Who is the world’s richest DJ in 2022? Net worths, ranked (2024)

Performing at some of the biggest music festivals in the world, taking VIP gigs in glitzy clubs across the globe – oh, and producing dozens of chart topping hits over the decades – it should come as no surprise that legendary DJs like David Guetta, Steve Aoki and Tiësto have amassed serious fortunes.

But not all fortunes are created equally – and some are invested more wisely than others. So when it comes down to it, who is the king or queen of the dance floor? This is what the number crunchers say …

9 and 10. The Chainsmokers’ Andrew Taggart and Alex Pall: US$80 million each

Both halves of American EDM duo The Chainsmokers have accumulated most of their wealth thanks to their fruitful production partnership. They reportedly made something close to US$200 million together between 2017 and 2020, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

The reason they’ve done so well? “We have been investing very actively since the minute we became ‘not starving’ artists,” says Taggart. Their “second full-time job” is the venture capital firm, Mantis, which focuses on early-stage tech companies and recently raised US$75 million in its second funding round, Forbes reports.

The firm has invested in everything from software as a service and real estate to dental back-office infrastructure firms. They are the largest investors in spirit brand JaJa Tequila, and YellowHeart, a ticketing platform that runs on the blockchain to connect artists and fans’ directly. Clearly not content with their successes so far, the duo also founded Kick The Habit Productions to produce film, television and digital work back in 2018.

8. Thomas Bangalter: US$90 million

Thomas Bangalter has amassed his fortune thanks to being one half of legendary French house music duo Daft Punk. The duo’s back catalogue raked in about US$6.4 million in revenue in just the four years prior to their split in 2021 – long after their seminal early work brought electronic music to the masses – with about half coming from the US and half from overseas, according to Billboard.

However Bangalter has made the most of his musical talents by adding record producer, singer, songwriter, composer and film director to his CV as well. For example, he produced music for the film Irréversible; scored the short film First Point starring Lindsay Lohan back in 2012; co-wrote two songs for The Weeknd with his Daft Punk partner Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo (Starboy and I Feel It Coming); and composed music for the upcoming show Irma Vep, premiering on HBO Max on June 6.

7. Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo: US$90 million

Naturally, the other half of Daft Punk, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, has done just as well as Bangalter from their genre-defining records over the years. In addition, the Frenchman has also teamed up with musician and songwriter Éric Chedeville to establish the group Le Knight Club and record label Crydamoure, according to Celebrity Net Worth. He has also produced songs and albums for several well known French artists including Sébastien Tellier, SebastiAn and Charlotte Gainsbourg, as well as contributing to another of The Weeknd’s songs (this time with fellow French producer and DJ Gesaffelstein) – Hurt You.

6. Swedish House Mafia: US$100 million

With a combined wealth of US$100 million, these three Swedish men are some of the richest DJs in the world, despite splitting in 2013 (and only now getting back together almost a decade later). Consisting of three members – Axwell, Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso – each has a net worth topping more than US$30 million, with possibly tens of millions more per year available to them from live performances, as noted by Celebrity Net Worth.

Each member also bags more from having their own record labels, including Axwell’s Axtone, Angello’s Size Records and X, and Ingrosso’s Refune Music; and they have all added other businesses to their wealth generating portfolios too. In 2016, Ingrosso – as a founder with Axwell and Alesso as partners – launched N1CE Frozen co*cktails, a range of alcoholic ice lollies. Meanwhile, Axwell invests in SurfCleaner, a sophisticated device used in water treatment plants, and Angello channelled some of his money into AnotherBlock, a blockchain-based marketplace for music rights.

5. Steve Aoki: US$120 million

The US DJ and producer has truly been able to turn musical notes into bank notes from his position behind the decks and mixing desk (and, often, crowd-surfing aboard an inflatable life raft). Appearing in about 250 gigs and festivals in a good year, he manages to bag US$30-40 million annually, according to Gem Tracks.

Besides collaborating with artists from Linkin Park and Blink-182 to BTS and the Backstreet Boys, he also has his own record label, Dim Mak Records, and fashion line The Dim Mak Collection. Last year, he also forayed into NFTs and shared with Decrypt that he earned more from it than from music royalties. “If I was to really break down, OK in the 10 years I’ve been making music, six albums, and you culminate all those advances, what I did in one drop last year in NFTs I made more money,” he said.

The 44-year old also has small stakes in Uber, and Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

4. David Guetta: US$150 million

Dubbed “the Grandfather of EDM”, the French DJ and house producer has sold 50 million albums worldwide, according to Variety, and album sales and tours earn him between US$20-40 million per year, says Celebrity Net Worth. Last year, he sold his back catalogue to Warner Music for an impressive US$100 million. In addition, he also earns big bucks as a producer and songwriter for the likes of Rihanna, Bruno Mars, Justin Bieber, The Black Eyed Peas and Lady Gaga.

3. Tiësto: US$170 million

Also given a rather grand title (but this time the “Godfather of EDM” rather than Grandfather), Dutch super DJ and record producer Tiësto released seven studio albums and performs up to 100 shows a year, according to La Loupe. Given that Forbes estimated Tiësto (real name Tijs Verwest) was charging up to US$250,000 per set back in 2012 – a figure doubtless multiplied by now – it’s no surprise that his personal fortune adds up to something so impressive.

On average, he can earn around US$40 million a year from album sales, licensing, touring and merchandise, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

2. Gianluca Vacchi: US$200 million

Before starting his DJing career at the ripe old age of 46 back in 2013, Gianluca Vacchi was already a millionaire businessman and heir, thanks to his father, Marco Vacchi, who was president of the Bank of Bologna and a member of the Board of Directors of manufacturing firm IMA Group. Owning just over 50 per cent of IMA, he receives around US$50 million per year in dividends, according to Dmarge. He also founded a watch company, ToyWatch, and travel website Last Minute Tour, selling both after they achieved significant growth.

DJing, it seems, only allows him to enlarge his coffers, from performances all over the world alongside high-profile artists like Steve Aoki, Nicola Zucchi, Christian Lena and Albertino. Oh, and he also has serious chops as an influencer, with 22.3 million Instagram followers and 55,000 subscribers on YouTube, where he loves to show off his lavish lifestyle. He even wrote a book about his life back in 2016, entitled Enjoy. Easy for him to say.

1. Calvin Harris: US$300 million

He may have started out as a supermarket stockist in his home country of Scotland, but since he discovered his aptitude for DJing and music production, Calvin Harris has topped Forbes’ list of highest-paid DJs for years. The 38-year-old singer, songwriter, record producer and DJ was earning US$400,000 per gig on the Las Vegas Residency circuit, and has racked up over US$100 million from his eight sold-out concert tours.

In 2020, Harris sold his music catalogue to Vine Alternative Investments for a reported US$100 million, encompassing over 150 songs and including his major collaborations with artists Ariana Grande, Dua Lipa, Sam Smith and Travis Scott.

Moreover, as one of the world’s top YouTubers with 18.3 million subscribers, he reportedly makes US$7.60 for every 1,000 views, earning something like US$50 million from the platform, according to The Richest. Off the back of his immense success in music (and let’s be honest his good looks), he’s also won lucrative endorsem*nt deals with Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Kia Motors, which can also earn him about US$3-4 million per campaign.