Taylor Swift is highest earner under 30
Taylor Swift has been named the highest paid celebrity under 30.
The ‘Bad Blood’ hitmaker topped financial bible Forbes’ annual list with earnings of a staggering $170 million, $60 million more than the second-placed members of One Direction.
In third place is soccer star Lionel Messi, 29, with $81.5 million – including $30 million generated off the field – while Adele, 28, took fourth spot with $80.5 million and Rihanna, also 28, rounded out the top five with $75 million.
Justin Bieber came in sixth, while tennis player Novak Djokovic, 29, was narrowly behind the ‘Sorry’ hitmaker in seventh place, just ahead of basketball star Kevin Durant, 28, in eighth position.
The Weeknd – aka 26-year-old Abél Tesfaye – and golfer Jordan Spieth, 23, rounded out the top 10.
Sixth-placed Justin is the youngest person on the list, with the singer celebrating his 22nd birthday on March 1, making him exactly a month younger than 1D’s Harry Styles.
Drake turned 30 last month, making the 18th-placed star the oldest on this year’s list.
Jennifer Lawrence is the highest-paid film star – and the only actress on the list – with her $46 million earnings netting her 12th place.
Forbes’ top 20 also include 10 athletes and nine musical acts, including two boy bands, One Direction and K-pop group Bigbang, who took 13th place with $44 million and were stunned to learn they had taken home more than any active all-male US pop group.
Speaking through a translator, Kwon ‘G-Dragon’ Jiyong, 27, said: "We made more than Maroon 5? Did not know that. My mom is in charge of my earnings."
The figures were based on earnings between June 1 2015 and June 1 2016 before subtracting taxes and management fees.
Forbes uses data from sources including Nielsen, Pollstar, IMDB, Box Office Mojo, as well as interviews with agents, managers, lawyers, industry insiders and the stars themselves.
Forbes’ highest earning stars under 30 top 10:
1. Taylor Swift ($170 million)
2. One Direction ($110 million)
3. Lionel Messi ($81.5 million)
4. Adele ($80.5 million)
5. Rihanna ($75 million)
6. Justin Bieber ($56 million)
7. Novak Djokovic ($56 million)
8. Kevin Durant ($56 million)
9. The Weeknd ($55 million)
10. Jordan Spieth ($53 million)
