# Forbes Celebrity 100

Celebrity 100 was an annual list compiled and published by Forbes magazine from 1999 to 2020, preceded by the Forbes Top 40 entertainers list. Until 2014, the rankings were made based on a complex combination of factors, including earnings, social media following, magazine covers and a range of qualitative metrics, with the aim of "measuring power". Since 2015, Forbes had solely factored pretax earnings (from June of the previous year through June of the publishing year), before deducting fees for managers, lawyers and agents.

## Celebrity 100 lists

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

### Top 10 most powerful celebrities

1999 :
| No. | Recipient | Career |
| 1 | Michael Jordan | Sportsperson (basketball) |
| 2 | Oprah Winfrey | Television personality |
| 3 | Leonardo DiCaprio | Actor |
| 4 | Jerry Seinfeld | Comedian |
| 5 | Steven Spielberg | Filmmaker |
| 6 | Spice Girls | Musicians |
| 7 | Harrison Ford | Actor |
| 8 | Robin Williams | Comedian |
| 9 | Celine Dion | Musician |
| 10 | The Rolling Stones | Musicians |
* Note: Jerry Seinfeld was the highest-paid celebrity of 1999, with $267 million.
2000 :
| No. | Recipient | Career |
| 1 | Julia Roberts | Actress |
| 2 | George Lucas | Filmmaker |
| 3 | Oprah Winfrey | Television personality |
| 4 | Tom Hanks | Actor |
| 5 | Michael Jordan | Sportsperson (basketball) |
| 6 | The Rolling Stones | Musicians |
| 7 | Tiger Woods | Sportsperson (golf) |
| 8 | Backstreet Boys | Musicians |
| 9 | Cher | Musician |
| 10 | Steven Spielberg | Filmmaker |
* Note: George Lucas was the highest-paid celebrity of 2000, with $400 million.
2001 :
| No. | Recipient | Career |
| 1 | Tom Cruise | Actor |
| 2 | Tiger Woods | Sportsperson (golf) |
| 3 | The Beatles | Musicians |
| 4 | Britney Spears | Musician |
| 5 | Bruce Willis | Actor |
| 6 | Michael Jordan | Sportsperson (basketball) |
| 7 | Backstreet Boys | Musicians |
| 8 | NSYNC | Musicians |
| 9 | Oprah Winfrey | Television personality |
| 10 | Mel Gibson | Actor |
* Note: George Lucas was the highest-paid celebrity of 2001, with $250 million.
2002 :
| No. | Recipient | Career |
| 1 | Britney Spears | Musician |
| 2 | Tiger Woods | Sportsperson (golf) |
| 3 | Steven Spielberg | Filmmaker |
| 4 | Madonna | Musician |
| 5 | U2 | Musicians |
| 6 | NSYNC | Musicians |
| 7 | Mariah Carey | Musicians |
| 8 | Oprah Winfrey | Television personality |
| 9 | Michael Jordan | Sportsperson (basketball) |
| 10 | Tom Hanks | Actor |
* Note: George Lucas was the highest-paid celebrity of 2002, with $200 million.
2003 :
| No. | Recipient | Career |
| 1 | Jennifer Aniston | Actress |
| 2 | Eminem/ Dr. Dre | Musicians |
| 3 | Tiger Woods | Sportsperson (golf) |
| 4 | Steven Spielberg | Filmmaker |
| 5 | Jennifer Lopez | Musician and actress |
| 6 | Paul McCartney | Musician |
| 7 | Ben Affleck | Actor |
| 8 | Oprah Winfrey | Television personality |
| 9 | Tom Hanks | Actor |
| 10 | The Rolling Stones | Musicians |
* Note: Steven Spielberg was the highest-paid celebrity of 2003, with $200 million.
2004 :
| No. | Recipient | Career |
| 1 | Mel Gibson | Actor |
| 2 | Tiger Woods | Sportsperson (golf) |
| 3 | Oprah Winfrey | Television personality |
| 4 | Tom Cruise | Actor |
| 5 | The Rolling Stones | Musicians |
| 6 | J.K. Rowling | Writer |
| 7 | Michael Jordan | Sportsperson (basketball) |
| 8 | Bruce Springsteen | Musician |
| 9 | Steven Spielberg | Filmmaker |
| 10 | Johnny Depp | Actor |
* Note: Mel Gibson was the highest-paid celebrity of 2004, with $210 million.
2005 :
| No. | Recipient | Career |
| 1 | Oprah Winfrey | Television personality |
| 2 | Tiger Woods | Sportsperson (golf) |
| 3 | Mel Gibson | Actor |
| 4 | George Lucas | Filmmaker |
| 5 | Shaquille O'Neal | Sportsperson (basketball) |
| 6 | Steven Spielberg | Filmmaker |
| 7 | Johnny Depp | Actor |
| 8 | Madonna | Musician |
| 9 | Elton John | Musician |
| 10 | Tom Cruise | Actor |
* Note: George Lucas was the highest-paid celebrity of 2005, with $290 million.
2006 :
| No. | Recipient | Career |
| 1 | Tom Cruise | Actor |
| 2 | The Rolling Stones | Musicians |
| 3 | Oprah Winfrey | Television personality |
| 4 | U2 | Musicians |
| 5 | Tiger Woods | Sportsperson (golf) |
| 6 | Steven Spielberg | Filmmaker |
| 7 | Howard Stern | Radio personality |
| 8 | 50 Cent | Musician |
| 9 | James Gandolfini, Lorraine Bracco, Edie Falco, Michael Imperioli, Jamie-Lynn Sigler | Actors |
| 10 | Dan Brown | Writer |
* Note: Steven Spielberg was the highest-paid celebrity of 2006, with $332 million.
2007 :
| No. | Recipient | Career |
| 1 | Oprah Winfrey | Television personality |
| 2 | Tiger Woods | Sportsperson (golf) |
| 3 | Madonna | Musician |
| 4 | The Rolling Stones | Musicians |
| 5 | Brad Pitt | Actor |
| 6 | Johnny Depp | Actor |
| 7 | Elton John | Musician |
| 8 | Tom Cruise | Actor |
| 9 | Jay-Z | Musician |
| 10 | Steven Spielberg | Filmmaker |
* Note: Oprah Winfrey was the highest-paid celebrity of 2007, with $260 million.
2008 :
| No. | Recipient | Career |
| 1 | Oprah Winfrey | Television personality |
| 2 | Tiger Woods | Sportsperson (golf) |
| 3 | Angelina Jolie | Actress |
| 4 | Beyoncé | Musician |
| 5 | David Beckham | Sportsperson (association football) |
| 6 | Johnny Depp | Actor |
| 7 | Jay-Z | Musician |
| 8 | The Police | Musicians |
| 9 | J.K. Rowling | Writer |
| 10 | Brad Pitt/ Paula Deen | Actor / Television personality |
* Note: J.K. Rowling was the highest-paid celebrity of 2008, with $300 million.
2009 :
| No. | Recipient | Career |
| 1 | Angelina Jolie | Actress |
| 2 | Oprah Winfrey | Television personality |
| 3 | Madonna | Musician |
| 4 | Beyoncé | Musician |
| 5 | Tiger Woods | Sportsperson (golf) |
| 6 | Bruce Springsteen | Musician |
| 7 | Steven Spielberg | Filmmaker |
| 8 | Jennifer Aniston | Actress |
| 9 | Brad Pitt | Actor |
| 10 | Kobe Bryant | Sportsperson (basketball) |
* Note: Oprah Winfrey was the highest-paid celebrity of 2009, with $275 million.
2010 :
| No. | Recipient | Career |
| 1 | Oprah Winfrey | Television personality |
| 2 | Beyoncé | Musician |
| 3 | James Cameron | Filmmaker |
| 4 | Lady Gaga | Musician |
| 5 | Tiger Woods | Sportsperson (golf) |
| 6 | Britney Spears | Musician |
| 7 | U2 | Musicians |
| 8 | Sandra Bullock | Actress |
| 9 | Johnny Depp | Actor |
| 10 | Madonna | Musician |
* Note: Oprah Winfrey was the highest-paid celebrity of 2010, with $315 million.
2011 :
| No. | Recipient | Career |
| 1 | Lady Gaga | Musician |
| 2 | Oprah Winfrey | Television personality |
| 3 | Justin Bieber | Musician |
| 4 | U2 | Musicians |
| 5 | Elton John | Musician |
| 6 | Tiger Woods | Sportsperson (golf) |
| 7 | Taylor Swift | Musician |
| 8 | Bon Jovi | Musician |
| 9 | Simon Cowell | Television personality |
| 10 | LeBron James | Sportsperson (basketball) |
* Note: Oprah Winfrey was the highest-paid celebrity of 2011, with $290 million.
2012 :
| No. | Recipient | Career |
| 1 | Jennifer Lopez | Musician and actress |
| 2 | Oprah Winfrey | Television personality |
| 3 | Justin Bieber | Musician |
| 4 | Rihanna | Musician |
| 5 | Lady Gaga | Musician |
| 6 | Britney Spears | Musician |
| 7 | Kim Kardashian | Television personality |
| 8 | Katy Perry | Musician |
| 9 | Tom Cruise | Actor |
| 10 | Steven Spielberg | Filmmaker |
* Note: Oprah Winfrey was the highest-paid celebrity of 2012, with $165 million.
2013 :
| No. | Recipient | Career |
| 1 | Oprah Winfrey | Television personality |
| 2 | Lady Gaga | Musician |
| 3 | Steven Spielberg | Filmmaker |
| 4 | Beyoncé | Musician |
| 5 | Madonna | Musician |
| 6 | Taylor Swift | Musician |
| 7 | Bon Jovi | Musicians |
| 8 | Roger Federer | Sportsperson (tennis) |
| 9 | Justin Bieber | Musician |
| 10 | Ellen DeGeneres | Television personality |
* Note: Madonna was the highest-paid celebrity of 2013, with $125 million.
2014 :
| No. | Recipient | Career |
| 1 | Beyoncé | Musician |
| 2 | LeBron James | Sportsperson (basketball) |
| 3 | Dr. Dre | Musician |
| 4 | Oprah Winfrey | Television personality |
| 5 | Ellen DeGeneres | Television personality |
| 6 | Jay-Z | Musician |
| 7 | Floyd Mayweather Jr. | Sportsperson (boxing) |
| 8 | Rihanna | Musician |
| 9 | Katy Perry | Musician |
| 10 | Robert Downey Jr. | Actor |
* Note: Dr. Dre was the highest-paid celebrity of 2014, with $620 million.

### Top 10 highest-paid celebrities

2015 :
| No. | Recipient | Career |
| 1 | Floyd Mayweather Jr. | Sportsperson (boxing) |
| 2 | Manny Pacquiao | Sportsperson (boxing) |
| 3 | Katy Perry | Musician |
| 4 | / One Direction | Musicians |
| 5 | Howard Stern | Television personality |
| 6 | Garth Brooks | Musician |
| 7 | James Patterson | Author |
| 8 | Robert Downey Jr. | Actor |
| 8 | Taylor Swift | Musician |
| 10 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Sportsperson (association football) |
2016 :
| No. | Recipient | Career |
| 1 | Taylor Swift | Musician |
| 2 | / One Direction | Musicians |
| 3 | James Patterson | Author |
| 4 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Sportsman (association football) |
| 4 | Dr. Phil McGraw | Television personality |
| 6 | Kevin Hart | Comedian |
| 7 | Howard Stern | Radio personality |
| 8 | Lionel Messi | Sportsman (association football) |
| 9 | Adele | Musician |
| 10 | Rush Limbaugh | Radio personality |
2017 :
| No. | Recipient | Career |
| 1 | Sean "Diddy" Combs | Musician |
| 2 | Beyoncé | Musician |
| 3 | J. K. Rowling | Author |
| 4 | Drake | Musician |
| 5 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Athlete (association football) |
| 6 | The Weeknd | Musician |
| 7 | Howard Stern | Radio personality |
| 8 | Coldplay | Musicians |
| 9 | James Patterson | Author |
| 10 | LeBron James | Athlete (basketball) |
2018 :
| No. | Recipient | Career |
| 1 | Floyd Mayweather Jr. | Athlete (boxing) |
| 2 | George Clooney | Actor |
| 3 | Kylie Jenner | Personality |
| 4 | Judge Judy Sheindlin | Television personality |
| 5 | Dwayne Johnson | Actor |
| 6 | U2 | Musicians |
| 7 | Coldplay | Musicians |
| 8 | Lionel Messi | Athlete (association football) |
| 9 | Ed Sheeran | Musician |
| 10 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Athlete (association football) |
2019 :
| No. | Recipient | Career |
| 1 | Taylor Swift | Musician |
| 2 | Kylie Jenner | Personality |
| 3 | Kanye West | Rapper |
| 4 | Lionel Messi | Athlete (association football) |
| 5 | Ed Sheeran | Musician |
| 6 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Athlete (association football) |
| 7 | Neymar | Athlete (association football) |
| 8 | The Eagles | Music group |
| 9 | Phil McGraw | Television personality |
| 10 | Saul "Canelo" Alvarez | Athlete (boxer) |
2020 :
| No. | Recipient | Career |
| 1 | Kylie Jenner | Media personality |
| 2 | Kanye West | Rapper |
| 3 | Roger Federer | Athlete (tennis) |
| 4 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Athlete (association football) |
| 5 | Lionel Messi | Athlete (association football) |
| 6 | Tyler Perry | Actor |
| 7 | Neymar | Athlete (association football) |
| 8 | Howard Stern | Radio personality |
| 9 | LeBron James | Athlete (basketball) |
| 10 | Dwayne Johnson | Actor |