Sean “Diddy/P-Diddy/Puff Daddy” Combs has come out of, what seems to be, nowhere to become the highest paid celebrity on Forbes’ annual list.
The bulk of Combs income for 2016-17 came from the $70 million he pocketed from the sale of his company Sean Jean to Global Brands Group and his Bad Boy Family Reunion tour.
Second was Beyonce, up from number 34 last year, with $105 million in pre-tax income, just short of double her 2016 take. She also left husband Jay-Z in the dust. Only half a million ahead of him last year, this year she has more than twice his income with Jay-Z only at $42 million.
Musicians took forty spots on this year’s list (39 if you don’t count former rapper Mark Wahlberg) up from 36 last year. Taylor Swift, who topped the 2016 tally with $170 million, fell to 49th with $44 million.
The top five along with other musicians on the list (2016 position in parenthesis):
01. (22) Sean “Diddy Combs ($130 million)
02. (34) Beyonce ($105.0 million)
03. J.K. Rowling ($95.0 million)
04. (69) Drake ($94.0 million)
05. Cristiano Ronaldo ($93 million)
06. (30) The Weeknd ($92.0 million)
08. (–) Coldplay ($88.0 million)
11. (–) Guns N’ Roses ($84.0 million)
13. (26) Justin Bieber ($83.5 million)
17. (24) Bruce Springsteen ($75.0 million)
18. (09) Adele ($69.0 million)
20. (–) Mark Wahlberg ($68.0 million)
21. (–) Metallica ($66.5 million)
26. (15) Garth Brooks ($60 million)
26. (61) Elton John ($60 million)
32. (25) Paul McCartney ($54 million)
32. (–) Red Hot Chili Peppers ($54 million)
35. (66) Jimmy Buffett ($50.5 million)
40. (21) Calvin Harris ($48.5 million)
49. (01) Taylor Swift ($44 million)
53. (26) Kenny Chesney ($42.5 million)
55. (37) Luke Bryan ($42 million)
55. (–) Celine Dion ($42 million)
55. (36) Jay Z ($42 million)
60. (–) Bruno Mars ($39 million)
60. (70) Tiesto ($39 million)
65. (–) The Chainsmokers ($38 million)
65. (68) Jennifer Lopez ($38 million)
71. (–) Dolly Parton ($37 million)
71. (82) Ed Sheeran ($37 million)
77. (13) Rihanna ($36 million)
80. (–) Bon Jovi ($35.5 million)
82. (–) Billy Joel ($35.0 million)
83. (63) Dr. Dre ($34.5 million)
83. (–) Florida Georgia Line ($34.5 million)
83. (47) Toby Keith ($34.5 million)
89. (99) Britney Spears ($34.0 million)
95. (–) Chance the Rapper ($33.0 million)
95. (63) Katy Perry ($33.0 million)
98. (75) Jason Aldean ($32.5 million)
Falling out of the top 100 were Madonna (12 last year), AC/DC (17), Rolling Stones (18), U2 (30), Muse (44), Foo Fighters (45), Bigbang (54), Mumford & Sons (67), Maroon 5 (82) and the Dave Mathews Band (86).
