When it comes to the music industry, you wouldn’t consider DJs to be the first ones to rake in all the moolah. After all, artists like Eminem, Justin Bieber, and, Jennifer Lopez have been doing that for years now with their chartbuster albums.
But you would be surprised to know that there a few DJ’s who have been minting money like anything and we present to you our list of the top 10 richest DJs in the world who have earned the big bucks with their signature mixes! Till then, you can keep guessing who’s going to be the number one on this list!
Top 10 Richest DJs in the World
10. Diplo- $26 Million
If songs like Set Me Free and Get It Right have been on repeat mode on your phones, you need to credit this man for making it happen. Born as Thomas Wesley Pentz, Diplo is an American DJ, record producer, and songwriter who has ruled this industry for years now.
A popular figure across global concerts, he started his journey as a local DJ in his Philadelphia college and soon rose from the ranks to become one of the most prominent DJs in the business. An ardent lover of soccer, Diplo believes that music is like soccer as both have an instant connect with people across the globe.
9. Fatboy Slim- $30 Million
It’s hard to believe that Norman Quentin Cook aka Fatboy Slim has been in this industry for so many years now. Having started his career in the 1980s, Slim is considered to be the pioneer of the big beat genre and has based most of his music around it.
Slim has gone on to make chartbusters such as Right Here, Right Now and Better Living Through Chemistry, all of which attained critical and commercial success. However, it was his 2013 release, Eat Sleep Rave Repeat which shattered the music charts and took his game one notch higher.
8. Judge Jules- $42 Million
A DJ, a record producer, and an entertainment lawyer, Judge Jules is a that man possesses multiple talents. He started his DJing career in 1987 and used to play at various clubs and small events before making it to the big stage. In 1995, he was declared as the Best DJ in the World by DJ Mag.
In 1997, he started his own radio show with Radio 1 but quit his role after doing it professionally for 14 years. Today, Jules is a lot more than a DJ and has gone on to become an entertainment lawyer as well.
7. Skrillex- $50 Million
Featuring at number seven in our list of richest DJs in the world is this renowned DJ who goes by the name of Skrillex. An American DJ, singer, songwriter, and record producer, Skrillex is one of the most known names at mega DJing events such as Sunburn and Tomorrowland.
Skrillex’s style cannot be likened to that of any other DJ and is known for producing unique and out-of-the-box beats and mixes. He believes in doing things in a very minimal and unconventional way and is a firm believer in honing his craft constantly. Therefore, it is no surprise that he is featured on this list.
6. Afrojack- $60 Million
Having been born and brought up in Spijkenisse, Netherlands, Afrojack is a world-famous DJ, record producer, and a remixer who has collaborated and mixed songs with some of the biggest DJs in the world.
Afrojack is counted in the Top 100 DJs of the World by DJ Mag and has remixed songs such as Hero and Ten Feet Tall. Apart from being a DJ, he is also the owner of LDH Europe, a talent management company which grooms amateur DJs. All of this makes him a must-feature on the list of the richest DJs in the world!
5. David Guetta- $75 Million
I don’t think there is any artist who hasn’t collaborated with David Guetta considering the number of songs and remixes he has made in his career. Being of French origin, Guetta has been a successful commercial DJ and has gone on to sell records worth 50 million dollars.
The Hey Mama DJs songs have been streamed more than 10 billion times, a rare feat for any DJ. He has been voted as the World’s Best DJ twice in 2011 and 2020 and is currently in association with Sia and Diplo as LSD which produce their own songs and music.
4. Steve Aoki- $95 Million
Occupying the fourth spot in our list of the richest DJs in the world is American DJ, record producer, and music programmer, Steve Aoki. Being the son of millionaire restauranteur Rocky Aoki, Steve decided to follow his passion for music and founded his own record label Dim Mak Records and produced his music under this label.
Since then, there has been no looking back for him and has made music with some of the best in the industry. Aoki has been nominated for the Grammys in 2013 and has also been declared as North America’s highest grossing dance artist. He is also the founder of Steve Aoki Charitable Fund which engages in philanthropic activities. Now, that’s a man with golden hands and a golden heart!
3. DJ Tiesto- $170 Million
Tijs Michiel Verwest aka DJ Tiesto is a Dutch record producer and DJ. He started his career as a DJ for various school events and later started DJing at a number of clubs in the Netherlands. In 1994, he turned professional and produced songs under his own label thereby starting his path to greatness.
DJ Tiesto has been voted as the Greatest DJ of all Time in 2010 and was also regarded as the Best DJ in the last 20 years by DJ Mag. Today, he is worth $170 million and most of his fortune comes from record labels and global tours.
2. Gianlucca Vacci- $200 Million
Coming in at a close second in this list of the richest DJs is Italian DJ and author Gianlucca Vacci. Known for more than his music, this 50-year old Italian leads a lavish lifestyle and is also a fitness freak which makes him look anything but his age.
Despite all of that, this muscular looking dude also earns those millions due to his suave personality and his immense following on social media. He also has a family business to his name which has a turnover worth millions. With countless sources of income, there is no reason as to why he shouldn’t feature on this list of the richest DJs in the world!
1. Calvin Harris- $300 Million
Topping the list of the richest DJs in the world is Scottish DJ and singer Calvin Harris. Having started off as an independent artiste, Calvin continued to produce records across Scotland and was eventually spotted by Three Six Zero Group which gave him his golden ticket to fame.
Since then, Harris has been on a roll and releases at least 2 albums annually whilst working with some of the biggest artistes such as Taylor Swift and The Weeknd. His global tours and his record-breaking music earn him a treasure trove of dollars, thereby making him the numero uno of this list on the richest DJs in the world!
