DAILY DIRT: They may be gone, but their bank accounts continue to grow

July 20, 2025 | By STEVE EIGHINGER MRN MINISTER OF CULTURE AND DOCTOR OF LOVE

Michael Jackson made more money than the rest of his fellow top ten dead celebrities COMBINED in 2024. wikimedia commons

Daily Dirt for Sunday, July 20, 2025

Michael Jackson’s 2024 earnings dwarf his closest dead celebrity rivals … Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 1,348 of The Daily Dirt.

1. Even in death, certain celebrities remain able to cash in on their talent.

“Dying is the only thing that guarantees a rock star will have a legacy that stretches beyond temporary relevance,” pop culture critic Chuck Klosterman said more than 20 years ago.

That thought also stretches beyond the music universe.

Forbes.com reported the following numbers for the highest-earning dead celebrities for 2024:

1. Michael Jackson

Age at death: 50 in 2009.

2024 earnings: $600 million.

2. Freddie Mercury

Age at death: 45 in 1991.

2024 earnings: $250 million.

3. Dr. Seuss

Age at death: 87 in 1991.

2024 earnings: $75 million.

4. Elvis Presley

Age at death: 42 in 1977.

2024 earnings: $50 million.

5. Ric Ocasek, former lead singer of The Cars

Age at death: 75 in 2019.

2024 earnings: $45 million

6. Prince

Age at death: 57 in 2016.

2024 earnings: $35 million.

7. Bob Marley

Age at death: 36 in 1981.

2024 earnings: $34 million.

8. Charles M. Schulz, creator of “Peanuts”

Age at death: 77 in 2000.

2024 earnings: $30 million

9. Matthew Perry, one of the stars of “Friends”

Age at death: 54 in 2023.

2024 earnings: $18 million.

10. John Lennon

Age at death: 40 in 1980.

2024 earnings: $17 million.

2. Did you know (Part 431)

That Albert Einstein was offered the presidency of Israel in 1952, but turned it down.
That ancient Egyptian servants were smeared with honey to attract flies away from pharaohs.
That Walt Disney had a fear of mice, despite being the creator of Mickey Mouse.
That Japan has a museum dedicated entirely to rocks that resemble human faces.
That in the 1800s, dentures were often made from the teeth of dead soldiers.

3. Appalachian word of the day: Disease.

“Disease pants make my butt look big?”

Steve Thought O’ The Day – Speaking of John Lennon, he died on my birthday, Dec. 8. I’ll always remember when NFL Monday Night Football was interrupted by ABC News to make that announcement. The Dolphins were playing the Patriots. (Miami won 16-13.)