In 2021, MrBeast, a 23-year-old American known as Jimmy Donaldson, was YouTube’s highest-earning content creator, according to Forbes. More than 10 billion views of his elaborate stunts have been generated on the platform and he has been rewarded with more than $54 million (£39 million).
In the past two years, Ryan Kaji, a 10-year-old toy reviewer, has topped this list.
According to the US magazine, the 10 best-paid YouTubers earned a combined $300 million (£218 million) in 2022. Jake Paul is in second place, making his first appearance in the top 10 since 2018. His brother Logan also returns to the top 10 after an absence of over a year. In fifth place, Minecraft player Nathan Graham, known as Unspeakable, makes the list for the first time.
According to YouTube trends expert Chris Stokel-Walker, this year’s list illustrates “the stale nature of YouTube.” “I am struck by how white and male this whole list is,” he said.
I believe that if you look at previous year’s lists, you will likely find any of the names listed there as well, just in a different order.”
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Boom time
There were many traditional entertainment media outlets that had difficulty adjusting during the pandemic. A number of movies have been delayed, soap opera schedules have been changed, and video game releases have been delayed.
However, YouTube experienced a period of growth during this period. It is estimated that the platform will have 2.3 billion users worldwide by the year 2021. Every day, YouTube reports that one billion hours of video content are consumed.
Described as something that would shake up the media industry and eliminate gatekeepers, YouTube was intended to democratize how our society and entertainment industry operate.
Considering this list, it suggests that MrBeast is becoming more like TV than it would like to be. The arrival of money on the platform means the stakes are very high, and this can be seen in what the platform produces.
In my opinion, it is not similar to anything else on YouTube. Instead, it is more akin to a big-budget television series.”
According to Stokel-Walker, the high production values of YouTube today will create a barrier to entry, as you will need to pay to play and succeed on the platform.
It is not necessarily those with the most views who earn the most money, but rather those who have done well through brand partnerships, sponsorships, and merchandise sales.
The majority of YouTube content is not in the English language, but it appears that English-speaking creators are more likely to benefit financially from their popularity.
Although YouTube, like many modern media platforms, deals with issues of misinformation and harmful content, it does not appear to have adversely affected the ability of its creators to attract advertisers and sponsors.
We can find here the complete list of the top ten.
10. Preston Arsement
The majority of Preston Arsement’s community growth can be attributed to the videos he made related to Minecraft. However, he also runs a number of other channels on his website.
In 2022, he earned an estimated $18 million (£12 million) – down a little from the year before, when he ranked sixth.
9. Logan Paul
During 2017, the controversial boxer and vlogger did not make the top 10.
He earned A total of $20 million (£14 million) in 2022.
8. Dude Perfect
On the 2022 list, comedy pranksters Dude Perfect ranked third.
The company earned A total of $22 million (£15 million) last year.
7. Ryan Kaji
The world’s most renowned toy reviewer has fallen from the top of the tree to the seventh position.
He earned $27 million (£19 million) in 2022 as a result of his blend of toy reviews, educational videos, and family vlogs.
6. Nastya
According to YouTube, the Russian seven-year-old has nearly 90 million subscribers.
In 2022, her earnings will rise to $30 million (£21 million) from her vlogs and music videos. She began her career as a toy unboxer, but now she has become a vlogger and musician.
5. Unspeakable
A new entry on YouTube, the Minecraft player has been uploading videos for more than a decade.
Last year, he sold the rights to his back catalog to Spotter, contributing $28.5 million (£20 million) to his earnings.
4. Rhett and Link
Good Mythical Morning hosts earned $32 million (£23 million) in 2022, making them a staple of the YouTube highest earning list.
3. Markiplier
During the past year, Markiplier, another regular gaming creator, has built a brand of merchandise that earned $38 million (£27 million).
2. Jake Paul
By Having branched out into boxing, Jake Paul is now ranked among the top 10 in the world.
As a result of his high-profile fights against UFC stars in 2021, he earned a total of $45 million (£32 million).
As a result, the creator, and his brother, were criticized in 2017 for some of their vlogs, which were viewed as offensive by many.
There is no doubt that he will remain among YouTube’s elite on the list of most influential YouTubers in 2022 with more boxing plans in the works.
1. MrBeast
It is no coincidence that YouTube’s highest earner uses stunts and pranks to delight his audience.
In recent years, he has recreated elements of Netflix’s hit game Squid Game on his YouTube channel, played hide-and-seek in a stadium with 80,000 people, and been buried under the ground.
In 2022, Jimmy Donaldson almost doubled his income after ranking second last year on this list with over 10 billion views and his MrBeast burger franchise.
