US pop star Taylor Swift is the world’s biggest earning celebrity, stashing a massive $170 million in the bank for just a year’s work.
Her cash came from her ‘1989 World Tour’ dates on the road which grossed more than $250 million worldwide.
Swift’s earnings beat the record set by the Rolling Stones.
She also earned some significant pay checks for promoting brands such as Diet Coke, Apple and women’s shoe seller Keds.
Income doubles in a year
Swift tops the income rankings for celebrities drawn up by financial magazine and web site Forbes.
Last year, she was well down the list, grossing $80 million from live shows, records and advertising.
She was well behind last year’s winner, boxer Floyd Merryweather, who picked up a cool $300 million for his early-billed fight of the century with Manny Pacquiao.
The top music act in 2015 was Katy Perry, who earned $135 million.
Winners and flops
This year’s other top earners behind Taylor Swift are:
- British pop act One Direction took $110 million to cement their place as the top-earning boy band ever
- Writer James Patterson, who scooped $95 million
- Dr Phil, the US TV psychologist AKA Dr Phil McGraw accrued $88 million
- Soccer sensation Christiano Ronaldo was the biggest earning athlete, with a $50 million pay packet plus bonus from his club Real Madrid to make up the greatest part of his $88 million annual income
- Comedian Kevin Hart pocketed $87.5 million after a massive 100 arena tour from which he grossed $1 million a night
- Radio presenter Howard Stern on $85 million
- Barcelona football star Lionel Messi lags Ronaldo by a few million to bank $81.5 million last year
- Another British pop star, Adele, is making millions from her music and arena shows, leaving her earning $80.5 million a year
- Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh creeps into the top 10 with annual earnings of $79 million
The Top 100 Celebrity Earners is also interesting for who is missing – stars who take a break quickly see their incomes diminish and drop from the list.
Notable drop offs this year who ranked high last year include singers Lady Gaga, Justin Timberlake, Bruno Mars and Michael Buble.
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