Michael Jackson's 68th Birthday: Why His Music Is Still Worth Billions
August 29 would have marked Michael Jackson’s 68th birthday. He died back in 2009, but his music, his name, and the rights to the works he created remain a massive business to this day.
And it’s not just about streaming his old songs. Today, theater productions, Las Vegas shows, movies, licenses, music catalogs, and major deals with Sony are all generating revenue from Michael Jackson.
According to Forbes, since his death, the business surrounding Michael Jackson has generated approximately $3.5 billion. In 2025 alone, the figure was approximately $105 million.
Since the artist’s death, his assets have been managed by a special entity—the Michael Jackson Estate. In effect, it is a business administration that manages the rights to his music, the Jackson name, licenses, and major commercial projects. The chief executives are John Branca and John McClain, whom Jackson himself designated as executors of his will.
They enter into agreements, sell portions of the catalogs, negotiate the use of songs, and launch shows and other projects. After expenses, taxes, and other obligations, the money ultimately works in the interests of the Jackson family—first and foremost his three children, his mother, and the charitable causes specified in his will.
UA.News explains how Michael Jackson became one of the most lucrative brands in show business even after his death, who manages his billion-dollar assets today, and who ultimately receives this money.
From the Jackson 5 to a Global Brand
Michael Joseph Jackson was born on August 29, 1958, in Gary, Indiana. He took the stage as a child—alongside his brothers as part of the Jackson 5. But true global fame came during his solo career.
The albums *Off the Wall*, *Thriller*, and *Bad* made Jackson one of the most successful artists of the 20th century. *Thriller*, in particular, became one of the best-selling albums in music history.
But there’s something else that’s important: Jackson realized very early on that an artist doesn’t make money just from concerts. Music rights are immensely valuable.
Every song is an asset. It can generate revenue when it’s streamed, played on the radio, or used in a movie, commercial, TV series, or theatrical production.
That is precisely why, after Jackson’s death, his business did not disappear. On the contrary—his catalog became even more valuable.
Jackson died with large debts, but even larger assets
At the time of his death, Michael Jackson was far from being in a stable financial situation. Despite his enormous earnings over the course of his decades-long career, he spent lavishly, took out loans, and accumulated debt.
According to Forbes, the artist’s debts at the time of his death totaled at least about $450 million. It seemed almost paradoxical.
One of the world’s most successful musicians died with hundreds of millions in debt, yet at the same time left behind assets that were potentially worth even more. These included music rights, shares in catalogs, recordings, trademarks, and the name “Michael Jackson” itself.
After his death, the executors of his will—attorney John Branca and music manager John McClain—took charge of managing all of this.
Their task was to transform Jackson’s chaotic finances into a viable business, pay off his debts, and preserve his assets for his family. And they succeeded.
“This Is It” Brought in the First Hundreds of Millions After His Death
At the time of his death, Jackson was preparing for a series of This Is It concerts in London. The concerts never took place, but recordings of the rehearsals remained. These were quickly edited into the film *Michael Jackson’s This Is It*.
It was released just a few months after the artist’s death and grossed approximately $268 million worldwide. A portion of the proceeds went to movie theaters, studios, distributors, and other project participants. However, a significant portion of the revenue, through various agreements and rights to the material, went to the entities that managed Jackson’s assets.
According to Forbes estimates, the entire project could have brought the Michael Jackson Estate approximately $200 million. This became one of the first major sources of income following his death.
At the same time, it demonstrated that a long-term business could be built on Jackson’s name.
What the $3.5 billion that Jackson “earned” after his death means
When Forbes reports that Michael Jackson earned about $3.5 billion after his death, it’s important to understand this correctly. This is not his children’s personal money. And it’s not a sum that’s simply sitting in a single account.
It refers to the aggregate income generated over the years by his music, rights, licenses, shows, musicals, deals, and other assets.
This money is managed by the Michael Jackson Estate. First, taxes, legal fees, commissions, management costs, production costs for new projects, and other expenses are paid from the income.
After that, a portion of the funds may be distributed among the beneficiaries of the Jackson trust.
According to his will, the primary beneficiaries are the artist’s three children—Prince, Paris, and Biggie Jackson—as well as his mother, Katherine Jackson. Jackson set aside a separate portion of his estate for charitable causes.
A single purchase in 1985 yielded hundreds of millions 30 years later
One of Jackson’s most important financial decisions was the purchase of the ATV Music Publishing catalog in 1985. He paid approximately $47.5 million for it.
The catalog contained thousands of songs, including a significant portion of the Lennon–McCartney compositions. This meant that Jackson earned money not only from his own music. Whenever a song was used for which the rights were held by ATV, a portion of the royalties went to the catalog’s owner.
Later, this asset became the foundation of the joint venture Sony/ATV. In 2016, Sony bought out the stake owned by Jackson’s entities. According to an official Sony statement, the deal was worth approximately $750 million.
And it was precisely because of this deal that 2016 became a record year for Jackson’s posthumous earnings. Forbes estimated those earnings at approximately $825 million at the time. Part of the money went toward liabilities and expenses, part remained in the asset management system, and part could be distributed among the beneficiaries.
In 2024, Sony paid another $600 million or so
A few years later, another major deal took place. In 2024, Sony acquired approximately half of the stake in Jackson’s music catalog and related assets.
The deal was valued at approximately $600 million. According to Forbes, this effectively meant that the entire package was valued at approximately $1.2 billion.
And here again, an important principle comes into play. The Michael Jackson Estate did not sell everything. It sold only a portion of the rights and retained a portion of the assets.
In other words, the estate received hundreds of millions of dollars immediately, while retaining the ability to continue earning money from Jackson’s music in the future. That is precisely why his business can continue to generate revenue in ten or even twenty years.
Who Makes Money from Spotify, YouTube, and Radio
The most stable source of income today is the music itself. When someone listens to “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” “Thriller,” or another Jackson song on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube, the service pays the rights holders.
But this money doesn’t go directly to the artist’s children. First, it is distributed among the owners of the recording rights, record labels, songwriters, and other parties.
The portion belonging to Jackson’s entities goes to the Michael Jackson Estate or its affiliated companies. The same thing happens when a Jackson song is used in an advertisement, movie, or TV show.
A licensing fee is paid for this. And again, the money first goes to the entity that owns the rights, not to a specific family member.
The Las Vegas show also contributes to Jackson’s business
Another major source of income is Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil. The show has been running in Las Vegas since 2013. It features Jackson’s music, imagery, and brand.
Therefore, a portion of the project’s revenue, through licensing and partnership agreements, goes to the entities that manage his rights. By 2025, the show had surpassed the 5,000-performance mark, and its run has been extended through 2030.
This means that even without Jackson himself, his brand continues to sell tickets for decades. And the Michael Jackson Estate receives its share of this business.
A Broadway musical has become yet another source of revenue
In 2022, MJ: The Musical premiered on Broadway. It is a large-scale theatrical production about Jackson’s career, featuring his music. The project proved successful and eventually began touring beyond New York City.
According to Forbes estimates, global ticket sales were approaching $300 million by 2025. Again, this does not mean that the Jackson family received $300 million. This amount covers theater expenses, actors’ salaries, rent, advertising, production costs, and much more.
But for the use of Jackson’s music, name, and image, his estate receives a share of the revenue as specified in the agreements.
That’s exactly how most of his posthumous business operates.
Why don’t Jackson’s children simply divide all the millions among themselves?
Prince, Paris, and Biggie are Michael Jackson’s primary heirs. But that doesn’t mean that every year Forbes announces a figure, which is then simply divided among the three of them.
There is a complex financial system between the revenue and the actual payout to the heirs.
The Michael Jackson Estate receives the money, pays taxes, funds projects, covers legal and administrative expenses, and only then does a portion of the funds go to the trust and its beneficiaries.
That is why it is more accurate to say not “Jackson’s children earned $105 million,” but “Jackson’s assets generated approximately $105 million in revenue.” Exactly how much of this amount the children ultimately receive depends on the expense structure, the terms of the trust, and the decisions made by the Estate’s administrators.
Why Michael Jackson’s Music Still Brings in Millions
The main advantage of Jackson’s music catalog is that the core product was created long ago. Songs like “Billie Jean,” “Thriller,” “Beat It,” or “Smooth Criminal” don’t need to be re-recorded, require renting a studio again, or bring musicians together. These recordings can generate revenue for years to come—every time they’re streamed on music services, played on the radio, or used in movies, commercials, TV shows, or other commercial projects.
But today, the business surrounding Jackson extends far beyond music itself. His name is used in major theatrical productions, his songs form the basis of musicals and shows, and his life story serves as material for films and documentary projects. Separately, there are album reissues, licensing of archival materials, merchandise, and other products associated with the artist’s image.
Moreover, these areas constantly reinforce one another. Someone might first hear Jackson’s songs in a musical, then find his albums on Spotify or YouTube, and later buy a ticket to a show or a collector’s reissue. A new film or theatrical production brings the old catalog back into the spotlight and introduces it to a generation that may have been born after the artist’s death.
Seventeen years after Michael Jackson’s death, a vast business ecosystem continues to operate around his name. The artist himself is no longer with us, but his musical recordings, copyrights and related rights, trademarks, archives, and the ability to use his name and image in new projects remain.
All of this is managed by the executors of his will and their affiliated entities. They negotiate with music companies, producers, theaters, and film studios; sell or license specific rights; and decide in which new projects Jackson’s music or name may appear.
That is why Jackson’s financial legacy turned out to be more than just a collection of old recordings. He left behind an entire portfolio of assets that can be sold, licensed, and used in new products. And as long as Jackson’s music remains in demand, this system is capable of generating revenue for many years to come.
