Taylor Swift makes it to the top as the world's top-earning artist in Forbes

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Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift is the highest-paid celebrity in the world, according to Forbes’ annual celebrity 100 list.

The country-turned-pop star, whose last album, 1989, has sold more than 5m units in the US alone, raked in $170m from June 2015 to June 2016, to put her at the top of the list.

Her new ranking puts her higher than last year’s highest-paid musician, Katy Perry, who banked $135m in 2015, according to Forbes. Perry reached the top last year on the strength of a world tour, a string of hit songs and lucrative product endorsements.

Swift’s rise this year is a direct result of the success of her 1989 world tour, which surpassed the Rolling Stones’ North American touring record – grossing $200m. Her overall total was boosted by promotional tie-ins with Keds, Diet Coke and Apple.

Swift’s 2016 take more than doubles her previous best: she reportedly earned $80m in 2015.

Her 2016 tally ranks lower than last year’s list topper, the boxer Floyd Mayweather, who pulled in $300m in 2015 after taking part in “the fight of the century” with Manny Pacquiao.

The top 10 list of highest-paid celebs is as follows:

1. Taylor Swift ($170 million)
2. One Direction ($110 million)
3. James Patterson ($95 million)
4. Dr. Phil McGraw ($88 million)
5. Cristiano Ronaldo ($88 million)
6. Kevin Hart ($87.5 million)
7. Howard Stern ($85 million)
8. Lionel Messi ($81.5 million)
9. Adele ($80.5 million)
10. Rush Limbaugh ($79 million)

One sad note: Had Swift stayed with her now ex-boo, superstar DJ/producer Calvin Harris, she would have topped two lists.

With his $63 million in earnings, the pair would have been the top-earning Celebrity 100 couple, outpacing Beyonce and Jay Z, who earned a combined $107.5 million over the past year.