King of the hill Combs
Forbes has released its list of the top 100 highest-paid celebrities and occupying the number one spot is Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs. He has earned the most this year with $130m, pushing him up from last year’s 22nd spot.
His success is attributed to his recent US tour, a marketing deal with a vodka company and selling a third of his Sean John clothing line.
Anticipating the joys of twin motherhood, has not slowed Queen Bey one bit. Beyonce Knowles joins P-Diddy in cracking the $100million mark and sits on the number two spot.
Harry Potter creator JK Rowling is back among the heavy hitters at the number three spot, but women comprise just 16% of the world’s top-earning celebrities.
However, Queen Bey’s husband Jay-Z only reached number 55!
Newcomers include Kylie Jenner, at number 59, who is the youngest list member at the age of 19.
Her earnings come from her family’s reality TV show Keeping Up with the Kardashians, as well as her cosmetics company and clothing line, plus various endorsements.
Half of the top 10 are made up of musicians.
Just two athletes make the top ten echelon with Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo and basketball superstar LeBron James also making the cut.
Here’s a look at the top 20:
1. Big money maker Sean “Diddy” Combs, leapt up 21 spots from last year – $130m
The top money maker Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs got the number one spot
Grammy award-winning rapper Combs used to be best known for best-selling albums such as No Way Out and Forever.
But the entrepreneur’s business interests have catapulted him into the big time, and he’s jumped from number 22 in last year’s list to nab this year’s top spot.
2. Beyonce Knowles – $105m
Beyonce beat her husband Jay-Z [right], by 53 places at number 2
Queen Bey needs no introduction but she’s made a big leap up the chart, from number 34 last year. The breakdown comes largely due to profits from her Formation tour and her most last album ‘Lemonade’.
3. Biggest mover JK Rowling, jumps back into the top 100 headed for the top – $95m
JK Rowling returned to the top 100
JK Rowling returns to the top 100, thanks to the publication of the two-part play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and the film release of Potter spin-off, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
4. Drake, doubling last year’s take – $94m
Drake has had a lot of endorsements
The Canadian hip hop star has jumped from number 69 to number four, more than doubling his fortune through touring and endorsements with the likes of Nike, Sprite and Apple.
5. All time leading scorer for Real Madrid FC, Cristiano Ronaldo – $93m
Perennial Golden Boots winner is still up among the winners
The Real Madrid footy star drops just one place on this year’s list.
On top of his soccer earnings, the current Fifa world player of the year also has a line of branded products including underwear and jeans, plus a lifetime deal with Nike.
6. The Weeknd. The entertainer joins the big leagues in the sixth position – $92m
The Weeknd cracked the top 10 for the first time
The Weeknd has cracked the top 10 for the first time, having made it to number 30 last time round. His latest album, Starboy, had the third-largest debut sales week in the US of 2016.
7. Radio shock jock Howard Stern, hanging on tight – $90m
Howard Stern is halfway through a five-year radio contract
US “shock jock” and self-styled “king of all media” Howard Stern holds on to the seventh spot he occupied last year.
The former America’s Got Talent judge is currently part way through a five-year deal with Sirius XM Radio.
8. Coldplay – $88m
A massively successful tour has propelled Coldplay into the top 10
Coldplay return to the list following the success of their worldwide Head Full of Dreams tour, which finished in Australia and New Zealand in December.
That’s good news for the charity sector, as the band donate 10% of their profits to good causes.
9. Prolific author James Patterson – $87m
James Patterson is collaborating on a novel with Bill Clinton
This author has published more than 130 titles in his name and is believed to be the world’s best-selling living author.
Former US president Bill Clinton is currently writing a novel about the White House in collaboration with him.
10. No slouch on or off the court LeBron James – $86m
LeBron James has had tons of endorsements
Probably the US’s best-known basketball star, the Cleveland Cavaliers player’s $31m (£24.4m) salary in 2016-17 made him only the third NBA player to earn $30m in a season after Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.He’s also endorsed brands such as Nike, Coca-Cola and Beats by Dre.
11. Guns N’ Roses – $84million

12. Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh – $84million

Conservative radio talk show host Limbaugh is tied with Coldplay at $84million
13. Singer Justin Bieber – $83.5million

Singer Justin Bieber hovers around what appears to be a benchmark for some years now at 83.5million
14. Lionel Messi – $80million

15. Dr. Phil McGraw – $79million

16. Ellen DeGeneres – $77million
17. Bruce ‘ The Boss’ Springsteen – $75million

18. Adele – $69million

19. Jerry Seinfeld – $69million

20. Actor Mark Wahlberg – $68million
Actor Mark Wahlberg rounds up the rop 20 at $68million
21. Metallica $66.5million
22. Dwayne Johnson $65million
23. Roger Federer $64million
24. David Copperfield $61.5million
25. Kevin Durant $60.6million
26. Garth Brooks $60million
27. Elton John $60million
28. Gordon Ramsay $60million
29. Ryan Seacrest $58million
30. Chris Rock $57million
31. Vin Diesel $54.5million
32. Paul McCartney $54million
33. Red Hot Chili Peppers $54million
34. Louis C.K. $52million
35. Jimmy Buffett $50.5million
36. Adam Sandler $50.5million
37. Andrew Luck $50million
38. Rory McIlroy $50million
39. Jackie Chan $49million
40. Calvin Harris $48.5million
41. Robert Downey Jr. $48million
42, Stephen Curry $47.3million
43. Dave Chappelle $47million
44. Judy Sheindlin $47million
45. James Harden $46.6million
46. Lewis Hamilton $46million
47. Kim Kardashian West $45.5million
48. Drew Brees $45.3million
49. Taylor Swift $44million
50. Simon Cowell $43.5million
51. Phil Mickelson $43.5million
52. Tom Cruise $43million
53. Kenny Chesney $42.5million
54. Steve Harvey $42.5million
55. Luke Bryan $42million
56. Celine Dion $42million
57. Jay-Z $42million
58. Sofia Vergara $41.5million
59. Kylie Jenner $41million
60. Bruno Mars $39million
61. Tiesto $39million
62. Russell Westbrook $38.6million
63. Sebastian Vettel $38.5million
64. Damian Lillard $38.4million
65. Shah Rukh Khan $38million
66. Jennifer Lopez $38million
67. The Chainsmokers $38million
68. Novak Djokovic $37.6million
69. Amy Schumer $37.5million
70. Tiger Woods $37.1million
71. Salman Khan $37million
72. Neymar $37million
73. Bill O’Reilly $37million
74. Dolly Parton $37million
75. Ed Sheeran $37million
76. Dwayne Wade $36.2million
77. Fernando Alonso $36million
78. Sean Hannity $36million
79. Rihanna $36million
80. Bon Jovi $35.5million
81. Akshay Kumar $35.5million
82. Billy Joel $35million
83. Dr. Dre $34.5million
84. Florida Georgia Line $34.5million
85. Toby Keith $34.5million
86. Jordan Spieth $34.5million
87. Derrick Rose $34.3million
88. Usain Bolt $34.2million
89. Gareth Bale $34million
90. Conor McGregor $34million
91. Britney Spears $34million
92. Kei Nishikori $33.9million
93. Fletcher Cox $33.4million
94. Clayton Kershaw $33.3million
95. Chance The Rapper $33million
96. Katy Perry $33million
97. Carmelo Anthony $32.6million
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