ELVIS TOPS 'FORBES' DEAD CELEBRITY LIST ONCE AGAIN
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ELVIS TOPS 'FORBES' DEAD CELEBRITY LIST ONCE AGAIN
Elvis has topped the 'Forbes' List yet again. Please go to the following URL:
http://www.Forbes.com/home/lists/2005/10/25/highest-earning-dead-celebrities_deadceleb05_land.html
ALSO DO NOT FORGET TO TAKE THE POLL.
Brian
http://www.Forbes.com/home/lists/2005/10/25/highest-earning-dead-celebrities_deadceleb05_land.html
ALSO DO NOT FORGET TO TAKE THE POLL.
Brian
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I think that's like 10 straight years now?
One of the main reason's though that Elvis tops this list yearly is because of Graceland being opened to the public and the money it brings in yearly. If Graceland ever closed or God forbid was destroyed by man or mother nature, then Elvis would fall from the top of that list. We as a city would suffer the most because of the finacial income that Elvis and Graceland brings to Memphis daily.
His record sales do also play a part in his yearly earnings. He sells an average of something like 8-10 million units worldwide yearly. Which is more than any other artist living or dead.
In 2002, didn't Elvis sell like 20 million that year alone, with the success of E1 and the 25th anniversary?
One of the main reason's though that Elvis tops this list yearly is because of Graceland being opened to the public and the money it brings in yearly. If Graceland ever closed or God forbid was destroyed by man or mother nature, then Elvis would fall from the top of that list. We as a city would suffer the most because of the finacial income that Elvis and Graceland brings to Memphis daily.
His record sales do also play a part in his yearly earnings. He sells an average of something like 8-10 million units worldwide yearly. Which is more than any other artist living or dead.
In 2002, didn't Elvis sell like 20 million that year alone, with the success of E1 and the 25th anniversary?
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Yeah, too bad though that EPE doesn't get much royalties since Elvis and Parker sold the royalty rights of all recordings made before 1 March 1973. I think Graceland operations made a loss during the first quarter of this year so it would seem that the most profit from Graceland is made during the summer peak period. It was the licencing rights that brough in money during the first quarter of the year. No wonder that they are happy selling tacky looking jumpsuits etc.Lakeisha wrote: His record sales do also play a part in his yearly earnings. He sells an average of something like 8-10 million units worldwide yearly. Which is more than any other artist living or dead.
"I've learned very early in life, without a song, the day would never end. Without a song, a man ain't got a friend. Without a song, the road would never bend, without a song. So I'll keep on singing the song."
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EPE could be making much more money if they would receive royalties from the recordings. Let's say Elvis sells 10 million records every year. A cd costs about 20 dollars. The royalty rate could be let's say 20 % (it's been estimated that after years of legal battle Beatles got their rate up to 20-25 % which about as high as it can go). 10 million records at 20 dollars each is 200 million dollars a year. 20 % royalty of that is 40 million. That's just for one year. In 2002 with the #1 Hit collection the amount could've been double. The 5 cd collection of 50's recordings (The King of Rock and Roll) sold over 500,000 copies at 80 dollars each. That alone would have brought 8 million dollars in royalties.
No wonder that one unnamed sourse at EPE said that the royalties that they receive are so small it makes your head ache. Priscilla must've been kicking herself when she realised after Elvis died that Elvis sold his royalty rights to pay Priscilla for her divorce settlement. EPE had their change when they sued Parker and RCA in the 80's. According to their lawyer EPE would've won the case but made a deal because they didn't think Parker would have lived so long.
No wonder that one unnamed sourse at EPE said that the royalties that they receive are so small it makes your head ache. Priscilla must've been kicking herself when she realised after Elvis died that Elvis sold his royalty rights to pay Priscilla for her divorce settlement. EPE had their change when they sued Parker and RCA in the 80's. According to their lawyer EPE would've won the case but made a deal because they didn't think Parker would have lived so long.
"I've learned very early in life, without a song, the day would never end. Without a song, a man ain't got a friend. Without a song, the road would never bend, without a song. So I'll keep on singing the song."
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Selling those jumpsuits didn't help?
ELVIS Presley White Jumpsuit
Style: EP-CSTM1JMPST-001
Price: $39.99
For serious Elvis fans that want to go all out with their costume. This version includes a high collared shirt with red, white and blue glitter eagle, belt with gold glitter sequin insets. Entire costume is trimmed with gold ribbon. One size fits most.
Made in the USA
Chest: 42 inches - 44 inches / 33 inch inseam /
100% Polyester
Color: White
Size: One Size
ELVIS Presley White Jumpsuit
Style: EP-CSTM1JMPST-001
Price: $39.99
For serious Elvis fans that want to go all out with their costume. This version includes a high collared shirt with red, white and blue glitter eagle, belt with gold glitter sequin insets. Entire costume is trimmed with gold ribbon. One size fits most.
Made in the USA
Chest: 42 inches - 44 inches / 33 inch inseam /
100% Polyester
Color: White
Size: One Size
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I guess it would be a great Halloween costume if anything. That's about all it's good for.Gregory Nolan Jr. wrote:Selling those jumpsuits didn't help?
ELVIS Presley White Jumpsuit
Style: EP-CSTM1JMPST-001
Price: $39.99
For serious Elvis fans that want to go all out with their costume. This version includes a high collared shirt with red, white and blue glitter eagle, belt with gold glitter sequin insets. Entire costume is trimmed with gold ribbon. One size fits most.
Made in the USA
Chest: 42 inches - 44 inches / 33 inch inseam /
100% Polyester
Color: White
Size: One Size
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Lakeisha wrote: He sells an average of something like 8-10 million units worldwide yearly. Which is more than any other artist living or dead.
?
Is there any proof of either of these statements.
While I would like it to be true - it is hard to believe that sales volume with the crop of releases we have had this year and the lack of any meaningfull chart action.
When you get to the point where you really understand your computer, it's probably obsolete
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Steve,Steve_M wrote:Marko, was it the publishing royalties that Parker sold to RCA or the flat right to payment per disc sold ?
It was Elvis's right to royalties for records that was sold. EPE still owns Elvis's music publishing companies or parts of them.
Also, it's been reported that after Elvis died that RCA agreed to pay some royalties as a token of good faith but this royalty cannot be much. You must remember that RCA had no legal obligation to pay it so it's just charity in their part.
"I've learned very early in life, without a song, the day would never end. Without a song, a man ain't got a friend. Without a song, the road would never bend, without a song. So I'll keep on singing the song."
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With sales spread out across so many releases and so many countries, I suppose it's possible to sell that amount without a real chart impact. Does seem rather high though.KiwiAlan wrote:Lakeisha wrote: He sells an average of something like 8-10 million units worldwide yearly. Which is more than any other artist living or dead.
?
Is there any proof of either of these statements.
While I would like it to be true - it is hard to believe that sales volume with the crop of releases we have had this year and the lack of any meaningfull chart action.
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I don't have any facts about this so absolutely just my opinion. I don't think RCA pays any 'charity' royalty because:Marko wrote:Also, it's been reported that after Elvis died that RCA agreed to pay some royalties as a token of good faith but this royalty cannot be much. You must remember that RCA had no legal obligation to pay it so it's just charity in their part.
a) the EPE website says they do not get these royalties
b) the reports I've read have all been like yours - fans saying "I heard...", "It's been reported....", "Someone said...."
c) I believe there could be legal trouble for a public corporation to be giving out unreported and non-contracted 'charity' payments to a favored client.
I have read in several articles about EPE that they get some additional revenue from name/likeness licensing for his record releases, plus they get some publishing revenue. Plus it seems like the comps always have some incongruous number like the 77 'My Way' tacked on, possibly to keep good relations and feed royalties that way. It wouldn't surprise me if some confused fan turned any or all of this into a report of 'extra' royalties and now the tale just won't die.
However it's just a guess, I could be completely wrong.
Eileen
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Good points, Eileen. My information is based on the book Elvis Inc, Fall and Rise of the Presley empire by Sean O'Neal. I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere else. According to the book an agreement was reached where RCA/BMG would pay the Estate royalties on future compilations. I haven't seen it mentioned anywhere else but O'Neal seems to have inside information.Eileen wrote:I don't have any facts about this so absolutely just my opinion. I don't think RCA pays any 'charity' royalty because:Marko wrote:Also, it's been reported that after Elvis died that RCA agreed to pay some royalties as a token of good faith but this royalty cannot be much. You must remember that RCA had no legal obligation to pay it so it's just charity in their part.
a) the EPE website says they do not get these royalties
b) the reports I've read have all been like yours - fans saying "I heard...", "It's been reported....", "Someone said...."
c) I believe there could be legal trouble for a public corporation to be giving out unreported and non-contracted 'charity' payments to a favored client.
I have read in several articles about EPE that they get some additional revenue from name/likeness licensing for his record releases, plus they get some publishing revenue. Plus it seems like the comps always have some incongruous number like the 77 'My Way' tacked on, possibly to keep good relations and feed royalties that way. It wouldn't surprise me if some confused fan turned any or all of this into a report of 'extra' royalties and now the tale just won't die.
However it's just a guess, I could be completely wrong.
Eileen
I don't think there would be legal trouble if the agreement was done to avoid costly legal battle.
"I've learned very early in life, without a song, the day would never end. Without a song, a man ain't got a friend. Without a song, the road would never bend, without a song. So I'll keep on singing the song."
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Thanks for the info Marko Time for me to re-read that book then! Although I would still have to wonder why EPE would deny it so bluntly:
EPE today does not get his artist's royalties for the ongoing sales of any recordings created before the March 1973 deal
Perhaps there was an arrangement initially but the arrangement ended for some reason, like when EPE gained the exclusive marketing rights that supposedly also hit the record releases.
Eileen
EPE today does not get his artist's royalties for the ongoing sales of any recordings created before the March 1973 deal
Perhaps there was an arrangement initially but the arrangement ended for some reason, like when EPE gained the exclusive marketing rights that supposedly also hit the record releases.
Eileen
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Lakeisha wrote:I guess it would be a great Halloween costume if anything. That's about all it's good for.
You might be able to pull that off, Lakeisha, but no one else should
try it. It's a dangerous business to even joke around with
the Elvis jumpsuit persona, that is, to take the "wink, wink: kitsch is
cool" approach with such a legend.
The fangs are already out about Elvis
being a washed-up, "Vegas," fat, "cheesy" (I hate that word),
drug-abusing loser.
Who would have thought that EPE would sink so low?
Ka-Ching, indeed!
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i saw the news on t.v, and was very pleased. footage of 'heartbreak hotel' from the dorsey show was used, but this time he was in a white tux, and i'd never seent he footage before. then they had an array of good pictures from the 50s to, i think, 73, they were quite unknown pics too
and then, they had a DEVASTATING pic of E in 77, he looks terrible. it brought home how bad he was in 77. i said 'oh no', it looked horrible. i can't remeber the exact date, but it was may 20 somethiung I THINK. but he looked devastatingly bad
and then, they had a DEVASTATING pic of E in 77, he looks terrible. it brought home how bad he was in 77. i said 'oh no', it looked horrible. i can't remeber the exact date, but it was may 20 somethiung I THINK. but he looked devastatingly bad
we want Elvis! we want Elvis! we want Elvis on tour!
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Well, the royalties on stuff recorded before March, 1973, in fact.Marko wrote:Steve,Steve_M wrote:Marko, was it the publishing royalties that Parker sold to RCA or the flat right to payment per disc sold ?
It was Elvis's right to royalties for records that was sold. EPE still owns Elvis's music publishing companies or parts of them.
Also, it's been reported that after Elvis died that RCA agreed to pay some royalties as a token of good faith but this royalty cannot be much. You must remember that RCA had no legal obligation to pay it so it's just charity in their part.
From the EPE site:
THE MARCH 1973 DEAL
In March 1973, Elvis and and his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, went to the record company proposing that Elvis get a large lump sum payment in lieu of all his future artist's royalties for ongoing sales of anything he had recorded up to that time.
The deal was made.
RCA paid $5.4 million, which Elvis and the Colonel split 50-50.
That meant Elvis no longer got (EPE today does not get) his artist's royalties for the ongoing sales of any recordings created before the March 1973 deal.
However, Elvis did continue (EPE today continues) to get his artist's royalties on sales of recordings created after the March 1973 deal.
Some people misunderstand and think that Elvis had a share in the ownership of his recordings and that this is what he sold to RCA.
He did not.
He couldn't because he never had ownership.
Colin B
Judge a man not by his answers, but by his questions - Voltaire
Judge a man not by his answers, but by his questions - Voltaire