10. Bad Bunny – $88M

The Puerto Rican rapper , best known for combining reggaeton (a mixture of Caribbean reggae and mainland rap) with latin trap (a subgenre of hip hop with roots in the southern part of the US) captivated millions around the world as he appeared alongside Brad Pitt in the movie Bullet Train and caused a panic. The lion’s share of his income came from two tours: El Último Tour Del Mundo, which played in arenas, and The World’s Hottest Tour, the first time he played some of the biggest stages on the planet. Sponsorships with companies like Corona, Cheetos and Adidas were the icing on the cake.

9. Taylor Swift – $92M

Income streams from physical record sales, streaming on platforms such as Spotify, digital downloads and licensing make up Swift’s profits. And thus the question arises: Is there anything that the 33-year-old superstar cannot achieve? That she literally crashed Ticketmaster’s site with the insane demand for her Midnights tour in November suggests an even more lucrative 2023 for her, as she’ll be on the road for 52 nights across the US with a potential nine-figure payout as a result.

8. James Cameron – $95M

Cameron managed to become the director of three of the highest-grossing films of all time, along with the first Avatan (2009) and Titanic (1997). Part 2 of his hit sci-fi film earned him at least $95 million, according to industry insiders, in a deal that is said to see him receive a bonus if he crosses a certain gross threshold.

7. Rolling Stones – $98M

Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and company have received an estimated $136 million from their latest tour and record royalties. The OG British rockers have grossed more than $8.5 million per night on a 15-city European tour last summer, according to concert tracker Pollstar.

6. Brad Pitt – $100M

The sale of a majority stake in Plan B, his production company, in December netted Pitt an estimated $113 million. The deal also got Hollywood talking. “It’s definitely become a brand in itself,” most say, adding that Plan B, in addition to producing Oscar winners Moonlight, 12 Years A Slave and The Departed, probably owns back ends and has a development program that would grow its value. The company simply produces projects, rather than owning them. Plus, Brad Pitt earned an additional $30 million from roles in Bullet Train, Babylon, and The Lost City.

5. James L. Brooks & Matt Groening – $105M

America’s favorite animated family, The Simpsons, moved all 30 seasons to Disney+ from FX in an April 2019 streaming deal that followed Disney’s earlier acquisition of Fox for about $52 billion. Series co-creators Brooks and Groening earned and will earn $105 million annually, according to sources familiar with the deal.

4. Trey Parker & Matt Stone – $160M

The “devil duo” behind South Park have had a great year, thanks to profits from their HBO Max deal and their musical Book of Mormon. Most of the revenue comes from their deal with Paramount, which was signed in 2021 and guarantees the pair $935 million over six years.

3. Tyler Perry – $175M

The prolific Perry is a modern renaissance man. The actor, director, writer, studio mogul had another lucrative year thanks to simultaneous streams of income from movies, BET television shows and his extensive production backlot owned entirely in Atlanta. In his 2nd year among Forbes’ 10 highest-paid entertainers, he is the only billionaire on the list with a fortune estimated at $1 billion.

2. Sting – $210M

The 17-time Grammy winner and former Police frontman – known for hits like “Every Breath You Take” and “Roxanne” – received $300 million, selling his entire output, both solo and with the Police, to Universal Music Group in February.

1. Genesis – $230M

The progressive rock pioneers had an amazing 2022 with the sale of music rights to Concord Music Group reaching $300 million in September. The deal included publishing rights and a selection of income streams from the band’s recorded music, as well as solo music by Phil Collins (including the song “In The Air Tonight”) and band members Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford. Touring and studio music royalties supplemented their income.