Cobain bumps off Elvis as top-earning dead celeb
 

Cobain bumps off Elvis as top-earning dead celeb

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Rock 'n' roll legend Elvis Presley ceded his crown to Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain on Forbes.com's list as the top-earning dead celebrity.

The list, published on Tuesday, said grunge rocker Cobain earned $50 million (26.7 million pounds) between October 2005 and October 2006. Presley wound up in the No. 2 slot with $42 million, down from last year's $45 million.

Forbes.com bases its dollar amounts on licensing deals for using the deceased celebrities' work or image in advertising or elsewhere.

This was Cobain's first time on the list in its six years of publication. Presley has ruled the roost since its inception, said Forbes.com staff writer Lacey Rose.

Cobain's coup was due to his widow, actress and singer Courtney Love, who sold a 25-percent stake in the Seattle grunge group's song catalogue to New York music publishing company PrimeWave.

Ranked after Presley is "Peanuts" cartoon strip creator Charles Schulz at $35 million.

Rounding out the top five were Beatle John Lennon at $24 million and groundbreaking physicist Albert Einstein at $20 million, whose estate profited from such licensing deals as the popular "Baby Einstein" educational videos.

Other celebrities on the list include Theodore Geisel, better known as children's book author Dr. Seuss; rhythm & blues pioneer Ray Charles, silver screen legend Marilyn Monroe and reggae superstar Bob Marley.

Past top earners include songwriter Irving Berlin and actor Marlon Brando.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061025/..._uk_cobain_top

Elvis Presley earned $42 million last year???? Holy cow.... That's just not fair.

It's not like they need it..... :Oh crap

That isn't bad going for Elvis... he's been doing that year in year out for a few decades now.... Damn that is some chunk of change!!!!! :pimp

That is sad.

Thats incredible!

Lucky are those who have the rights on some of these guys' assets. :)

Elvis will regain the title next year.

Ahhh... the king. I was at his last concert, 1977 in Indy.

Even in death Kurt Cobain is overated.

heh wow the biggest surpsie on the list is albert einstein for me...good estate management...

yeah pretty depressing when I can't even keep up with the dead

I love them both


Mr. Romance

Yeah, his family loved him so much they trade marked his name and now ask for licensing $$$ to use it..............

big money while your dead.

true though it does protect others from using it without permission

Wow... insane. Mainly because so many (that often don't deserve it) are benefitting from a dead person's legacy.

If they are family odds are it is their name too.

Cobain won't even make the list again until Love sells another share of his catalog. Elvis is still the king man.