Kurt highest earning dead person?

That is a bit surprising! I would have though Elvis would be #1 and 2Pac to be #2. That dude still has CD's coming out like he was ALIVE! It always amazes me when new 2Pac stuff is released...gez what did he do record nonstop? I'm not that big on Elvis myself. I do think he's got some great songs and he was a pioneer. I however am a big Nirvana/ Kurt Cobain fan:) LOVE 'EM!

I'm not surprised at all. Things like elvis plates and elvis posters don't really make thousands of dollars when they are so mass produced. but kurt cobain things still pop up every so often. Nirvana stuff...albums and such are still being sent out. I mean...How many more elvis complilations can be created? Whereas nirvana still had some things. in 30 years there will be some other band there...and I'm sure Nirvana and Elvis will both be lower on the list.

Who keeps track of data like this? Seriously!! And just because there are elvis freaks out there, doens't mean the money is going to his estate. All those Elvis impersonators are making their own money. His estate doens't see royalties from that...

Maybe KC was one of the highest grossing entertainer under the ground. If there's an exact accounting, i would see some who can match KC's gross receipts. It could be John Lennon or Bob Marley or Elvis Presley. Bob Marley's song have the most royalty fee in terms of revival and versions.

It is hard to believe he is higher than Elvis. Usually Einstein is fairly high on the list, too.

I agree! There are way too many Elvis lovers. There must be some crazy millionaire that buys up all of the Nirvana stuff and hides it in a dungeon somewhere.

YOu might think Elvis would earn more, but some of his royalties might have been sold to outside interests, so maybe they don't count that? ANd maybe the money made selling his memorabilia doesn't go to his estate at all. However, I would have thought Jerry Garcia would have earned more than Nirvana. I mean, he had a clothing company and did a lot of art projects, on top of his music. Elvis was young and naive, and may have had contracts with very small royalty fees. Jerry Garcia and Kurt Cobain might be getting paid higher royalties, even if Elvis music is played more often. I'm just making a pile of assumptions here, cause I don't really know.

I am sorry, I have to disagree about Nirvana. Elvis has to have made more. It sickened me to hear that Mariah Carey just past Elvis as the leader in most Number 1 hits.