Forbes magazine released its annual 25 musicians that make way more than you list for 2012, with Justin Bieber and Michael Bublé being the only artists north of the border to clear north of $33 million US between May 2011 and May 2012.
At just 18, Bieber is the youngest on the list (although definitely not the only one hawking a line of perfume), and Bublé is, well, the only one on the list to win a Juno Award for a Christmas album.
Many superstar artists you'd expect to see on a list like this are there, including Rihanna, Adele, Britney Spears, Kanye West, Jay-Z and Take That.
Wait a second, Take That? That's right, the British '90s boy band featuring Robbie Williams came in at number five, based on a $61-million-grossing reunion tour, which means that one, they likely won't be able to repeat the success next year, and two, Brits will pay for anything.
But there were also some other major surprises, such as: headphone manufacturer Dr. Dre, who hasn't released a solo album since 1999, was at the top of the list with $110 million, thanks in large part to said headphones; and the smooth operating Sade, whose biggest hit song was in 1984 (despite her ongoing cult popularity and numerous R&B Grammy Awards), came in at number 25 following a lucrative tour.
But perhaps the biggest surprise of all? No Nickelback. That's right, the band that was literally designed to make money and enemies at a simultaneously alarming rate was nowhere to be seen on the list.
According to a Bloomberg feature all about how Nickelback are financial geniuses, Chad Kroeger was earning $9.7 million a year as of May 2011, far below Bon Jovi's $60 million, Bieber's $55 million or even Bublé's $34 million.
Perhaps Kroeger needs to follow the Bieb's example and branch out into more branded products, such as some Abbey Dawn pants that permanently remain around your feet, maybe Nickelback picture frames for every time you want to look at this photograph, or a #Chavril line of, I don't know, chap stick?
How can Nickelback top the Forbes list next year? Let us hear your best suggestions in the comments below.
Here's the full "World's Highest-Paid Musicians" list for 2012
01. Dr Dre – $110 Million
02. Roger Waters – $88 Million
03. Elton John – $80 Million
04. U2 – $78 Million
05. Take That – $69 Million
06. Bon Jovi – $60 Million
07. Britney Spears – $58 Million
08. Paul McCartney – $57 Million (tie)
08. Taylor Swift – $57 Million (tie)
10. Justin Bieber – $55 Million (tie)
10. Toby Keith – $55 Million (tie)
12. Rihanna – $53 Million
13. Lady GaGa – $52 Million
14. Foo Fighters – $47 Million
15. Diddy – $45 Million (tie)
15. Katy Perry – $45 Million (tie)
17. Kenny Chesney – $44 Million
18. Beyoncé – $40 Million
19. Red Hot Chili Peppers – $39 Million
20. Jay-Z – $38 Million
21. Coldplay – $37 Million
22. Adele – $35 Million (tie)
22. Kanye West – $35 Million (tie)
24. Michael Bublé – $34 Million
25. Sade – $33 Million
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