Taylor Swift, Kylie Jenner, Kanye West make Forbes' list of 100 highest-paid entertainers
Usually when you see Taylor Swift, Kanye West and the Kardashian-Jenner clan mentioned together it's about a feud — but this time, it's because these celebrities have all reached a major peak in their careers. They've made Forbes' list of the 100 highest-paid entertainers.
At the top of Forbes' list, which was released Wednesday, is 29-year-old Taylor Swift. What got her there was her 2018 "Reputation" world tour, which grossed just over $266 million — making it the highest-grossing tour ever. Swift's upcoming album "Lover," due out this summer, may just help her onto next year's list.
Swift's 2018 earnings amounted to $185 million, according to Forbes. Instead of measuring net worth, the magazine looked at "front of the camera" stars around the globe and measured their pre-tax earnings between June 1 2018, and June 1, 2019.
Kylie Jenner ranks second on the list after Swift. The 21-year-old sold $360 million worth of Kylie Cosmetics in 2018, giving her annual earnings of $170 million. Jenner also made headlines earlier this year when Forbes said she was on track to become the world's youngest "self-made" billionaire.
Jenner's brother-in-law and Swift's foil, Kanye West, takes the No. 3 spot. West's Yeezy shoe line raked in an estimated $1 billion in sales over the past 12 months, Forbes reports. This is where the rapper makes most of his money; the Adidas partnership pays him a per-shoe royalty of 15% on wholesale. He also owns his Yeezy clothing company.
West's wife and Jenner's half-sister, Kim Kardashian, also made the list at No. 26 with $72 million in annual earnings.
Following Kanye West at No. 4 on the list is soccer star Lionel Messi, who is currently making $80 million annually with FC Barcelona through the 2020-2021 season. Next is singer Ed Sheeran, whose past tour grossed over $600 million worldwide over two years. Then comes another soccer star, Christiano Rinaldo, who actually took a pay cut with a four-year deal worth $64 annually.
Jay-Z, who Forbes recently named as hip-hop's first billionaire, made the list with his wife, Beyoncé. The couple ranked together at No. 20 after their "On the Run II" stadium tour earned them an estimated $5 million a night.
Last on the list of 100 highest-paid celebrities is Celine Dion, who still took in $37.6 million over the past 12 months, according to Forbes. In between Swift and Dion are a wide array of stars from Dr. Phil to Dwayne Johnson, Lewis Hamilton to Judge Judy.
Forbes breaks down their list into subgroups. Several "Avengers" made the cut, as well as 17 newbies who were not previously on the list. Forbes also mentions that while two powerful women — Swift and Jenner — are the highest paid celebrities, only 16 women made the list overall, and pay inequality is rampant everywhere.
