It pays to be a young, female musician. At least that’s the lesson learned from Forbes’ newly released report on the top-earning celebrities under the age of 30.
All
but three of the top 10 are musicians—in fact, the first seven slots
are dominated by singers and pop stars, with three actors trailing in
the last spots.
And it’s refreshing to see that the majority of
the young top-earners—again, seven of them—are women, a rarity among
“highest-paid” lists.
Forbes compiled the report with information
collected from “agents, managers, producers, executives and other
in-the-know folks,” and excluded athletes from the rankings to keep the
list Hollywood-centric. Taxes, agent fees, and other fame-related
expenses weren’t deducted.
The top-earning celebrities under 30, according to Forbes, are:
$80 million
The Queen Monster would have earned even more had it not been for a hip injury that curtailed her Born This Way Ball Tour. The tour grossed $168 million through January; had Gaga been able to finish it, she would have likely topped $200 million. With a new album in the works, look for her to stay around the top of this list.
The Queen Monster would have earned even more had it not been for a hip injury that curtailed her Born This Way Ball Tour. The tour grossed $168 million through January; had Gaga been able to finish it, she would have likely topped $200 million. With a new album in the works, look for her to stay around the top of this list.
Raking in an estimated $80 million between June 2012 and June 2013, Forbes attributes Gaga’s immense wealth—the fortune that paid for the gold-plated wheelchair she used when injured earlier this year—to her “Born This Way Ball Tour.”
$58 million
Since appearing on the cover of FORBES last year, the Canadian crooner has toured the world, picked up another 20 million Twitter followers and earned another $58 million (that sum would have been even higher if we hadn't credited him with a double-digit million-dollar merchandise advance last year). With stakes in startups including Enflick, Tinychat and Spotify, he shows no signs of slowing down.
Since appearing on the cover of FORBES last year, the Canadian crooner has toured the world, picked up another 20 million Twitter followers and earned another $58 million (that sum would have been even higher if we hadn't credited him with a double-digit million-dollar merchandise advance last year). With stakes in startups including Enflick, Tinychat and Spotify, he shows no signs of slowing down.
2. Justin Bieber
No surprises here: the Canadian sensation made about $58 million in the last year, thanks to a world tour and investments in companies like Spotify and Tinychat.
No surprises here: the Canadian sensation made about $58 million in the last year, thanks to a world tour and investments in companies like Spotify and Tinychat.
3. Taylor Swift.
$55 million
Who says the music industry is dead? Swift released her fourth studio album, Red, in October 2012 and sold 1.2 million copies in week one. The album's first single, "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," became her first to top Billboard's Hot 100 chart. She parlayed that success into endorsement deals with Diet Coke, Sony and Covergirl, not to mention big bucks on the road. She should earn even more next year as she transitions from arena shows to stadium sellouts.
Who says the music industry is dead? Swift released her fourth studio album, Red, in October 2012 and sold 1.2 million copies in week one. The album's first single, "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," became her first to top Billboard's Hot 100 chart. She parlayed that success into endorsement deals with Diet Coke, Sony and Covergirl, not to mention big bucks on the road. She should earn even more next year as she transitions from arena shows to stadium sellouts.
Harris’s wealth—an estimated $46 million from the past year—comes from his career as a DJ and producer (he’s responsible for Rihanna‘s smash hit “We Found Love”) and his work as a performer himself. He’s played more than 150 shows in the last 12 months, Forbes reports.
$43 million
The Barbados-born singer continues to rake in the dough, playing over 40 shows during our scoring period and releasing new album Unapologetic, her seventh in seven years. Even if you're not one of her 30 million-plus Twitter followers, it's hard not miss her recent singles "Diamonds" and "Stay" and her ubiquitous Vita Coco ads. And that's a formula that should keep the cash coming for years.
The Barbados-born singer continues to rake in the dough, playing over 40 shows during our scoring period and releasing new album Unapologetic, her seventh in seven years. Even if you're not one of her 30 million-plus Twitter followers, it's hard not miss her recent singles "Diamonds" and "Stay" and her ubiquitous Vita Coco ads. And that's a formula that should keep the cash coming for years.
$39 million
It's been a relatively quiet year for Perry as she prepares for a follow-up to Teenage Dream, which made her the only act besides Michael Jackson to have five No. 1 singles from the same album. She still earns plenty for private gigs, a fragrance with Coty and a deal with Popchips, the snackmaker in which she also holds an equity stake. Her 2012 biopic Part of Me added a seven-figure sum to her bottom line.
It's been a relatively quiet year for Perry as she prepares for a follow-up to Teenage Dream, which made her the only act besides Michael Jackson to have five No. 1 singles from the same album. She still earns plenty for private gigs, a fragrance with Coty and a deal with Popchips, the snackmaker in which she also holds an equity stake. Her 2012 biopic Part of Me added a seven-figure sum to her bottom line.
$30 million
The singer still sells plenty of music but without a big global tour, it was hard for her to make the Celebrity 100 this year. The new mom got plenty of attention this year for “Skyfall,” her theme for the latest Bond movie. It won an Oscar for Best Original Song.
The singer still sells plenty of music but without a big global tour, it was hard for her to make the Celebrity 100 this year. The new mom got plenty of attention this year for “Skyfall,” her theme for the latest Bond movie. It won an Oscar for Best Original Song.
The highest-earning actor on the list, Lawrence reportedly made $26 million thanks to her role in the blockbuster The Hunger Games franchise and her Oscar-winning portrayal in Silver Linings Playbook.
9. Kristen Stewart
With $22 million from the last year, Forbes points out that Stewart stands to make a lot less money in the future now that the Twilight series has ended. Snow White and the Huntsman earned her a chunk of change last year, but her taste for smaller movies like 2012′s On the Road means her paycheck may start to shrink.
We’re surprised Lautner outpaced fellow Twilight-er Robert Pattinson. Earning $22 million last year, Forbes points out that the actor’s 2012 movie Abduction flopped, but a small role in Grown Ups 2 helped bring in some dough.
