1 ) Lady Gaga
Age: 25
Title: Singer and performance artist
Source: Music
Big Break: Poker Face, 2008
Residence: New York, NY
Country of citizenship: United States
Hometown: New York, NY
Education: Dropout, New York University
Marital Status: Single
Sometimes it pays to be weird. The Queen Monster grossed $170 million on 137 shows in 22 countries over the past 12 months and has sold an estimated 15 million albums worldwide. No surprise that advertisers want a piece: endorsement deals include Polaroid, Virgin Mobile, Monster Cable, Viva Glam and PlentyOfFish.com. A Russian billionaire reportedly paid $1 million to appear in her “Alejandro” video. Her new album, Born This Way, hit stores in May; the title track clocked one million downloads in five days, making it the fastest-selling song in iTunes history.
2 ) Oprah Winfrey
Earning – $290M
Age: 57
Title: Media Personality
Organization: The Oprah Winfrey Show
Source: television , self-made
Big Break: The Oprah Winfrey Show, 1986
Residence: Chicago, IL
Country of citizenship: United States
Hometown: Kosciusko, MS
Education: BA/BS, Tennessee State University
Marital Status: Single
As her long-running syndicated show winds down, Winfrey is doing all she can to make her new cable station, OWN, a success. The network features shows like The Judds about the mother daughter country music team. Ratings so far have been anemic leading to the ouster of chief executive Christina Norman.
3 ) Justin Bieber
Age: 17
Source: Music
Big Break: Baby, 2010
Hometown: Stratford, Canada
Marital Status: Single
Though he may not know where Germany is, the cherubic crooner has attained international superstardom: his new album My Life 2.0 quickly attained platinum status, his concert movie Never Say Never grossed $100 million globally and Bieber’s live shows around the world bring in $600,000 in gross ticket sales per night. The music video for Bieber’s hit song “Baby” has been viewed a YouTube record 500 million times.
4 ) U2
Band Age: 35
Big Break: Sunday Bloody Sunday, 1983
Hometown: Dublin, Ireland
The ageless rockers are wrapping up the most lucrative tour in the history of music. In April the group’s 360 Tour surpassed the Rolling Stones’ Bigger Bang Tour, which grossed $554 million from 2005 to 2007. By the time U2′s tour ends this summer, the band will have sold $700 million worth of tickets over two years and played to more than 7 million people.
5 ) Elton John
Age: 64
Source: Music
Big Break: Your Song, 1970
Hometown: Pinner, England
Marital Status: Married
Children: 1
Sir Elton has sold 250 million records worldwide over the past 30 years and isn’t slowing down, he grossed $204 million performing 102 live shows in the past 12 months. The Rocket Man still has time for family. With partner David Furnish, he welcomed surrogate son Zachary in 2010. Lady Gaga is the tyke’s godmother.
6 ) Tiger Wood
Age: 35
Source: Golf
Big Break: Masters, 1997
Country of citizenship: United States
Hometown: Cypress, CA
Education: Dropout, Stanford University
Marital Status: Divorced
Children: 2
Woods has struggled to win tournaments and sign new sponsorship deals since his November 2009 car crash and the infidelity scandal that followed. Yet Woods continues to be the world’s best-paid athlete thanks to $3 million overseas appearance fees and two sponsors that stuck with him: Nike and Electronic Arts. First week sales this spring of EA Sports’ Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters were the highest in the 14-year history of the popular video game franchise.
7 ) Taylor Swift
Age: 21
Source: Music
Big Break: “Tim McGraw,” 2006
Hometown: Wyomissing, PA
Marital Status: Single
Whether you consider her music country, pop or both, there’s no question that Swift is a moneymaking machine. Her new album Speak Now was certified triple-platinum barely a month after its October release. Touring brings gross ticket sales of some $750,000 per night. Just don’t break her heart: scathing love ballad “Dear John” was rumored to be directed at former flame John Mayer.
8 ) Bon Jovi
Band Age: 28
Source: Music
Big Break: Runaway, 1983
Hometown: Sayreville, NJ
Who says you can’t go home? Bon Jovi opened New Jersey’s New Meadowlands Stadium with three consecutive sold out concerts last May and another in July. The band grossed $200 million playing 74 shows over the past 12 months and released a greatest hits album. Frontman Jon Bon Jovi was named to the White House Council for Community Solutions by President Obama.
9 ) Simon Cowell
Age: 51
Source: television
Big Break: Pop Idol, 2001
Hometown: London, England
Marital Status: Single
Cowell’s exit from American Idol this year didn’t kill the show, but it left fans hungry for his biting criticism. Lucky for them, the American version of Cowell’s The X Factor is slated to launch on Fox this fall. Cowell has said that the format, which allows for single and group performers over the age of 12, is his favorite. It doesn’t hurt that he’s revived the old Idol chemistry by hiring on fellow former judge Paula Abdul.
10 ) LeBron James
Age: 26
Source: Basketball
Big Break: Labeled “Chosen One” on cover of Sports Illustrated, 2002
Residence: Akron, OH
Country of citizenship: United States
Hometown: Akron, OH
Children: 2
James’ reputation took a hit last summer when he announced he was leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat on a national televised special dubbed “The Decision.” His negative Q score soared 77%. Despite the animosity, James continues to be a hot ticket. His jersey was the NBA’s best seller this season and he has the No. 1 basketball shoe on the market.
In April, James partnered with Fenway Sports Group to manage his business interests. As part of the deal James received a very small stake in FSG-owned soccer club, Liverpool.
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