Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse and Michael Jackson’s posthumous sales increasingly breaking records

Whitney Houston’s death saw the sales of her records skyrocket and this is being seen as recurring trend in the event of the death of a pop star.

Amy Winehouse’s album sales jumped 37-fold the day after the singer died in July.

The following week Amy Winehouse had five singles in the UK Top 40, while her second album “Back To Black” claimed the No.1 spot.

Four months later Amy Winehouse topped the charts with a new album of unreleased tracks – “Lioness: Hidden Treasures”, the Daily Star reported.

Michael Jackson’s 2009 London shows were originally planned to help him get back in control of his $475 million debt. But it was only after his death in June 2009 that money really starting pouring in for Michael Jackson.

The following week Michael Jackson’ record sales soared 40-fold and the sales spike has continued ever since.

In 2010, Michael Jackson generated more money than any artist alive or dead by bagging $273 million in record sales and radio royalties.

Last year, only Irish rockers U2 managed to top the $170 million Michael Jackson’s estate raked in.

The second-highest earning dead celebrity last year was Elvis Presley, who died in 1977. He earned $55 million from his back catalogue, visitors to Graceland and ticket sales from a tribute show in Las Vegas.