Afterlife: How Michael Jackson's publishing strategy outlived his career

Michael Jackson was once again named the world’s richest deceased celebrity in Forbes’ annual ranking, with reported earnings of over $100 million in the past year and an estate valued at approximately $3.5 billion. Fifteen years after his death, Jackson continues to earn more than any other deceased artist.The source of that wealth is largely structural. Jackson’s long-term earnings are driven by ownership of music publishing and rights management rather than album sales or touring revenue.

Jackson’s interest in publishing developed in the early 1980s through conversations with Paul McCartney, who spoke openly about the financial importance of songwriting ownership. McCartney himself did not own most of The Beatles’ catalog, despite being one of its principal writers. When ATV Music Publishing, which controlled the majority of Beatles compositions, was put up for sale in 1985, Jackson acquired it for $47.5 million, outbidding McCartney. The acquisition effectively ended their personal relationship.

The purchase altered Jackson’s financial position. Publishing ownership provided steady income through licensing, synchronisation, and royalties across films, advertising, and broadcast media. In 1995, Jackson merged ATV with Sony’s publishing division to form Sony/ATV, positioning himself as one of the largest individual stakeholders in global music publishing.

Following Jackson’s death in 2009, his estate faced significant financial pressure. Oversight was assumed by executors including entertainment lawyer John Branca. Under the estate’s management, debt was reduced, assets were reorganised, and commercial projects expanded, including MJ: The Musical and licensing agreements. In 2016, Sony acquired the Jackson estate’s stake in Sony/ATV for $750 million. Questions surrounding control of Jackson’s legacy surfaced in 2013 when Paris Jackson challenged the estate’s executors over governance and decision-making. The challenge was later withdrawn, but it drew attention to the complexities of managing artistic estates.

Jackson’s posthumous wealth shows how long-term value in music flows to ownership of rights rather than to the creators themselves.