The Forbes Rich List doesn’t just include bankers, industry kingpins and celebrities. Now Forbes have released a list of the world’s highest-paid DJs, and Calvin Harris has topped the charts for the second year in a row, firmly establishing him as the dance scene’s ‘cash king’.
The Scottish DJ’s annual earnings went up from $46million the year before, to a whopping $66million in the last 12 months. Those figures include everything from live appearances through to merchandising, endorsements and other business ventures that are related to the music industry but fall outside the ‘DJ’ arena. His earnings also include recorded music sales.
Other names on the DJ Rich List include French house DJ David Guetta ( worth a cool $30million last year) and Swedish DJ Avicii (coming in at $28million), whose first single Wake Me Up hit number one in the UK charts in 2013.
The complete list of 12 of the world’s top DJs wracked up a colossal $268million between them in just one year, demonstrating just how lucrative the industry can be to those at the very top of their profession.
Don’t give up the day job…
Obviously, earning millions of dollars a year is a rarity in DJ’ing, as it is in any profession. The majority of DJs are lucky to make a decent living from their profession, and often have to take other jobs as well to make ends meet. The old saying ‘don’t give up your day job’ is particularly apt for most DJs, who often only work at weekends. So unless you’ve already made it onto the Forbes List, it’s important to protect your assets properly, as any additional expense if equipment is lost or stolen could effectively end your career on the decks.
There’s one expense that no DJ can afford to skimp on, whether they’re earning a hundred pounds a month, or a million, and that’s DJ insurance. From public liability to insuring your equipment from theft or damage, from car insurance that covers you for commercial use through to contents insurance for your home studio, you need to make sure that you’re properly covered. A few extra pounds spent on a comprehensive package of cover could save you thousands of pounds if your kit is lost, damaged or stolen.
Talk to your broker to get good, honest advice on the best cover, work hard at your craft and eventually you could find yourself joining those top DJs on the Forbes Rich List!