Cash Kings Of EDM: The Highest Paid DJs Of 2015
Forbes have revealed the highest paid DJs of the past year - and these numbers might just make your eyes water! Their "Electronic Cash Kings 2015" is made of of the top 12 names in EDM right now - worth a whopping $304 MILLION!
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1. 1. Calvin Harris - $66m
Topping the list for another year is British DJ Calvin Harris, and with his recent successes in the chart as well as bagging himself an equally well off girlfriend it's no surprise he's worth a cool £41million! (Picture: Derek Bremner)
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2. 2. David Guetta - $37m
After cheese and wine, David Guetta is France's third most successful export (maybe, we haven't done the maths but it must be true) - raking in a huge $37m in the last 12 months. With a new album dropping and huge chart success with Nicki Minaj earlier this year, can he take Calvin's solid gold crown in 2016?
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3. 3. Tiesto - $36m
He's been big in the game for quite some time now, which is why he can charge a small fortune for gigs and appearances - but when you've been one of the world's top DJs for two decades you can totally justify it. (Picture: Instagram)
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4. =4. Skrillex - $24m
If his Jack U partnership with Diplo is anything to go by, Skrillex is leaving his screamo days behind and becoming more mainstream. Clearly poaching Justin Bieber for vocals on chart smash 'Where Are U Now' was a good shout, boosting his income to a cool $24 million.
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5. =4. Steve Aoki - $24m
If you're a DJ with worldwide acclaim, obviously people will throw money at you for everything! Steve Aoki earned an extra $1 million than in the previous year despite doing just (!!!) 216 shows, down from 277 the year before. It's his celebrity endorsements and business portfolio (including headphones and restaurants) that are keeping those extra dollars coming in.
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6. 6. Avicii - $19m
Sweden's biggest musical legend (Abba who?) has OBVIOUSLY made the list - after sell out gigs across the world, including our very own Summertime Ball with Vodafone, presenting a monthly show and Capital and even advertising cars, our Tim has done quite well for himself over the past year. (Picture: PA)
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7. 7. Kaskade - $18m
We'll forgive you if you're not up-to-speed on Kaskade's story, so here's a summary; he used to be a Mormon missionary, then he started as an intern at a record label and then became one of the most sought after DJs in the world. He's just signed a two-album deal with Warner Bros, so expect to hear more from this guy over the next few months. (Picture: Facebook)
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8. =8. Martin Garrix - $17m
His fellow Dutch countryman, Tiesto, might have out-earned him by $19 million, but remember that Martin Garrix is whole 27 years younger. If the 19 year old carries on his current path, he'll be out-earning everyone on the planet in no time! (Picture: PA)
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9. =8. Zedd - $17m
Clearly his break-up from Selena Gomez hasn't affected him too much - the Russian-German DJ still managed to put in the work and earn a sweet $17 million!
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10. 10. Afrojack - $16m
Turns out that one of the tallest guys in the business (seriously, he's 6'10"!) is also one of the highest earners. The 'SummerThing!' producer raked in $16m in the past 12 months.
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11. =11. Deadmau5 - $15m
Just like Daft Punk, DeadMau5 is famous for his masked appearance. Clearly the mystery surrounding this guy is paying off, as he only played 13 shows last year, but earned over $500,000 for one of them!
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12. =11. Diplo - $15m
With numerous production projects in the past year, including one with his fellow high-roller Skrillex under the name Jack U, Diplo has had a pretty sweet 12 months, raking in $15m.
