The Forbes Top 40[1][2][3] was an annual list of 40 highest-paid entertainers compiled and published by Forbes magazine from 1987[4] until 1998. The following year, 1999, it was created the Forbes Celebrity 100. The list was published every September, compiled by using the income of performers over two years to overcome the year-to-year of a performer's income.[5]

Forbes logo

Forbes representatives said that those individual are "more than entertainers, they are businesses", declaring: "Not only do they create wealth for the entertainment industry and their business sponsors, they create wealth for the nation in exportable merchandize in the form of TV programming, motion pictures, and videocassette and music recordings".[6]

Forbes Top 40 lists

edit

Below is the top 10 for each year since the list's inception.

1980s

edit
1987[6]
No. Recipient Career
1   Bill Cosby Television personality
2   Sylvester Stallone Actor
3   Bruce Springsteen Musician
4   Charles Schulz Cartoonist
5   Eddie Murphy Actor
6   Steven Spielberg Filmmaker
7   Madonna Musician
8   Whitney Houston Musician
9   Michael Jackson Musician
10   Johnny Carson Television personality
Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey, perennial individuals in the Top 10, have the most appearances with 12 and 10 respectively. Spielberg topped the list three times and Winfrey two (the first ever woman to do so in Forbes).
1988[5]
No. Recipient Career
1   Michael Jackson Musician
2   Bill Cosby Television personality
3   Steven Spielberg Filmmaker
4   Sylvester Stallone Actor
5   Eddie Murphy Actor
6   Charles Schulz Cartoonist
7   Bruce Springsteen Musician
8   Mike Tyson Sportsperson (Boxing)
9   Madonna Musician
10   Arnold Schwarzenegger Actor
Michael Jackson and Madonna, were the perennial solo music performers of the Top 10, with 8 and 5 appearances respectively.
1989[7]
No. Recipient Career
1   Michael Jackson Musician
2   Steven Spielberg Filmmaker
3   Bill Cosby Television personality
4   Mike Tyson Sportsperson (Boxer)
5   Charles Schulz Cartoonist
6   Eddie Murphy Actor
7   Pink Floyd Musicians
8   The Rolling Stones Musicians
9   Oprah Winfrey Television personality
10   George Michael Musician
The Rolling Stone were the music band with most appearances (7), as well the most for non-American entertainers. The Beatles attained the highest ranks for non-Americans.

1990s

edit
1990[8]
No. Recipient Career
1   Bill Cosby Television personality
2   Michael Jackson Musician
3   The Rolling Stones Musicians
4   Steven Spielberg Filmmaker
5   New Kids on the Block Musicians
6   Oprah Winfrey Television personality
7   Sylvester Stallone Actor
8   Madonna Musician
9   Arnold Schwarzenegger Actor
10   Charles Schulz Cartoonist
1991[9]
No. Recipient Career
1   New Kids on the Block Musician
2   Bill Cosby Television personality
3   Oprah Winfrey Television personality
4   Madonna Musician
5   Michael Jackson Musician
6   Kevin Costner Actor
7   Johnny Carson Television personality
8   The Rolling Stones Musicians
9   Charles Schulz Cartoonist
10   Steven Spielberg Filmmaker
Bill Cosby (8), Charles Schulz (7) and David Copperfield (5) composed the rest of perennials Top 10 entertainers.
1992[10]
No. Recipient Career
1   Bill Cosby Television personality
2   Oprah Winfrey Television personality
3   Kevin Costner Actor
4   New Kids on the Block Musicians
5   Steven Spielberg Filmmaker
6   Michael Jackson Musician
7   Charles Schulz Cartoonist
8   Madonna Musician
9   Julio Iglesias Musician
10   Guns N' Roses Musicians
1993[11]
No. Recipient Career
1   Oprah Winfrey Television personality
2   Steven Spielberg Filmmaker
3   Bill Cosby Television personality
4   Guns N' Roses Musicians
5   Prince Musician
6   Charles Schulz Cartoonist
7   Kevin Costner Actor
8   U2 Musicians
9   Garth Brooks Musician
10   David Copperfield Illusionist
1994[12]
No. Recipient Career
1   Steven Spielberg Filmmaker
2   Oprah Winfrey Television personality
3   Sheryl Leach Television personality
4   Pink Floyd Musicians
5   Bill Cosby Television personality
6   Barbra Streisand Musician
7   Eagles Musicians
8   David Copperfield Illusionist
9   The Rolling Stones Musicians
10   Harrison Ford Actor
1995[13]
No. Recipient Career
1   Steven Spielberg Filmmaker
2   Oprah Winfrey Television personality
3   The Beatles Musicians
4   The Rolling Stones Musicians
5   Eagles Musicians
6   David Copperfield Illusionist
7   Pink Floyd Musicians
8   Michael Jackson Musician
9   Barbra Streisand Musician
10   Sylvester Stallone Actor
1996[14][15]
No. Recipient Career
1   Oprah Winfrey Television personality
2   Steven Spielberg Filmmaker
3   The Beatles Musicians
4   Michael Jackson Musician
5   The Rolling Stones Musicians
6   Eagles Musicians
7   Arnold Schwarzenegger Actor
8   David Copperfield Illusionist
9   Jim Carrey Actor
10   Michael Crichton Filmmaker
1997[16]
No. Recipient Career
1   Steven Spielberg Filmmaker
2   George Lucas Filmmaker
3   Oprah Winfrey Television personality
4   Michael Crichton Filmmaker
5   The Beatles Musicians
6   Jerry Seinfeld Television personality
7   David Copperfield Illusionist
8   Stephen King Author
9   Tom Cruise Actor
10   Arnold Schwarzenegger Actor
1998[17]
No. Recipient Career
1   Jerry Seinfeld Television personality
2   Larry David Television personality
3   Steven Spielberg Filmmaker
4   Oprah Winfrey Television personality
5   James Cameron Filmmaker
6   Tim Allen Actor
7   Michael Crichton Filmmaker
8   Harrison Ford Actor
9   The Rolling Stones Musicians
10   Master P Musician

Statistics

edit
Most entries by entertainer at the top 10
Entries Individual Country of origin Main profession
12 Steven Spielberg United States Filmmaker
10 Oprah Winfrey Television personality
8 Michael Jackson Musician
Bill Cosby Television personality
7 The Rolling Stones United Kingdom Musicians
Charles Schulz United States Cartoonist
5 Madonna Musician
David Copperfield Illusionist

Forbes reports and summarize

edit

Forbes 20th-century lists were predominantly dominated by male figures. In 1996 alone, only four female celebrities made appearances at the list (Oprah Winfrey ranked 1, Roseanne Barr at 25, Mariah Carey at 33, and Sandra Bullock at 40). Winfrey, however, often appeared even above many individuals regardless of gender, which has been maintained with the inception of Forbes Celebrity 100 in 1999. Various musicians often dominated the list, although high ranks were not usually attained by female artists. Like Winfrey, Madonna was an almost premier exception.[18]

On the other hand, lists were dominated by American personalities rather than foreigners.[19] The Beatles attained the highest ranked for non-Americans.[19] According to Forbes, after list' 11th anniversary, Steven Spielberg and Bill Cosby were the individuals with the most appearances at the top, with three each.[19]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "The Forbes TOP 40". Forbes. September 22, 1997. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  2. ^ "Hollywood's idea moguls". Forbes. September 21, 1998. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  3. ^ "The Forbes Top 40". Forbes. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
  4. ^ Bibisi, Suzan (December 2, 1991). "Michael Jackson vs Madonna". Orlando Sentinel. Archived from the original on September 3, 2022. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Michael Jackson tops list of best-paid entertainers". United Press International (UPI). September 18, 1988. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  6. ^ a b Winship, Frederick M. (September 6, 1987). "Bill Cosby tops list of highest paid entertainers". United Press International (UPI). Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  7. ^ "Michael Jackson tops Forbes's 'richest stars' list again". United Press International (UPI). September 16, 1989. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  8. ^ "Forbes Magazine's Highest-Paid Entertainers With PM-Richest Entertainers". Associated Press News. September 17, 1990. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  9. ^ "Forbes Magazine's Highest-Paid Entertainers With AM-Richest Entertainers". Associated Press News. September 15, 1991. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  10. ^ "Forbes Magazine's 40 Richest Entertainers With AM-Richest Entertainers". Associated Press News. September 13, 1992. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  11. ^ "Oprah Tops Forbes List of Highest Grossing Celebs: CELEBRITIES (List Top 25)". Jet. September 27, 1993. p. 13. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  12. ^ "Spielberg Is Top-Paid Entertaier; Syrupy Barney Rings in at No. 3". Deseret News. September 12, 1994. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  13. ^ "Beatles In The Money Again, Forbes Says Band Earned Third Most Money, Behind Steven Spielberg, Oprah". The Spokesman-Review. September 11, 1995. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
  14. ^ Gerhart, Ann; Groer, Annie (September 9, 1996). "Yoga Teacher Makes Peace in Cleveland Park". Washington Post. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  15. ^ "TOP 40 (money makers for 95-96)". Racine Journal Times. September 9, 1996. Archived from the original on August 2, 2022. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  16. ^ "In the money". Tampa Bay Times. September 9, 1997. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  17. ^ "Forbes list of entertainers". Associated Press News. September 7, 1998. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
  18. ^ "Let's get "Serious," The Attack on Madonna Scholarship". On the Issues. 1993. Archived from the original on January 2, 2011. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
  19. ^ a b c "Little known facts about the Forbes 40". Forbes. September 12, 1997. Archived from the original on August 2, 2022. Retrieved August 2, 2022.