In these tough economic times, it's reassuring to know that a 17-year-old with big dreams, a raspy voice and a penchant for skimpy stage outfits can pull in more cash than most small countries.
Yes, Forbes magazine has announced its list of the 100 most powerful celebrities in the world, and the usual suspects, many of whom are so culturally omnipresent they go by a single name, are all there: Oprah (No. 1), Beyonce (No. 2), Bono (U2, No. 7), Madonna (No. 10). This year's crop is especially notable, however, for the new faces that made the list -- with Lady Gaga landing at No. 4 and 'Twilight' stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart debuting at Nos. 50 and 66, respectively.
Forbes weighs money earned with the amount of press coverage a star receives when compiling its list of the year's most powerful stars. So it's really no surprise that O takes the top spot again -- her third time atop the list in the last four years. In the last year, she earned $315 million and announced the expansion of her media empire with the upcoming launch of OWN -- The Oprah Winfrey Network.
With album sales at record lows, every musician in the top 20 earned the vast majority of their income from touring revenue. Beyonce pulled in $87 million with her 'I Am' world tour and multiple endorsement deals. Madonna, whose 'Sticky & Sweet Tour' is the top grosser ever for a solo artist, earned upwards of $58 million from the road show's 2009 summer leg. Britney Spears ranked No. 6 this year on the strength of her 'Circus' world tour, which grossed $130 million and was 2009's fifth biggest show.
Like pop mama Madge, Gaga earned most of her cash ($62 million) on the road. Combined with intense media coverage of her every move and a slew of lucrative endorsement deals, the pantless one came in at No. 4, the highest debut on the list.
Also making their first appearances, Pattinson and Stewart, who earned $17 million and $12 million, respectively, and saw themselves become prime tabloid fodder courtesy of a rumored romance. Expect both to appear on the Forbes list for some time: The final book in the 'Twilight Saga,' 'Breaking Dawn,' will be split up into two separate films, and the franchises latest flick, 'Eclipse,' hits theaters tomorrow.
After what was undoubtedly a rough year personally, Sandra Bullock can take comfort in her enormous professional successes. Bullock ranked at No. 8, having scored two hit movies, 'The Blind Side' and 'The Proposal,' and an Oscar win. Last year, she came in at No. 98, making hers the biggest jump on the list.
As for the aforementioned 17 year old, Miley Cyrus, she came in at No. 13 with $48 million earned. Like Gaga -- and Madonna and Britney and Beyonce -- we assume she did not spend much of it on pants.
And just how much did the lowest earner on the list, No. 99's Jennifer Love Hewitt, rake in from June 1, 2009, to June 1, 2010, you ask? A mere $6.5 million. Somehow we imagine she'll manage just fine.
