The celebrity who earned the most money last year, per Forbes' new list, isn't someone you've recently seen on the big screen or on-stage at the Grammys. Beating out everyone from Beyoncé Knowles to LeBron James, rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs jumped up from the No. 22 spot in 2015 to claim the title of top earner in 2016. Combs raked in a cool $130 million last year, thanks to a marketing deal with a vodka company, a recent U.S. tour, and the sale of part of his Sean John clothing line.
Right behind Combs was Beyoncé, who brought in $105 million in 2016, when she released her visual album Lemonade and went on her Formation tour. She was followed up by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling ($95 million); hip hop artist Drake ($94 million); soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo ($93 million); musician The Weeknd ($92 million); radio host Howard Stern ($90 million); British band Coldplay ($88 million); author James Patterson ($87 million); and basketball star LeBron James ($86 million.)
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
The Onion is having a very ironic laugh with InfowarsThe Explainer The satirical newspaper is purchasing the controversial website out of bankruptcy
-
'Rahmbo, back from Japan, will be looking for a job? Really?'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
What's next for electric vehicles under Trump?Today's Big Question And what does that mean for Tesla's Elon Musk?
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproarSpeed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
-
Kevin Hart awarded Mark Twain PrizeSpeed Read He is the 25th recipient of the prestigious comedy prize
-
Is Downton Abbey set to return for a final film?Speed Read Imelda Staunton reveals that a third movie may be in the pipeline
-
'Oppenheimer' sweeps Oscars with 7 winsspeed read The film won best picture, best director (Christopher Nolan) and best actor (Cillian Murphy)
-
'Rust' armorer convicted of manslaughterspeed read The film's cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot and killed by actor Alec Baldwin during rehearsal
-
The Beatles are getting 4 intersecting biopicsSpeed Read Director Sam Mendes is making four separate movies, each told from the perspective of one band member
