The King of Pop continues to make a good living wage in death.
Michael Jackson topped Forbes' list of this year's Top-Earning Dead Celebrities with $140 million in earnings. He has stood at No. 1 on the list for four of the past five years except 2012 when his good friend Elizabeth Taylor took the top spot.
Jackson, who died in 2009, released his second posthumous album "Xscape," which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 chart. He also appeared in hologram form at the Billboard Music Awards.
Elvis Presley trailed well behind Jackson in top earnings, 37 years after his death. The King of Rock 'n' Roll made $55 million this past year thanks to earnings from the thousands who visit his Graceland estate and still purchase from his extensive music catalog.
The Authentic Brands Group also bought the rights to Elvis for a reported $125 million and want to re-animate the King in the hologram form like Jackson. The company is planning on Elvis hologram projects as soon as spring 2015 and live performances by the fall, Authentic Brands Group CEO Jamie Salter told AdWeek. Possible ideas include a four-night-a-week residency in Las Vegas or Macau, and Elvis' hologram might even team up with Jackson's hologram.
"Peanuts" creator Charles Schultz ranked third with $40 million. 20th Century Fox has a "Peanuts" 3-D movie in production set for release next fall. Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the gang also continue to appear in MetLife ads.
Rounding out the top five, Hollywood icon Taylor, who died in 2011, earned $25 million, and reggae legend Bob Marley, who died in 1981, earned $20 million.
Forbes spoke with "estate managers, agents, music publishers and other in-the-know folks" to estimate the deceased celebrities' total earnings in the past 12 months, from October 2013 to October 2014.
