Songwriters/Music Publishers Make Forbes Top-Earning Dead Celebrities

Written By Tamera H. Bennett

FORBES Magazine released their annual report on Top-Earning Celebrity Estates last week. Broadway songwriting duo Richard Rodgers & Oscar Hammerstein II placed second on Forbes'  list with $235 million in earnings.   The bulk of their $235 million in combined earnings came from the sale of The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization and the rights to music they wrote together. See my post here about the music publishing catalog purchase.

Debuting on the list in third place is musician Michael Jackson. In the four months since his untimely death, the King of Pop's estate has brought in $90 million.  A bulk of this income is related to earnings for the much anticipated "This Is It" show.

Elvis Presley placed fourth with $55 million in earnings.   The Presley Estate topped the list in 2008 with earnings of $52 million.

John Lennon placed seventh with $15 million.

Jimi Hendrix was 12th with $8 million.

Tamera H. Bennett

Tamera H. Bennett is a wife, mom, lawyer, mediator, blogger, podcaster, and legal writer. For two decades she’s helped clients protect what they create by practicing trademark, copyright and entertainment law in Texas and Tennessee.

Tamera has co-hosted more than 85 episodes of the Entertainment Law Update Podcast since 2009. And, she’s been honored to write for BILLBOARD magazine and the TEXAS LAWYER.

In the summer of 2015, Tamera backpacked 100 miles over 10 days with her son's Boy Scout Troop. Tamera walked her first half-marathon in 2012 and walked the Cowtown Half Marathon in February 2016 and February 2017 with a PR each time. You can visit Tamera’s blog at createprotect.com and follow her on Twitter @tamerabennett.

http://www.tbennettlaw.com
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