Lady Gaga banked an estimated $62 million last year from concert tickets, album sales and a collection of pricey endorsement deals; Jay-Z raked in $63 million while his wife Beyonce grabbed $87 million; and Madonna, the original Material Girl, earned $58 million.

Impressive, until you consider Michael Jackson, the late King of Pop, pulled down $275 million – more than all four artists combined. It was enough to earn Jackson a spot atop our tenth annual list of the Top-Earning Dead Celebrities. (No surprise, he earned more than the 12 other list-makers collectively brought in during the year-long period.)

While there’s still debt hanging over the Jackson estate, the star raked in many millions from his lucrative Sony/ATV catalog, hit film This Is It and renewed fan interest in music, videos and all things Michael Jackson.

source: www.forbes.com