Kurt Cobain
Claim to fame: Lead singer/songwriter of Nirvana
Died: April 5, 1994
2005 earnings: Amount for 2005 unavailable, but at least $50 million in 2006 (the amount Courtney Love received for selling 25% of her share of Nirvana’s catalog) Sources of posthumous revenue: Kurt Cobain’s estate has skyrocketed since his death. Two live posthumous albums, MTV Unplugged in New York (1994) and From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah (1996), have sold more than five million copies combined. After an ugly and protracted legal quarrel between Cobain’s widow, Courtney Love, and his former bandmates, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic, two more albums were released along with a final box set entitled With the Lights Out (2004). This box set lined up 400,000 advance orders and pushed another 100,000 in the first week alone. Additionally, Sliver: The Best of the Box was released in 2005.In 2002, Love sold the rights to Cobain’s private diaries for a reported $4 million, and in 2006, she sold a 25% chunk of the Nirvana catalog for an estimated $50 million.
Who gets the cash: Courtney Love was left with 97% of Nirvana’s publishing rights (before selling 25% of her share), which entitles Kurt’s and Courtney’s daughter, Frances Bean Cobain, to a share of the sum. The remaining 3% was left to be split between former band members Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic
Bob Marley
Claim to fame: Musician
Died: May 11, 1981
2005 earnings: $6 million Sources of posthumous revenue: The Rastafarian achieved legendary reggae status with his wildly popular album Legend (1984), which has sold more than 20 million copies to date. The creative minds behind the vast Marley estate continue to find fresh ways to keep the profit waterfall flowing, which was most recently illustrated by the release of the digital duet with rapper Notorious B.I.G. (also deceased).In addition to the countless reissues of digitally enhanced albums and the tracks periodically unearthed for new compilations, another cash cow is the Vintage Marley store, located in South Beach, Miami. The store sells all things Bob Marley and is run by his son Robbie. Bob’s youngest son, Damian, followed in his father’s musical footsteps and won a Grammy for his 2001 album Half Way Tree.
Who gets the cash: Bob Marley’s music catalog alone is valued at over $100 million, but Marley’s widow and his 11 children lost a big chunk of cash in legal fees during their battle for rights to the estate despite the absence of a will.
Claim to fame: Lead singer/songwriter of Nirvana
Died: April 5, 1994
2005 earnings: Amount for 2005 unavailable, but at least $50 million in 2006 (the amount Courtney Love received for selling 25% of her share of Nirvana’s catalog) Sources of posthumous revenue: Kurt Cobain’s estate has skyrocketed since his death. Two live posthumous albums, MTV Unplugged in New York (1994) and From the Muddy Banks of the Wishkah (1996), have sold more than five million copies combined. After an ugly and protracted legal quarrel between Cobain’s widow, Courtney Love, and his former bandmates, Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic, two more albums were released along with a final box set entitled With the Lights Out (2004). This box set lined up 400,000 advance orders and pushed another 100,000 in the first week alone. Additionally, Sliver: The Best of the Box was released in 2005.In 2002, Love sold the rights to Cobain’s private diaries for a reported $4 million, and in 2006, she sold a 25% chunk of the Nirvana catalog for an estimated $50 million.
Who gets the cash: Courtney Love was left with 97% of Nirvana’s publishing rights (before selling 25% of her share), which entitles Kurt’s and Courtney’s daughter, Frances Bean Cobain, to a share of the sum. The remaining 3% was left to be split between former band members Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic
Bob Marley
Claim to fame: Musician
Died: May 11, 1981
2005 earnings: $6 million Sources of posthumous revenue: The Rastafarian achieved legendary reggae status with his wildly popular album Legend (1984), which has sold more than 20 million copies to date. The creative minds behind the vast Marley estate continue to find fresh ways to keep the profit waterfall flowing, which was most recently illustrated by the release of the digital duet with rapper Notorious B.I.G. (also deceased).In addition to the countless reissues of digitally enhanced albums and the tracks periodically unearthed for new compilations, another cash cow is the Vintage Marley store, located in South Beach, Miami. The store sells all things Bob Marley and is run by his son Robbie. Bob’s youngest son, Damian, followed in his father’s musical footsteps and won a Grammy for his 2001 album Half Way Tree.
Who gets the cash: Bob Marley’s music catalog alone is valued at over $100 million, but Marley’s widow and his 11 children lost a big chunk of cash in legal fees during their battle for rights to the estate despite the absence of a will.
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