Methodology
Our estimates for the Electronic Cash Kings list include earnings from live shows, merchandise sales, endorsements, recorded music sales and external business ventures. Sources include Songkick,...
View ArticleNear Misses
Steve Angello’s former Swedish House Mafia colleagues Sebastian Ingrosso and Axwell are among the near misses for this year’s EDM cash kings list. Joining them: DJ Pauly D, Diplo, Paul Oakenfold, and...
View ArticleNo. 12 (TIE): Steve Angello $12 million
Swedish House Mafia pulled in $25 million last year in its swan song as a group, and now its members are earning even more: Steve Angello alone pulled in $12 million. By himself, he still commands...
View ArticleNo. 12 (TIE): Armin van Buuren
The Dutch DJ spent a great deal of the last year playing dates in support of his album, Intense, released in May 2013. His tour included dates in 21 cities and featured six-hour performances from the...
View ArticleNo. 11: Hardwell $13 million
Voted the No. 1 electronic dance music artist in the world by fans in the annual DJ Magazine Top 100 poll, Hardwell debuts on FORBES’ list of top earners. His debut album expected to come out in the...
View ArticleNo. 10: Deadmau5 $16 million
The mouse-head costume-wearing DJ barely played one-tenth the amount of shows that some of the higher-ranked names on this list did, but he made them count, playing mostly lucrative festival gigs that...
View ArticleNo. 9: Skrillex $16.5 million
In March the six-time Grammy winner released his latest album, Recess, to opening week sales of 48,000. The LP has a long way to go to catch his 2010 smash, Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites, but he...
View ArticleNo. 8: Kaskade $17 million
Born Ryan Raddon, the DJ’s tenth album, Atmosphere, earned him a Grammy nomination for Best Dance/Electronica Album. The father of three played more than 120 dates during our scoring period, including...
View ArticleNo. 7: Zedd $21 million
The 24-year-old protégé of Skrillex is now out-earning his mentor, thanks to a nightly DJ fee that has soared from $20,000 last year into the low six figures. Zedd’s rise has been fueled by his...
View ArticleNo. 6: Afrojack $22 million
Nick van de Wall, better known as Afrojack, released his long-anticipated first studio album Forget The World in May. After telling FORBES he turned down higher offers in Las Vegas to stay at the Wynn,...
View ArticleNo. 5: Steve Aoki $23 million
For the first time, Aoki cracks the top five after playing 277 shows in our scoring period. He sometimes plays three shows in a day, and his schedule had almost double the amount of shows of anyone on...
View ArticleNo. 3 (TIE): Tiesto $28 million
In recent years, the veteran Dutch DJ has shifted his focus from Ibiza to Las Vegas, where he now has a massively lucrative residency with megaclub Hakkasan. Playing over 100 shows yet another year in...
View ArticleNo. 3 (TIE): Avicii $28 million
Just 24 years old, the Swedish DJ notched the best year of his career on the strength of his debut album True. The record included "Wake Me Up," which became the first electronic song ever to move more...
View ArticleNo. 2: David Guetta $30 million
The former Parisian club manager commands some of the top fees in Las Vegas but stays true to his European roots, maintaining his weekly F**k Me I’m Famous residency in Ibiza. In the past 12 months,...
View ArticleNo. 1: Calvin Harris $66 million
Born Adam Richard Wiles, the former grocery store stocker earned $66 million in our scoring period, playing more than 125 gigs. He’s found great success in the pop world, working with the likes of...
View ArticleThe World's 12 Highest-Paid DJs
Calvin Harris is once again EDM’s Cash King, pulling in $66 million over the past 12 months. The top ten earners on our list racked up a staggering $268 million this year, 11% more than the $241...
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