# Post-Mortem Moneymakers Highest Earning Dead Celebs By jelalyn | Published 2007-11-04 | Pop Culture Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/post-mortem-moneymakers-forbes-names-top-dead-celebrity-earners References: [forbes](http://www.forbes.com/home/business/2007/10/29/dead-celebrity-earning-biz-media-deadcelebs07_cz_lg_1029celeb_land.html) Although they're dead, these famous personalities are still earning much more money than most of the living. The following deceased celebrities are still reaping the rewards of their talents. Money continues to flow into their bank accounts as consumers continue to purchase products branded with their name. Forbes Magazine compiled a list of the [top-earning dead celebrities](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/la-comic-con), most of whom made their claim to fame in the [music industry](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sonic-editions). 1. Elvis Presley, musician Earnings: $49 million 2. John Lenon, musician Earnings: $44 million 3. Charles M. Schulz, cartoonist Earnings: $35 million 4. George Harrison, musician Earnings: $22 million 5. Albert Einstein, scientist Earnings: $18 million 6. Andy Warhol, artist Earnings: $15 million 7. Dr. Seuss, author Earnings: $13 million 8. Tupac Shakur, musician Earnings: $9 million 9. Marilyn Monroe, actress Earnings: $7 million 10. [Steve Mcqueen, actor](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/red-wing-x-steve-mcqueen-classic-moc) Earnings: $6 million 11. James Brown, musician Earnings: $5 million 12. Bob Marley, musician Earnings: $4 million 13. James Dean, actor Earnings: $3.5 million ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.8/10 - Popularity: 44% | Activity: 1% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Pop Culture](https://www.trendhunter.com/popculture) > [Media](https://www.trendhunter.com/media) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Post-mortem Earnings:** Deceased celebrities are still earning millions, creating opportunities to capitalize on celebrity estates and estates disputes. - **Branded Merchandise:** People are still buying products branded with deceased celebrity names, indicating that there is a market for branded merchandise beyond a celebrity’s lifetime. - **Legacy Preservation:** Dead celebrities remind us of their achievements and continue to inspire us beyond their lifetime; providing opportunities to honor their legacies through innovative preservation techniques. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Entertainment Industry:** Post-mortem earnings phenomenon has significant implications for the entertainment industry from an intellectual property perspective. - **Fashion Industry:** Trend in branded merchandise offers opportunities to include posthumous celebrity collections for fashion brands. - **Legal Industry:** Legacy preservation opportunities and estate disputes resulting from post-mortem earnings may create new practice areas in law that require thoughtful analysis. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Commemorative Music Coins](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/music-coins.md) - [Elvis-Inspired Holiday Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-guest-house-at-graceland.md) - [Collectable Singer-Honoring Coins](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/george-michael-coin.md) - [Musician-Honoring Cassette Players](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/we001-elvis-presley-limited-edition.md) - [Retro Singer Phone Cases](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/elvis-presley-phone-case.md) - [Actor-Honoring Blockchain Projects](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-late-robin-williams.md) - [Charming Creepy Collectibles](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/deddy-bears.md) - [Collectible Historical Figurines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/thrilljoy-pix.md) - [Rapper-Honoring Cannabis Strains](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/death-row-records-cannabis.md)