J.Lo has unseated Lady Gaga as the world’s most powerful celebrity.
The actress, singer and “American Idol” judge takes the top spot on Forbes’ annual Celebrity 100 thanks to the $52 million she earned last year and soaring fame spurred by her successful “Idol” comeback.
Last year’s most powerful celebrity, Lady Gaga, fell to No. 5, with perennial topper Oprah Winfrey staying put at No. 2. Justin Bieber and Rihanna take the No. 3 and No. 4 spots, respectively.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL LIST
Lopez has used her judge’s chair on “American Idol” as a platform to promote her music and image, which also got a boost after she split from hubby Marc Anthony, Forbes argues. Lopez scored endorsement deals with L’Oreal and Gillette, among others. She also has a line of clothing at Kohl’s, a best-selling fragrance and was able to get a raise on her “Idol” salary — to $20 million this season. J.Lo also has 6.6 million followers on Twitter and 12 million fans on Facebook.
Gaga earned the same amount as Lopez last year, but her $52 million is down from last year’s $90 million haul after she didn’t tour as much in the past 12 months. But, the Celebrity 100 is based on both money and fame, so by Forbes’ assessment, J.Lo is more famous this year.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT FORBES’ CELEBRITY 100 METHODOLOGY
Oprah Winfrey’s ranking is also likely impacted by her relative level of fame as she earned more than anyone on the list ($165 million) thanks to spin-off shows hosted by Dr. Phil and Rachael Ray, her magazine and her radio deal with Sirius XM. Winfrey’s struggling OWN cable network didn’t provide her with any income over the past 12 months, according to Forbes.
Justin Bieber makes his second appearance on the list this year, and gets the issue cover, after earning $55 million on touring and record sales. Forbes also took into account his role as a budding venture capitalist, investing in startups like Spotify, Tinychat and Enflick.
Rihanna makes her debut on the Celebrity 100 at No. 4 with $53 million in earnings over the past year. Forbes also highlights her 18 million Twitter followers and controversial tweets as part of her celebrity power.
Kim and Khloe Kardashian also make their first appearances on the list. Kim ranks sixth with $18 million thanks to the money she earned from her wedding and the publicity she earned from her divorce. Khloe ranks 73rd with $11 million.
Ashton Kutcher also made his debut on the Celebrity 100, earning $24 million to help nab the 51st spot. The man Kutcher replaced on “Two and a Half Men,” Charlie Sheen, fell off the list this year.
Other notable dropoffs were U2, which ranked fourth last year, the Black Eyed Peas and Dr. Phil.
Numerous athletes made the list but the only local talent is Yankees’ slugger Alex Rodriguez, who takes the 63rd spot with $34 million in earnings last year.