Brad Pitt, Taylor Swift among highest paid entertainers of 2022 — Forbes

MANILA, Philippines — Business magazine Forbes noted the entertainers who were paid the most in 2022 in a list dominated by rock 'n roll legends.

Forbes collected the data from several sources like Variety Insight, IMDBPro and Luminate as well as interviews with agents, lawyers, managers, executives and industry experts; the final figures are pretax earnings and exclude fees for representation and business operations.

The combined earnings of the Top 10 highest paid entertainers of 2022 amounted to $1.35 billion (P74.6 billion), which is only half as much as the earnings of last year's top earners such as hip-hop legend Jay-Z, rock singer Bruce Springsteen and controversial rapper Kanye West.

Leading the list compiled by Forbes was English rock band Genesis because of its $300 million (P16.6 billion) music rights sale to Concord Music Group, plus solo income streams and individual royalties by its members Phil Collins, Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford.

Following Genesis was ex-The Police frontman Sting, who also sold his and his former band's music rights for the same amount but this time to Universal Music Group.

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In the third spot is filmmaker Tyler Perry, his second appearance and the sole billionaire on this Forbes list, because of the $175 million (P9.68 billion) income he received from his productions.

Rounding up the Top 5 were "South Park" creators and "Book of Mormon" producers Trey Parker and Matt Stone and "The Simpsons" creators Matt Groening and James L. Brooks — the latter two are the only ones apart from Perry who appeared in last year's Forbes list.

Actor-producer Brad Pitt nearly broke into the upper-half because of the majority sale of his award-winning production company Plan B and the $30 million (P1.66 billion) he got from starring in "The Lost City," "Bullet Train" and "Babylon."

The Rolling Stones earned their spot because of their "Sixty" tour and record royalties, and it comes as no surprise that blockbusters director James Cameron also made the list.

At ninth spot, singer-songwriter Taylor Swift is the highest-paid female entertainer of 2022 because of digital and physical sales and is expected to earn even more in 2023 once her "Eras" tour finally hits the road.

Completing the Forbes list is newcomer Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny whose income $88 million (P4.86 billion) came from two world tours and brand endorsements.

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