Billboard and Forbes both have their own sorts of money-focused articles concerning DJs, musicians, entertainers, and celebrities. Each list attempts to be as accurate as possible, and as far as the public knows, is the best representation of how much these figures are making in their careers. Billboard just released their list of highest-paid musicians in 2018, and the list may surprise you.
For an explanation of how Billboard came to these results, go here.
Though their headline states “highest-paid,” the reality is that the list focuses on highest-earning, looking at a variety of figures like album sales, streaming royalties, publishing earnings, touring fees, and more. If it was just “highest-paid,” the only thing we assume would be looked at would be touring fees, but that is not the case. 
In any case, only one EDM group made the list, and it’s not even an EDM group anymore by many people’s standards: The Chainsmokers.
According to Billboard, The Chainsmokers earned $1.5 million in unspecified sales, $2.5 million from streaming, $1.4 million from publishing, and a hefty $3.7 million from touring. This brings them to a nice total of $9.1 million in 2018, and the number 50 spot on the list, just barely making it in.
We’re sure other notable figures like Calvin Harris, David Guetta, and Martin Garrix aren’t far behind, but The Chainsmokers still have a commanding lead.
See the full top 50 list on Billboard here.
Photo via Rukes.com
