Who is the world's most powerful celebrity?

In most walks of life the natural hierarchy is a subtle business of quietly sizing up who has the biggest office at work, the snazziest car on the street and the best-looking spouse. In the world of celebrities things are much more straightforward: there's a list. The Forbes list of the most powerful celebrities in the world reveals whose star is rising, who is earning the most and garnering the most interest - and who will be signing up for the jungle next year.

So who did it rate as the most powerful this year?

The Forbes list is based on money earned from the entertainment business, column inches, media interest, and popularity on social media sites. In the past Oprah Winfrey has dominated this list, and looked set to stay for life. She was unseated by Lady Gaga last year, but this year another female star put them both in the shade.

1. Jennifer Lopez

At the ripe old age of 42, Jenny from the Block has shot up an astonishing 50 places to take the top spot. The massive gain was helped by a staggering salary of $52 million - much of which came from her role as a judge on 'American Idol'. The new clothing line didn't hurt either, and her forthcoming tour added to the cash in the bank. Add to that her 46 major magazine covers and her place on People's Most Beautiful list and you could say it has been a good year all round.

2. Oprah Winfrey

At 58 she has seen her share of ups and downs. Her show gave her the top spot for so many years she was practically pre-printed onto the list However, the end of the networked show and her struggling TV channel have seen her star wane somewhat. That said, second place and earnings of £165 million aren't too shabby.

3. Justin Bieber

In his second year in third place on this list, 18 year old pop star Bieber is something of a veteran. His earnings of $55 million have been boosted by a series of investments, including (it is rumoured) a stake in Spotify. But the big factor propelling him to the upper echelons of the list is his penchant for social media.

4. Rihanna

Earnings of $53 million brought pop star Rihanna to the list for the first time. A combination of pop hits, corporate deals with brands like Nivea, and a taste for controversy have secured fourth place. She's not afraid to get in your face with social media, and is ranked second on that particular list after Lady Gaga.

5. Lady Gaga

It's a considerable drop from last year's pole position. Her earnings are still up there, at $52 million. She has also garnered plenty of press attention, and is top of the social media pile. However, the fact she didn't tour this year and hasn't been releasing songs with such regulatory has seen her star dim.

6. Britney Spears

After a year out of the list Britney has returned, reflecting a return to the spotlight thanks to a recent tour. Her recent appointment as an X-Factor judge should keep her star in the ascendant, and her earnings of $52 million helped too.

7. Kim Kardashian

This may be seen by some as a sign of the desperate times we live in. She is a newcomer to the list and with earnings of $18 million she's hardly a major earner by the standards of her peers on the list. However, it goes to show that if you have a huge wedding and an acrimonious and public divorce you will attract enough attention to give you power over other people's lives.

8. Katy Perry

Earnings of $45 million and a massive social media presence gave this pop star her place on the list. Her personal life garnered her the most attention this year, with her divorce from Russell Brand in December. However, despite being one of the only two musicians in history to have five number one singles from the same album, she has been less prolific this year.

9. Tom Cruise

After a few years of relative quiet (following the peculiar sofa-jumping incident in 2005), the latest installment of the Mission Impossible series put him back in the spotlight. His earnings of $75 gave him a big leg up the list - as did the fact the film raked in an astonishing $700 million.

10. Stephen Spielberg

Money isn't everything in this game - but it helps. TV and film deals including Tin Tin and War Horse earned the media mogul $130 million last year, which was enough to propel him into the top ten.

The others

Other notables on the list include Beyonce Knowles who only managed 16th place after having her daughter Baby Ivy Blue in January and taking a little time out from her schedule.

Big Brits include Elton John at 17, whose $80 million earnings make up for relative quiet, and Simon Cowell at 18 whose $90 million earnings helped too. Paul McCartney scraped in at 21 with $57 million earnings, 36 shows, a Grammy performance and a marriage. Adele also gained a position at 24 with earnings of just $35 million, but huge musical success, a mantelpiece full of Grammy awards and acres of press coverage.

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