Yeah, me neither. That’s a breathtakingly high number, especially for someone who is “just a DJ.” To put it in perspective, that would make his annual salary higher than anyone in the NBA, save Kobe Bryant (who makes $24.8 million a year).
But you know what? Good for him. The dude has worked his ass off since the mid-eighties to get to here he’s at today. He tours constantly and loves what he does. He’s clearly good at what he does, including marketing himself, his music, and establishing relationships with his fans.
Witness Tiësto, the stage name of the Dutch disc jockey, producer and composer Tijs Michiel Verwest, the headliner on Friday, Ultra’s opening night. Though he’s never had a crossover radio hit and his solo albums sell modestly, Tiësto is a major international star, as confirmed by one familiar evaluation: His annual income apparently exceeds $20 million.
“Yeah. Could be that,” he said without a trace of affect recently by phone. “Before taxes and costs.”
via WSJ.com.