Forbes’ list of the 10 highest-paid entertainers in 2022 includes filmmakers, musicians, TV creators and more — collectively earning about $1.35 billion — and, if there’s one theme, it’s that longevity pays off big time in show biz!!!
Topping the list is the rock band Genesis … bringing in a whopping $230M. The frontman Phil Collins and the rest of the group sold their catalog back in September for a reported $300 million.
Forbes says the $70 mil difference represents fees to managers, agents and lawyers. They get ya coming and going.
Coming in a close second is Sting, earning $210M. Last year, he also sold his music catalog and his band’s, The Police, and also got about $300M for all those hit songs.
Guess he paid his lawyers more than Genesis.
On the younger side … 53-year-old TV/film mogul Tyler Perry came in at number 3, pocketing an estimated $175M from all his projects and his huge studio in Atlanta.
Others in the top 10 include … “South Park” creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, who came in at number 4 ahead of “The Simpsons” creators James L. Brooks and Matt Groening.
Brad Pitt is number 6 collecting $100M … just ahead of the Rolling Stones, who at their advanced ages still earned $98 mil last year off a European tour.
Back in Hollywood, another guy who’s been around forever, James Cameron — now one of the highest-grossing directors of all time — earned at least $95M from the “Avatar: The Way of the Water” flick.
Now for some youth — Taylor Swift, who’s the only woman in the top 10, made $92 million to put her at number 9, and Bad Bunny collected around $88 million from his massive tour.
Of course, the list was a bit different than last year’s … which boasted celebs like Kanye West, Bruce Springsteen and Jay-Z.