Movie stars once called all the shots in Hollywood. Not anymore. Thanks to unscripted television and social media, 24-hour personalities dominate this year’s list of the 100 most influential people in entertainment— ranked by earnings, press coverage and internet impact
1 | Jennifer Lopez
$52 MILLION
Between American Idol, a new clothing line and upcoming tour, Lopez is on fire. The singer also appears with her ex-husband on the Univision talent contest Q’Viva!
2 | Oprah Winfrey
$165 MILLION
With the end of her syndicated show, the media mogul’s earnings plummeted $125 million from last year. Still, Winfrey remains the highest earner on our list. Her new full-time job: Saving her struggling OWN cable network.
3 | Justin Bieber
$55 MILLION
The teen idol is now a serious investor. Among his portfolio holdings: Spotify, Tinychat and Sojo Studios, which makes the FarmVille-esque game WeTopia.
4 | Rihanna
$53 MILLION
The Barbados-born diva lands on our list for the first time thanks to hits including 'We Found Love' and 'Talk That Talk', as well as endorsements for the likes of Vita Coco and Nivea. With over 53 million Facebook fans, she’s second only to Eminem. Her fragrance, Reb’l Fleur, adds millions more to her coffers, as does a heavy touring schedule that included over 85 shows in the past 12 months. Up next: After collaborating with Emporio Armani on a small collection last year, she’s hinted at plans to launch a fashion line of her own in the near future.
5 | Lady Gaga
$52 MILLION
A lack of touring pushed Gaga from the No. 1 spot this year, but an arsenal of older hits and a new album kept the singer-songwriter in the top 5.
6 | Britney Spears
$58 MILLION
After a one-year hiatus a successful tour helped get Spears back on The Celebrity 100 this time. Her Christmas engagement kept her in the news.
7 | Kim Kardashian
$18 MILLION
Kardashian is the lowest earner in our top 10, but no one plays the fame game better. Her splashy wedding on E! attracted 10 million viewers, and her whiplash divorce landed her more than 50 magazine covers.
8 | Katy Perry
$45 MILLION
Still minting hits off of her 2010 album Teenage Dream, her divorce from comedian Russell Brand kept her in the press and inspired her latest hit, 'Part of Me'.
9 | Tom Cruise
$75 MILLION
All but written off as a has-been a few years ago, Cruise’s career has rebounded. Mission: Impossible—Ghost Protocol earned $700 million at the global box office.
10 | Steven Spielberg
$130 MILLION
Spielberg got into TV in a big way this year, putting 4 shows, including Smash and megaflop Terra Nova, on the air. In theatres War Horse was nominated for Best Picture and The Adventures of Tintin brought in $375 million.
18 | Simon Cowell
35 | Michael Bay
52 | Floyd Mayweather
69 | LilWayne
86 | Sarah Jessica Parker
(This story appears in the 06 July, 2012 issue of Forbes India. To visit our Archives, click here.)