andy Warhol

Andy Warhol was a pop artist who died at age 58 after an operation went wrong. His estate was recently sold and several licensing deals will allow him to earn royalties for a long time. Merchandise like billboards and bags will be created in his name.

7. Theodor Geisel or Dr. Seuss

Dr. Suess died in 1991 at age 87. The famous Grinch created by the author will be featured in several plays and Broadway shows. The tickets will cost about 100 dollars- multiply that with 12 shows per week and add it to the revenue he continues to earn as his books are cherished by children all over the world. For those who can’t do the math, he earns 10 million dollars every year.

8. Ray Charles

Ray Charles was a talented musician who died of a liver disease in 2004. He continues to earn about 10 million dollars every year because his estate is of great interest to those who appreciate his work. In addition to that, the film that released in 2004 was based on his life which means that the royalties will be rolling in for a long time.

9. Marilyn Monroe

This beautiful actress supposedly died of an overdose of prescription drugs in the year 1962. Her glamorous image continues to inspire advertisements and her face is plastered on products every now and then. Not only that, but her image is also used to promote brands like Absolut and Dom Perignon. She earns 8 million dollars annually.

10. Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash died in 2003 and was a world renowned musician. He sold about 3.6 million albums in 2009 which is a great leap from the 2.8 million that sold in 2005. The movie that was made about his life continues to earn him royalties. Not only that, but several albums were released recently which featured all those tracks that were recorded but never got released.