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A somewhat surprising list of the top 10 best paid performers in 2022 featured directors, showrunners, actresses, and pioneering rock stars in addition to the Grammy-winning musicians. Bad Bunny and Swift were ranked Nos. 9 and 10 respectively. According to reports, the former made $92 million last year, mostly as a result of record sales. Her 2022 album Midnights, which spent five weeks at the top of the Billboard 200, later broke numerous streaming records on Apple Music, Spotify, and Amazon Music. Swift, the only female performer on the 2022 list, has previously placed in the top 10 six times.
With an estimated $88 million in earnings, Bad Bunny makes his first entry on the list. His 2022 tours, El ltimo Tour del Mundo and the World’s Hottest Tour, which reportedly brought in more than $400 million in ticket sales, provided a significant amount of that money. In addition, the Puerto Rican superstar secured several lucrative endorsement contracts with brands like Adidas, Corona, and Cheetos.
James Cameron, an Oscar-winning director, ranked eighth with $95 million. His eagerly awaited film, Avatar: The Way of Water, finally came out in 2022. Along with Avatar (2009) and Titanic (2007), the sequel was Cameron’s third entrance into the top 10 highest-grossing movies of all time.
With $98 million, the Rolling Stones came in at No. 7, while Brad Pitt came in at No. 2 with $100 million. With the sale of his Plan B production firm, which created critically acclaimed movies including Moonlight, 12 Years a Slave, and The Departed, the latter got a sizable windfall.
James L. Brooks and Matt Groening, the creators of The Simpsons, came in at No. 5 with $105 million, while Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of South Park, came in at No. 4 with $160 million.
Sting came in second ($210 million), followed by Tyler Perry at No. 3 ($175 million).
Genesis, an English rock band, came in first place and earned an astounding $230 million. Nearly all of that money was generated via the sale of the band’s back library, which frontman Phil Collins reportedly sold in September for $300 million. The amount, according to Forbes, also includes tour fees and record royalties.