You’ve probably heard people say that certain celebrities who have passed away were “bigger than life itself.” Well, for some celebrities, that was a very true statement. Of course, the statement was probably used in the context of just how wonderful of a person that celebrity was, For example, referencing their vibrant personality or their philanthropic acts. However, in the world of show business, the phrase “bigger than life itself” can also have a totally different meaning. We see it when we look at the correlation between celebrity death and wealth. Some celebrities earn more after dying than they did during their lifetimes.
Why Are Celebrities Worth More in Death Than They Were When They Were Alive?
This question somewhat plays to the phrase “give me flowers while I can still smell them.” What this phrase is essentially saying is to give me flowers and treat me good now, while I’m alive to enjoy it. Don’t wait until I’m dead and then wish you had treated me better or gave me more flowers while I was alive.
All of that is said to say, certain celebrities are STILL making money long after they’ve passed away. Some of these deceased celebrities have been gone for decades. Nevertheless, they are still making millions to this very day. And when it comes to celebrity death and wealth, some dead celebrities are making more money right now than celebrities who are alive today!
You’re probably wondering how are they making money when they’re no longer here. Well, this happens for quite a few reasons.
1. Their Fans
The fans of celebs are definitely what some would call “ride or die.” In other words, they’re going to stick with them til the end. Of course, these fans support their favorite celebrities while they’re alive. However, they often support them even more after they die.
It’s almost as though buying their records or buying their jerseys will bring them back. Even though they know it won’t, they feel a sense of comfort in doing it. They can continue to enjoy the work that the celebrities produced in their lifetime. Moreover, they can demonstrate their appreciation for the star by purchasing and showing off items related to them.
2. Business Execs Know When To “Strike While the Iron Is Hot”
This might sound a little cruel or harsh but business execs know that when a celebrity dies, sales are going to go through the roof. They know that fans typically grieve their beloved celebs by buying everything they can that involves their lost celeb. Therefore, as soon as a celebrity dies, their managers and estate often promote sales. Celebrity death and wealth simply correlate this way.
This sounds insensitive in theory. However, some business execs say that they are actually giving mourning fans a little bit of closure by creating products for fans to purchase. Even if they don’t make new products, the sales go up. After all, if there is a scarcity of items then fans will pay more for them. If an artist can’t produce new work, that person’s existing works become more valuable.
3. Their Legacy
After a celebrity dies, all they can leave is their legacy. That’s something that will last forever. Celebrities play a part in all of our lives in one way or another. Many have impacted us all in different ways. We want to honor their legacy. There are different ways that we can do that, though.
For example, you might mourn the death of Kobe Bryant because he was the athlete who inspired you to play basketball as a kid. On the other hand, Whitney Houston might have inspired you to hone in on your singing talents. Whatever the reason, someone inspired you, move you, made you want to follow them.
Many celebrities who have passed away had “rags to riches” stories. These people inspired others to do better with their money. Sometimes it’s because they did smart things with their money while they were alive. Other times, it’s because they died broke despite their celebrity. Either way, a lesson might be learned from their legacy. You might make purchasing decisions based on their inspiration.
Celebrities Who Are Worth More in Death Than When They Were Alive
Every year, Forbes puts out a list of the highest-paid dead celebrities. This is a great place to learn more about celebrity death and wealth. After all, you get a chance to clearly see what each celebrity earned in the past year despite the fact that they are no longer with us. Moreover, you can see who is still earning money decades after their death. The 2020 list includes:
Michael Jackson
Despite tons of controversy after the release of the documentary “Finding Neverland,” Jackson’s music catalog continues to earn him millions. Specifically, he earned nearly $50 million in 2020 alone.
Dr. Seuss
The Dr. Seuss estate made some smart choices to develop his work into new media in recent years. For example, there’s an animated Netflix version of “Green Eggs and Ham” now. As a result, he earned $33 million post-humously in 2021.
Charles Shulz
The “Peanuts” creator earned about the same amount as Dr. Seuss last year. This was due in part to similar moves by his estate to create new animated work. However, much has to do with continuing to earn off of old classic work.
Arnold Palmer
Every time you buy Arizona Beverages Arnold Palmer drink, the athlete’s estate gets his money. Believe it or not, he’s also still earning off of merchandise as well. He earned $25 million in 2020.
Elvis Presley
As a general rule of thumb, visits to Graceland earn the dead celebrity about $10 million per year. Obviously, that was reduced a bit during 2020 due to the pandemic. However, with music and merchandise sales, he still earned about $23 million.
Other Celebrities Earning Millions Posthumously
Some of the other celebrities on the Forbes 2020 list include:
- John Lennon died four decades ago but still managed to earn $13 million in 2020. Similarly, George Harrison earned about $8.5 million.
- Bob Marley who earned $14 million thanks mostly to streaming music. Prince and Freddie Mercury are others who earned millions in 2020.
- Marilyn Monroe earns money when her likeness is used, which is often. She earned about $8 million in 2020.
- Rapper Juice WRLD whose posthumously released album topped the Billboard charts, earning him $15 million in 2020.
Also, Forbes mentions Kobe Bryant. At the time of his death, his celebrity net worth was about $600 million. He died in January 2020 and earned another $20 million that year, due in part to the immediate release of his book. So, although he’s not yet earning more in death than in life, we do see that he’s continuing to earn posthumously.
Read More:
- Nipsey Hussle’s Net Worth Was Bigger Than You’d Think
- Beloved American Icon Stan Lee’s Net Worth
- What Was Adam West’s Net Worth?
Kathryn Vercillo is a professional writer who loves to live a balanced life. She appreciates a good work-life balance. She enjoys balance in her relationships and has worked hard to learn how to balance her finances to allow for a balanced life overall. Although she’s only blonde some of the time, she’s always striving for total balance. She’s excited to share what she’s learned with you and to discover more together along the way. Learn more about her at www.kathrynvercillo.com.
