Forbes Celebrity 100 list was just released yesterday, and taking the top spot this year, like it did last year, goes to a woman but it’s not Oprah this time. The Queen B herself, international pop star, Beyonce, took the the top spot on the Forbes Celebrity 100, earning a reported $115 million between June 1, 2013 and June 1, 2014.
Beyonce earned her wealth through many different ways this past year. She played 95 shows on her concert tour, averaging $2.4 million in earnings at each location. Additionally, Beyonce released her newest and most creative album this year, which was called a “visual album,” because each of the 14 songs on it already had music videos done for them (the lead single from the album, “Drunk in Love,” has gone platinum with over a million copies sold), and she also made money through endorsements with Pepsi, H&M, and her own perfume line and clothing company, House of Dereon.
Coming in at second to Beyonce on Forbes Celebrity 100 list was Miami Heat superstar Lebron James. James earned an estimated $72 million from June 1, 2013 to June 1, 2014 from both his NBA contract with the Heat (which he has since opted out of) and endorsements with companies like Coke and McDonalds.
Dr. Dre came in at number three on the list, due in large part to Apple’s $3 billion purchase of Beats by Dre and also because of his mentoring of Kendrick Lamar, who landed seven Grammy nominations this past year. Meanwhile, Oprah, who was number one on the Forbes Celebrity 100 last year, and Ellen DeGeneres received the fourth and fifth spot on the list, respectively.
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