Forbes recently released its list of the highest-paid YouTube stars of 2017 and it contains names like Lilly Singh (Superwoman) and Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox (of Smosh fame) who have been reigning the top charts with billions of views on their respective channels.
Here are the top 10 highest-paid YouTube stars of 2017 and their earnings in the past year, according to Forbes.
1) Daniel Middleton (DanTDM) - $16.5 million (approximately Rs. 100.6 crores)
Topping the list for 2017, Daniel Middleton, is not one of the faces you would expect to see on top of the highest paid list. With Pewdiepie stuck in a controversy, this British Minecraft player took the moolah in 2017; he boasts of over 11 billion lifetime views on his channel and sold-out nights at the Sydney Opera House during his recent show tour.
2) Evan Fong (VanossGaming) - $15.5 million (approximately Rs. 99 crores)
Known for his funny in-game skits and sketches that Fong plays with other popular YouTubers, his channel VanossGaming has seen a steady growth and has amassed over 8 billion views and over 21 million subscribers since its inception in 2011.
3) Dude Perfect - $14 million (approximately Rs. 90 crores)
Whenever these five friends get together to create content on YouTube, chances are that it goes super viral. The collective from Dude Perfect performs crazy stunts and stupid tricks to impress the YouTube audience and their big numbers speak for themselves.
4) Mark Fischbach (Markiplier) and Logan Paul - $12.5 million (approximately Rs. 80 crores)
Tied for the fourth place are gamer Mark Fischbach (also known as Markiplier) and vlogger Logan Paul. The former is known for his dramatic commentary on popular games while the latter is famous for uploading regular vlogs that are popular with the millennial audience.
6) Felix Kjellberg (PewDiePie) - $12 million (approximately Rs. 77 crores)
After topping the Forbes list for two years in a row, Felix Kjellberg, or PewDiePie, is down to the fifth position owing to multiple controversies he got into in 2017. That seems to have kept sponsors away from his strong 57 million plus base of loyal subscribers that call themselves the 'Bro Army'.
7) Jake Paul - $11.5 million (approximately Rs. 74 crores)
Another vlogger and YouTube Logan Paul's brother, Jake Paul runs one of the most successful YouTube channels in 2017. He has previously starred in shows on the Disney Channel and currently lives in a posh locality in the city of Los Angeles.
8) Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox (Smosh) and Ryan ToysReview - $11 million (approximately Rs. 71 crores)
One of the first YouTube channels to make it big on the platform, Smosh finds itself tying the seventh position with Ryan ToysReview. Smosh co-founders Padilla and Hecox have been creating viral content together for the past decade but split up in June. Ryan ToysReview features six-year-old Ryan who reviews children's toys for a living.
10) Lilly Singh - $10.5 million (approximately Rs. 67.5 crores)
And, finally, the last one to make it to the highest-paid list is Lilly Singh. Her portrayal of a Punjabi mother and Punjabi father in comedy sketches have made her wildly popular on YouTube with sold out shows on her recent world tour along with the blockbuster success of her book How To Be A Bawse.
