S. Samuel
Rap mogul Jay-Z and his wife/singer Beyonce have earned spots on the annual Forbes' Money Makers list alongside U2, AC/DC, Black Eyed Peas and more.
Both Jay and Beyonce landed positions within the Top 10 based on their earnings from June 2009 to June 2010.
1. U2 ($130 million) 2. AC/DC ($114 million) 3. Beyoncé ($87 million) 4. Bruce Springsteen ($70 million) 5. Britney Spears ($64 million) 6. Jay-Z ($63 million) 7. Lady Gaga ($62 million) 8. Madonna ($58 million) 9. Kenny Chesney ($50 million) 10. Black Eyed Peas, Coldplay and Toby Keith ($48 million) (Pedestrian TV)
A majority of the couple’s profits came from endorsement deals.
The list’s highest-earning female was Beyoncé at No. 3. Forbes said the star banked $87 million through major endorsement deals with Nintendo and L’Oreal, as well as her House of Dereon fashion line and world tour. Beyoncé’s husband Jay-Z came in at No. 6, earning $63 million from a variety of sources, including his stake in NBA team the New Jersey Nets, his 40/40 nightclub chain, “The Blueprint 3” album sales, and his investment in the Broadway musical, “Fela!” (Billboard)
Jay and Beyonce also recently made the Forbes “World’s Most Powerful Celebrities” list.
1. Oprah Winfrey, $315 million. TV Rank 1, Press Rank 5, Web Rank 5, Social Rank 11. 2. Beyonce Knowles, $87 million, TV Rank 9, Press Rank 13, Web Rank 2, Social Rank 15 … 14. Kobe Bryant, $48 million, TV Rank 22, Press Rank 16, Web Rank 21, Social Rank 22. 15. Jay-Z, $63 million, TV Rank 45, Press Rank 29, Web Rank 23, Social Rank 26. (Forbes)
In January, they earned the right to be called the highest-earning couple in Hollywood.
Music duo Jay-Z and Beyoncé Knowles earned $122 million between June 2008 and June 2009, landing them atop the publication’s annual Top-Earning Couples list in Hollywood for the second year in a row. The couple married quietly in 2008 and are responsible for everything from music (“Single Ladies” and “Empire State of Mind”) to clothing lines, worldwide tours, and product endorsements (like American Express and Budweiser). (Entertainment Weekly)
Check out a recent Beyonce Nintendo commercial below:
