The World's Highest-Paid DJs Of 2018

The first time Zedd toured professionally as a DJ, opening for Skrillex, his production setup consisted of little more than a laptop and a folding table. In the break between him and the next DJ, he'd simply loop a song and walk off the stage.

"That is not the thing anymore today," Zedd told Forbes last fall. "Everything is really professional. From the changeover music--from what you hear and see, between each DJ--to the cost you spend on a show ... the expenses have gone up dramatically."

So have the earnings. Five years ago, Zedd was banking $3.5 million annually; since then, he's hauled in more than $100 million, including $22 million over the past year alone — and that's only good enough for No. 6 on our list of the world's highest-paid DJs. The top 15 acts all earned $10 million or more, with the top 10 banking more than a quarter billion dollars in aggregate.

Calvin Harris tops the list for the sixth consecutive year with earnings of $48 million, continuing to pull in healthy six-figure checks for his sets in Las Vegas — and well into the seven figures for headlining festival performances from Japan to Croatia. The Chainsmokers are right behind him ($45.5 million); the duo behind "Closer" and "Something Just Like This" played more than 100 shows in our scoring period. Says the act's cofounder, Alex Pall: “I’m curious to see what happens next.”

Veteran DJ/producer Tiësto ($33 million) ranks No. 3, staying relevant with collaborations like “Jackie Chan,” his new single with Post Malone. Steve Aoki ($28 million) follows, playing a whopping 200 shows in our scoring period, sometimes two in a single day. Marshmello ($23 million) rounds out the top five — in addition to six-figure nightly fees, he’s puffed up his social presence with the YouTube series “Cooking With Marshmello.”

Other big names on the list include No. 8 David Guetta ($15 million), who continues to draw crowds — and healthy fees — for his sets in locales from the Encore Beach Club in Las Vegas to Pacha on Ibiza in his native Europe. Coming in at No. 10 is 22-year-old Martin Garrix ($13 million), who played more than 90 gigs in our scoring period, including the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics in South Korea.




Intro
The most popular DJs on the planet continue to spin profits at an incredible clip. This year, the top fifteen acts all earned $10 million or more, banking more than a quarter billion dollars in all. Read on to see the full list.

15. Afrojack ($10 million)

The Dutch DJ continues to play a healthy amount of gigs across the globe, but has been focused on finding his next step in the business world of late, partnering with LDH Europe on search to find the world’s next big pop act. "Richard Branson's balling," he told��Forbes. "[Carlos Slim] is balling. I ain't nowhere near balling."

14. Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike ($10.5 million)

Ironically less well-known in Nevada than their native Europe, Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike make most of their money abroad. The duo clocks healthy six-figure fees at festivals from Tomorrowland in Belgium to Electric Daisy Carnival in Japan.

13. DJ Snake ($11 million)
The French DJ of “Turn Down For What” fame is currently part of the Pardon My French DJ collective. He cashes in on myriad festival gigs and a new label, Premiere Classe Records. And he keeps his finger on the pulse of both his U.S. and European audiences with features from popular artists like Cardi B.

12. Kygo ($11.5 million)
When we look at Kygo’s earnings, we see fire. The Norwegian DJ is on tour promoting his second studio album, Kids In Love. More than half of his earnings come from the road; he also banks millions from recorded music and publishing.

11. Axwell Ingrosso ($12 million)
Since breaking off from Swedish House Mafia, the duo has cashed in. Axwell Ingrosso released their first studio album in December of 2017 and have since played at many of the biggest U.S. and European house events from Ultra to Tomorrowland.

10. Martin Garrix ($13 million)
At just 22, the Dutch DJ is one of the youngest in the game. Last year he became a face of Armani Exchange; of his 90-plus gigs during our scoring period, his biggest was headlining the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics in South Korea.

9. Kaskade ($13.5 million)
One of the best-known veterans of EDM, Kaskade makes bank with constant touring—including a few with his own twist. Kaskade started throwing his Sun Soaked beach parties in 2017, drawing 30,000 people to the sold-out ragers.

8. David Guetta ($15 million)

The veteran DJ continues to draw crowds—and healthy fees—for his sets in locales from the Encore Beach Club in Las Vegas to Pacha on Ibiza in his native Europe. Last year’s single “Dirty Sexy Money” with Afrojack and Charli XCX charted in more than a dozen countries.

7. Diplo ($20 million)
A maestro of the side hustle, Diplo is an investor in MatchaBar and shills for Bacardi through his “Sound of Rum” creative partnership. The DJ’s varied empire has even reached the small screen — he’s a producer on the tongue-in-cheek Viceland series “What Would Diplo Do?”

6. Zedd ($22 million)

The Russia-born, Germany-raised musician doesn’t even consider himself a DJ: “I see myself as an artist who presents a show," he told Forbes last year. That’s been quite lucrative, considering he gets six-figure fees for those shows, and plays more than 100 of them per year.

5. Marshmello ($23 million)
He may not be the highest-paid DJ, but Marshmello is certainly the top-earning snack on our list. In addition to his nightly fees, he’s puffed up his social presence with the YouTube series “Cooking With Marshmello” and collaborated on new music with acts from Selena Gomez to Logic.

4. Steve Aoki ($28 million)
Nobody in the electronic business works harder than Aoki, who played 200 shows in our scoring period, sometimes two in a single day. He pads his coffers by shilling for the likes of Dropbox, Zumba and the airline ANA; Aoki also signed on with Diesel watches in May.

3. Tiësto ($33 million)
The 49-year-old Dutch DJ continues to work harder than peers half his age, performing some 150 gigs during our scoring period. He stays relevant with collaborations like “Jackie Chan,” his new single with Post Malone, and recently extended his residency with Hakkasan through 2020.

2. The Chainsmokers ($45.5 million)
The DJ-producers behind "Closer" and "Something Just Like This" are in the final stretch of an exclusive thee-year residency deal with Wynn Nightlife, and collect nightly checks in the mid six-figures for their sets--more than 100 during our scoring period. Says the duo’s cofounder, Alex Pall: “I’m curious to see what happens next.”

1. Calvin Harris ($48 million)
Electronic music’s king continues to pull in healthy six-figure checks for his sets in Las Vegas--and well into the seven figures for headlining festival performances from Japan to Croatia. New single "One Kiss" topped the charts in his native U.K. and across Europe.

Near Misses

Plenty of DJs earned millions over the past year, but still fell short of the cutoff needed to land on the latest edition of our list. Among them: Alesso, Armin van Buuren, Deadmau5, Hardwell and Skrillex.

Methodology

Our list of the world’s highest-paid DJs ranks electronic acts around the globe using their pretax earnings from June 1, 2017 through June 1, 2018, before deducting fees for lawyers, agents and managers. Estimates are based on numbers from Nielsen, Pollstar, Bandsintown and Songkick, as well as interviews with industry experts and many of the stars themselves.






Our list of the world’s highest-paid DJs ranks electronic acts around the globe using their pretax earnings from June 1, 2017 through June 1, 2018, before deducting fees for lawyers, agents and managers. Estimates are based on numbers from Nielsen, Pollstar, Bandsintown and Songkick, as well as interviews with industry experts and many of the stars themselves.

All in all, the top 10's $260 million haul fell a bit short of last year's $298 million, partly due to the maturation — and, some would say, plateauing — of the live electronic music market. Other factors, such as Skrillex's decision to have a quiet year by his standards after earning $30 million in 2017, impacted the total tally.

Skrillex is one of many DJs who earned millions over the past year but still fell short of the cutoff needed to land on the latest edition of our list. Among them: Alesso, Armin van Buuren, Deadmau5 and Hardwell. Look for them to challenge for a spot again next year.

In the meantime, the top DJs will keep pushing — onstage and off — to reach ever greater heights. Take the example of Afrojack (No. 15, $10 million), who recently partnered with LDH Europe to find the world’s next big pop act.

"Richard Branson's balling," he once told Forbes. "[Carlos Slim] is balling. I ain't nowhere near balling."
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