Who are the richest DJ’s in the world?
When it comes to the music business, DJ’s probably aren’t the first people you think of having all the riches. After all, what with the likes of Dr. Dre, Eminem, Jay-Z, Ice Cube and so on, nothing else quite stacks up.
However, you might be surprised by some of the money these DJ’s are pulling in!
We’ve put together a compilation of the richest DJ’s in the world, but before you continue reading, have a guess as to who you think is going to appear below.
The Top 20 Richest DJ’s in the World
Here are the top 20 richest DJ’s of all time, as of 2020. We’ve pulled all their net worth estimates directly from CelebrityNetworth.com:
1.
Calvin Harris’ Net Worth: $190 Million
Calvin Harris is an Scottish DJ, singer, songwriter and producer. His real name is Adam Richard Wiles. He was born in Dumfries, in Scotland, but now lives in Los Angeles, California.
When Adam was younger, he would stack shelves in supermarkets and work at a local fish processing factory in order to earn the money he needed for DJ gear.
He gradually began to produce records here and there, and eventually caught the eye of Three Six Zero Group, who signed him later on. Right now, Calvin Harris is the richest DJ in the world with a net worth of $190 million.
“Sometimes, it’s better to stop thinking and trust your instincts. That’s what I used to do when I first started making music, but as time goes on, you can sometimes over-intellectualise things.” – Calvin Harris
2. DJ Tiesto
DJ Tiesto’s Net Worth: $150 Million
Tiesto, full name being Tijs Michiel Verwest, is a dutch DJ and record producer.
When Tijs was a teenager, he would DJ at school parties, and then at several clubs in the Netherlands a few years later. In 1994, he began to release his own songs, and that’s when his career began to take off.
Tiesto is 2nd on this list of the richest DJ’s in the world with an estimated net worth of $150 million.
“Since I was a kid, I always felt the need to share the music I love with as many people as possible, and DJing seemed like the perfect outlet.” – Tiesto
3. Swedish House Mafia
Swedish House Mafia’s Net Worth: $100 Million
Although Swedish House Mafia split and went their separate ways back in 2012, the group has reached 3rd on the all time earnings list, and so they remain on this list of the richest.
The group originally formed back in 2008, and consisted of consisting of Axwell, Steve Angello and Sebastian Ingrosso. Within their four year career, they had many famous hits that netted them a cool $100 million.
“We’ll make this world our own. Yeah, just come along. I promise you, you’ll never be walking alone.” – Swedish House Mafia
4. Avicii
Avicii’s Net Worth: $85 Million
Tim Bergling, AKA Avicii, was a Swedish DJ and record producer.
Bergling was born on 8 September 1989 in Stockholm, Sweden. In May 2007, Avicii signed on with the Dejfitts Plays label, and in 2010 he released his first major hit, ‘Seek Bromance’.
Unfortunately, Avicii recently passed away in April this year, and had an incredible net worth of $85 million when he passed. He will be sorely missed by millions around the world.
“I think I am a pretty good judge of character in general and try to surround myself with the best people I can.” – Avicii
5. David Guetta
David Guetta’s Net Worth: $75 Million
David Guetta is a French DJ, songwriter, record producer and remixer. He co-founded Gum Productions with Jean-Charles Carré and Joachim Garraud, and released his first album ‘Just a Little More Love’, in 2002.
Anyone who knows what DJ’ing is has heard of David Guetta, that’s for sure. He is one of the most well known DJ’s worldwide, along with Calvin Harris featured on the top spot.
David Guetta has an estimated net worth of $75 million.
“My parents were extreme left so everything was against the system. I was walking barefoot in the streets of Paris when I was eight. When I started to DJ they hated it, because for them, nightclubs, and all of this life, was terrible and fake.” – David Guetta
6.
Steve Aoki’s Net Worth: $75 Million
Steven Hiroyuki, otherwise known as Steve Aoki, is an American electro house musician, record producer, DJ, and music executive.
Aoki has released several Billboard-charting studio albums, notably Wonderland, which was nominated for Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronica Album in 2013. He is also the founder of the Steve Aoki Charitable Fund, which raises money for global humanitarian relief organizations.
“I always tell up-and-coming DJs you have to really love what you do and find that interest to drive you. It requires so much attention to detail, and it takes up a lot of your time. You hear a song, and there are so many little pieces that make that song work. It requires a lot of patience, diligence and resilience.” – Steve Aoki
7. Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo
Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo’s Net Worth: $70 Million
Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, featured on the left above, is a French musician, record producer, singer, songwriter, DJ and film director.
He’s best known for being one half of the French house music duo Daft Punk. The other half being Thomas Bangalter, who’s also featured on this list of the richest DJ’s in the world.
8. Thomas Bangalter
Thomas Bangalter’s Net Worth: $70 Million
Thomas Bangalter, featured on the right above, is a French musician, record producer, singer, songwriter, DJ, composer and film director.
He’s the other half of the French house music duo Daft Punk, and has amassed a $70 million net worth through his career.
“The only secret to being in control is to have it in the beginning. Retaining control is still hard, but obtaining control is virtually impossible.” – Thomas Bangalter
9. Paul Oakenfold
Paul Oakenfold’s Net Worth: $65 Million
Paul Mark Oakenfold is an English record producer and trance DJ.
Oakenfold is a two time Grammy Award and two time World Music Awards nominee. He was also voted the No. 1 DJ in the World twice in 1998 and 1999 by DJ Magazine.
Over the span of his career, Paul has amassed a net worth of $65 million, making him the 9th Richest DJ in the world.
“When I started DJ’ing, it was no big thing. There was no money in DJ’ing, and you did it purely for the love of playing music.” – Paul Oakenfold
10. Afrojack
Afrojack’s Net Worth: $60 Million
Afrojack is a Dutch DJ, record producer and remixer. In 2014, he released his debut album Forget the World. Afrojack regularly features in the top 10 of DJ Mag Top 100 DJs.
With an estimated net worth of $60 million, he’s become one of the richest DJ’s in the world.
“People need realness, reality. People can sense when someone is being pretentious or fake. It’s because you feel it; you see it in someone’s body language.” – Afrojack
11. Paul van Dyk
Paul van Dyk’s Net Worth: $60 Million
Matthias Paul, more commonly known as Paul van Dyk, is a German Grammy Award-winning DJ, record producer and musician.
He was named the World’s number one DJ in both 2005 and 2006, something only a handful of DJs have ever achieved. He was the first ever DJ to be named number one by Mixmag in 2005, and By 2008, he had sold over 3 million albums worldwide.
“I wouldn’t call myself a leader. I don’t want to lead people, I want to tempt them, I want to create a new world for them, just for that very small moment, when they are losing themselves in my music. I want to inspire them.” – Paul van Dyk
12. Armin Van Buuren
Armin Van Buuren’s Net Worth: $55 Million
Armin van Buuren is a Dutch DJ, record producer and remixer;
Van Buuren has won a number of accolades. He has been ranked the No. 1 DJ by DJ Mag a record of five times, four years in a row. He was ranked fourth on the DJ Mag Top 100 DJ’s list in both 2016 and 2017.
“You know, sometimes you’re jealous of other people and their achievements, and you wanna be that person, but I’ve come to realize that each individual on this planet has his own path.” – Armin Van Buuren
13. Deadmau5
DeadMau5 Net Worth: $53 Million
Joel Thomas Zimmerman, better known by his stage name deadmau5, is a Canadian record producer and DJ from Toronto, Ontario.
Zimmerman has received six Grammy Award nominations for his work. He has worked with other DJs and producers, such as Kaskade, MC Flipside, Rob Swire and Wolfgang Gartner.
“I was the least popular in my school. The less popular you are, the more time you have to work on your own thing as opposed to trying to fit into everybody else’s thing.” – Deadmau5
14. Kaskade
Kaskade’s Net Worth: $50 Million
Ryan Gary Raddon, known by his stage name Kaskade, is an American DJ, record producer and remixer.
Kaskade’s net worth in 2020 is estimated to be $50 million.
“Listening to music is such an uplifting, spiritual thing. It’s far-fetched to some – I understand that. But the way dance music brings people together, it’s not a big stretch from hymns.” – Kaskade
15. John Digweed
John Digweed’s Net Worth: $48 Million
John Digweed is an English DJ, record producer and actor. DJ Magazine voted him World No 1 DJ in 2001.
John is now 50 years of age, and has had an incredibly successful career, currently leaving him sitting with an estimated net worth of $48 million.
“If you’re the biggest DJ in the world, you’re in a position where you can play stuff that people don’t know and blow people’s minds. But if you just chose to play stuff they know just to get a reaction, that’s just being lazy.” – John Digweed
16. Skrillex
Skrillex’s Net Worth: $45 Million
Sonny John Moore, known professionally as Skrillex, is an American electronic dance music producer, DJ, singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.
Skrillex’ style is very different to a lot of the other DJ’s out there, and that set him apart when trying to make a name for himself.
“I like doing things in a very minimal, unconventional way as a personal way of saying, ‘Look, I made a career out of carefully and CRAFT-FULLY, though unconventionally, making records on laptops and blown speakers.'” – Skrillex
17. Judge Jules
Judge Jules’ Net Worth: $42 Million
Judge Jules is a British dance music DJ, producer and entertainment lawyer. Known for his DJ activities, music production and popular radio show which achieved global success. He was voted the No. 1 DJ in the World by DJ Magazine in 1995.
Jules has made it onto the list of the richest DJ’s in the world with an estimated net worth of $42 million.
18. Sasha
Sasha’s Net Worth: $40 Million
Sasha is a Welsh DJ, record producer and Grammy Award nominee. He was voted World No. 1 DJ in 2000 in a poll conducted by DJ Magazine. He is a four-time International Dance Music Awards winner and four-time DJ Awards winner.
DJ Sasha has an estimated net worth of $40 million.
“You only have to love a thing greatly to get it.” – Sasha
19. Tom Joyner
Tom Joyner’s Net Worth: $40 Million
Thomas Joyner is an American radio host, host of the nationally syndicated ‘The Tom Joyner Morning Show’, and also founder of Reach Media Inc., the Tom Joyner Foundation, and BlackAmericaWeb.com.
Tom’s show has attracted plenty of baller advertisers such as McDonald’s, Chrysler Corporation, WalMart and Southwest Airlines.
“We take five, one-week vacations a year, and those dates are set in stone.” – Tom Joyner
20. Zedd
Zedd’s Net Worth: $35 Million
Anton Zaslavski, known popular by his stage name Zedd, is a German record producer, DJ, and musician. Zedd was born in Russia, however he grew up in Germany, which is where his exciting career as a DJ all began.
Though he is only 27 years old, Zedd has built up an impressive net worth of $35 million thus far within his career.
“Being yourself is what will make you survive through anything. If you make music to please someone, it’s the first step in the wrong direction. Always do what you believe in, no matter what people say. Only way to go!” – Zedd
Summary
Here’s a quick recap of the top 20 richest DJ’s in the world as of 2020:
- Calvin Harris
- DJ Tiesto
- Swedish House Mafia
- Avicii
- David Guetta
- Steve Aoki
- Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo
- Thomas Bangalter
- Paul Okenfield
- Afro Jack
- Paul van Dyk
- Armin Van Buuren
- Deadmau5
- Kaskade
- John Digweed
- Skrillex
- Judge Jules
- Sasha
- Tom Joyner
- Zedd
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