Highest paid artists of 2022 according to Forbes: Genesis, Sting, Taylor Swift and The Rolling Stones pocketed millions

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Taylor Swift has again ranked among the highest paid artists in the last year, but the group Genesis belongs to the top of a Forbes ranking. 

Just like the singer Sting (2nd rank) who ended the year with US$210 million in his pocket, the British group Genesis sold, last September, its musical rights for almost 300 million US$. Royalties and touring costs as well as the music he recorded round out the band's earnings totaling US$230 million, the magazine reported Monday in its ranking of the highest-paid artists of 2022.

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The group The Rolling Stones (ranked 7) meanwhile collected US$98 million, largely thanks to their anniversary tour in Europe.

Taylor Swift (No. 9), making the charts for her sixth year, earned most of her US$92 million in revenue from her current and past music. His music catalog represents about 70% of his salary, including profits from streaming and album sales, Forbes said. Universal Music Group, which derives 3% of its revenue from Swift, sold US$50 million worth of physical albums in 2022, according to a JP Morgan analysis reported by the publication.

Genesis

TV and cinema

The duo behind the animated series “South Park”, Trey Parker and Matt Stone (4th ranked with US$160 million), enjoyed another banner year thanks to the income from a contract with HBO Max, notably for the series “Book of Mormon”. The majority of the two creators' earnings, however, come from their deal with Paramount, signed in 2021, guaranteeing the pair US$935 million over six years.

Director James Cameron (8th, with $95 million US) made, in 2022, a return to the top 10 after a dozen years of absence, thanks to its new component “Avatar: The Way of Water”. The film in the franchise has grossed over US$2.2 billion worldwide, including nearly US$647 million in North America, since its December release.

As for movie stars, only Tyler Perry (3rd place with US$175 million) and Brad Pitt (6th place with US$100 million) were among the highest earners in 2022. They both achieved the essential part of their off-screen income. Brad Pitt has sold a majority stake in his production company to European media conglomerate Mediawan, while his roles in 'Babylon', 'Bullet Train' and 'The Lost City' accounted for around a third of his earnings, Forbes reported. .

Puerto Rican rapper Bad Bunny has sold US$400 million in tickets with his two spring and fall tours. However, he ended the year with US$88 million in his pocket, in particular because of the costs incurred for the creation and travel of said tours.

Celebrities, musicians or creators, the 10 highest paid artists of 2022 have earned more than US$1.3 billion, according to Forbes. It is however half of the top 10 of the past year.

Top 10 highest paid artists in 2022

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