Quincy Jones estate tops Forbes list of highest-paid dead celebrities
The estate of the producer who died in 2024 earned an estimated $150 million following a major catalogue sale.
The estate of Quincy Jones has been named the highest-earning deceased celebrity of 2026, according to a report by the Times of India. Forbes estimated the estate's earnings at $150 million, placing it ahead of the Michael Jackson estate, which earned an estimated $140 million.
The earnings for the Jones estate were primarily boosted by a March 2026 transaction in which the estate sold a significant portion of its music and media rights to HarbourView Equity Partners. This portfolio included his personal catalogue and publishing rights for songs such as 'Soul Bossa Nova'.
Jones, who died of pancreatic cancer in November 2024 at age 91, held a 10 per cent producer royalty on Michael Jackson's albums Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad. The success of the Michael biopic, which grossed more than $1 billion globally, increased interest in Jackson's catalogue and boosted Jones's producer royalties.
The Forbes ranking measures pre-tax earnings from sources including sales, streams, and licensing between October 1, 2025, and September 30, 2026. The list also includes estate acquisitions made or announced during that period.
Other high-ranking estates on the list include Dr. Seuss in third place with $80 million, Elvis Presley with $75 million, and Dolly Parton with $46 million.