Forbes Top 40

Last updated August 24, 2025

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 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

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

1980s

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 Stones 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

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

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
8	Bill Cosby		Television personality
7	The Rolling Stones	United Kingdom	Musicians
7	Charles Schulz	United States	Cartoonist
5	Madonna		Musician
5	David Copperfield		Illusionist

Forbes reports and summarize

Forbes 20th-century lists were predominantly dominated by male figures. In 1996 alone, only four female celebrities made appearances on 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]

References

↑ "The Forbes TOP 40". Forbes. September 22, 1997. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
↑ "Hollywood's idea moguls". Forbes. September 21, 1998. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
↑ "The Forbes Top 40". Forbes. Retrieved August 3, 2022.
↑ Bibisi, Suzan (December 2, 1991). "Michael Jackson vs Madonna". Orlando Sentinel . Archived from the original on September 3, 2022. Retrieved March 11, 2023.
1 2 "Michael Jackson tops list of best-paid entertainers". United Press International (UPI). September 18, 1988. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
1 2 Winship, Frederick M. (September 6, 1987). "Bill Cosby tops list of highest paid entertainers". United Press International (UPI). Retrieved July 27, 2022.
↑ "Michael Jackson tops Forbes's 'richest stars' list again". United Press International (UPI). September 16, 1989. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
↑ "Forbes Magazine's Highest-Paid Entertainers With PM-Richest Entertainers". Associated Press News. September 17, 1990. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
↑ "Forbes Magazine's Highest-Paid Entertainers With AM-Richest Entertainers". Associated Press News. September 15, 1991. Retrieved July 27, 2022.
↑ "Forbes Magazine's 40 Richest Entertainers With AM-Richest Entertainers". Associated Press News. September 13, 1992. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
↑ "Oprah Tops Forbes List of Highest Grossing Celebs: CELEBRITIES (List Top 25)". Jet . September 27, 1993. p. 13. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
↑ "Spielberg Is Top-Paid Entertaier; Syrupy Barney Rings in at No. 3". Deseret News . September 12, 1994. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
↑ "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.
↑ Gerhart, Ann; Groer, Annie (September 9, 1996). "Yoga Teacher Makes Peace in Cleveland Park". Washington Post . Retrieved August 2, 2022.
↑ "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.
↑ "In the money". Tampa Bay Times . September 9, 1997. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
↑ "Forbes list of entertainers". Associated Press News. September 7, 1998. Retrieved August 2, 2022.
↑ "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.
1 2 3 "Little known facts about the Forbes 40". Forbes . September 12, 1997. Archived from the original on August 2, 2022. Retrieved August 2, 2022.

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[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.

[Forbes88-5] 1 2 "Michael Jackson tops list of best-paid entertainers". United Press International (UPI). September 18, 1988. Retrieved July 27, 2022.

[Forbes87-6] 1 2 Winship, Frederick M. (September 6, 1987). "Bill Cosby tops list of highest paid entertainers". United Press International (UPI). Retrieved July 27, 2022.

[Forbes89-7] "Michael Jackson tops Forbes's 'richest stars' list again". United Press International (UPI). September 16, 1989. Retrieved July 27, 2022.

[Forbes90-8] "Forbes Magazine's Highest-Paid Entertainers With PM-Richest Entertainers". Associated Press News. September 17, 1990. Retrieved July 27, 2022.

[Forbes91-9] "Forbes Magazine's Highest-Paid Entertainers With AM-Richest Entertainers". Associated Press News. September 15, 1991. Retrieved July 27, 2022.

[Forbes92-10] "Forbes Magazine's 40 Richest Entertainers With AM-Richest Entertainers". Associated Press News. September 13, 1992. Retrieved August 2, 2022.

[Forbes9293-11] "Oprah Tops Forbes List of Highest Grossing Celebs: CELEBRITIES (List Top 25)". Jet . September 27, 1993. p. 13. Retrieved April 18, 2022.

[Forbes1994-12] "Spielberg Is Top-Paid Entertaier; Syrupy Barney Rings in at No. 3". Deseret News . September 12, 1994. Retrieved August 2, 2022.

[Forbes95-13] "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.

[Forbes96-14] Gerhart, Ann; Groer, Annie (September 9, 1996). "Yoga Teacher Makes Peace in Cleveland Park". Washington Post . Retrieved August 2, 2022.

[1996data-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.

[Forbes97-16] "In the money". Tampa Bay Times . September 9, 1997. Retrieved August 2, 2022.

[Forbes98-17] "Forbes list of entertainers". Associated Press News. September 7, 1998. Retrieved August 2, 2022.

[Ouellette-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.

[Report-19] 1 2 3 "Little known facts about the Forbes 40". Forbes . September 12, 1997. Archived from the original on August 2, 2022. Retrieved August 2, 2022.

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