Messi: The Top-Ranking Latino on Forbes’ Celebrity 100 List

Posted on June 30, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi is a Latino at the top of the global earnings game…

The 28-year-old Argentine soccer star has earned the No. 13 spot on Forbes’ Celebrity 100, the list of the world’s highest-paid superstars of 2015.

Messi, the highest-ranking Latino on the list of the highest paid entertainers on the planet had earnings of $74 million during the reporting period.

In 2014, Spanish club Barcelona awarded Messi, a four-time FIFA player of the year, with a $9 million a year raise in his seventh contract since 2005, bringing his take home pay to $50 million a year through 2018. Messi holds records for most goals in Barca competitions, most goals in La Liga competitions, most goals scored in a calendar year and most hat tricks scored. That incredible talent is why sponsor Samsung cast him as superhero Iron Man in their ad to promote the Avengers film. It’s also why his main sponsor Adidas launched a Messi icon line of shoes and apparel, which has exceeded company sales expectations, including in the U.S.

He recently ranked as the top-ranking Latino on Forbes’ 2015 list of the World’s Highest-Paid Athletes, coming in at No. 4.

Meanwhile, Gisele Bündchen has earned the distinction of highest-ranking Latina on this year’s list.

The 34-year-old Brazilian supermodel, who has been the highest-paid model in the world since 2004, comes in at No. 46 with earnings of $44 million.

Bündchen, the world’s highest-paid model in 2014, continues to out-earn her younger counterparts. Despite rumors that she was retiring from the runway, Bündchen’s earnings have not suffered. She continues to land lucrative fragrance and beauty contracts with Carolina Herrera and Chanel, supplementing those deals with high fashion campaigns for Emilio Pucci and Balenciaga. Her Under Armour advertisement, which showed her attacking a punching bag while social media commentary blared in the background, was one of the most impactful this year. Bündchen has turned her name into a brand: she gets a cut of sales from the jelly sandals she designs for Brazilian shoemaker Grendene, while her line of Hope lingerie – Gisele Bündchen Intimates – also pumps up her paycheck.

Coming in at No. 52 is Bruno Mars, with earnings of $40 million.

The 29-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer-songwriter’s recent collaboration with Mark Ronson, “Uptown Funk,” spent 14 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard charts. It was only one of many reasons Mars solidified his place on the Celebrity 100. After being the featured musician in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Class of 2014, Mars continued to make a name for himself by completing his Moonshine Jungle tour. He’s currently working on his next album, and if it is anything like his previous studio effort, Mars can expect the awards and dollars to keep rolling in.

In all, 10 Latino/a celebrities made this year’s list, including tennis star Rafael Nadal, soccer phenom Neymar and multi-hyphenate extraordinaire Jennifer Lopez.

Here’s the complete list of Latino superstars on Forbes’ Celebrity 100 list:

No. 13 Lionel Messi, $74 million
No. 46 Gisele Bündchen, $44 million
No. 52 Bruno Mars, $40 million
No. 63 Fernando Alonso, $35.5 million
No. 76 Rafael Nadal, $32.5 million
No. 82 Neymar, $31 million
No. 86 Carmelo Anthony, $30.5 million
No. 89 James Rodriguez, $29 million
No. 95 Jennifer Lopez, $28.5 million
No. 95 Sofia Vergara, $28.5 million

Leto Named to GQ’s 20 Most Stylish Men Alive List

Posted on June 23, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

He may be a talented actor and musician… But Jared Leto is also a sharp-dressed man.

The 43-year-old part-Spanish American actor and lead singer of the Thirty Seconds to Mars has been named to GQ magazine’s list of the 20 Most Stylish Men Alive.

Leto, who won an Oscar for his supporting role in Dallas Buyers Club, joins a list of honorees that includes Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, Jay Z, John Mayer and Mark Ronson.

GQ’s judging panel excluded fashion professionals from consideration and focused on streetwear over red carpet looks, giving a reasonably egalitarian approach to the list.

“We even spent several hours just contemplating Jared Leto’s hair,” writes the men’s fashion magazine on its website.

The list appears in GQ’s July issue.

Mars’ “Uptown Funk” Ties for the Second-Longest-Leading Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 Ever

Posted on April 9, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Bruno Mars continues to funk his way closer to history…

The 29-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer-songwriter’s collaboration with Mark Ronson, “Uptown Funk,” is now tied for the second-longest-leading Billboard Hot 100 song ever, ruling the chart for a 14th week.

The song is also tied for the chart’s longest command this century.

“Uptown Funk,” released on RCA Records, ties six other singles for the second-best run at No. 1 dating to the Hot 100’s August 4, 1958, launch, with only one song having led longer—Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day.”

Here’s an updated ranking of the longest-leading Hot 100 No. 1s all-time:

Weeks at No. 1, Title, Artist, Date Reached No. 1
16, “One Sweet Day,” Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men, Dec. 2, 1995
14 (to date), “Uptown Funk!,” Ronson feat. Mars, Jan. 17, 2015
14, “I Gotta Feeling,” the Black Eyed Peas, July 11, 2009
14, “We Belong Together,” Mariah Carey, June 4, 2005
14, “Candle in the Wind 1997″/”Something About the Way You Look Tonight,” Elton John, Oct. 11, 1997
14, “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix),” Los Del Rio, Aug. 3, 1996
14, “I’ll Make Love to You,” Boyz II Men, Aug. 27, 1994
14, “I Will Always Love You,” Whitney Houston, Nov. 28, 1992

“Uptown Funk” also ties for the longest stay at No. 1 on the Hot 100 this century. With 14 weeks on top, it matches the Black Eyed Peas‘ command with “I Gotta Feeling,” the last song to lead for at least that long, in 2009. Mariah Carey also logged 14 weeks at No. 1 with “We Belong Together” in 2005.

“Uptown Funk” is now just two weeks from potentially tying “One Sweet Day” for the all-time record, and three weeks from possibly claiming it all to itself.

Mars’ “Uptown Funk” Makes History as It Logs 13 Weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100

Posted on April 2, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

It’s Lucky No. 13 for Bruno Mars…

The 29-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer-songwriter’s funktastic collaboration with Mark Ronson, “Uptown Funk,” is now the longest-leading Billboard Hot 100 single of the 2010s, ruling the chart for a 13th week.

It’s also just the 10th single in the Hot 100’s entire history to spend at least 13 weeks at No. 1.

“Uptown Funk,” released on RCA Records, passes Robin Thicke‘s “Blurred Lines,” featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams to take sole possession of the Hot 100’s longest command this decade.

Here’s an updated look at the hits to lead for the most weeks since the beginning of 2010:

Weeks at No. 1, Title, Artist, Date Reached No. 1

13 (to date), “Uptown Funk!,” Ronson feat. Mars, Jan. 17, 2015
12, “Blurred Lines,” Robin Thicke feat. T.I. + Pharrell, June 22, 2013
10, “Happy,” Pharrell Williams, March 8, 2014
10, “We Found Love,” Rihanna feat. Calvin Harris, Nov. 12, 2011

“Funk” also becomes one of an elite 10 singles ever to top the Hot 100 for at least 13 weeks, dating to the chart’s Aug. 4, 1958 launch:

Weeks at No. 1, Title, Artist, Date Reached No. 1

16, “One Sweet Day,” Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men, Dec. 2, 1995
14, “I Gotta Feeling,” The Black Eyed Peas, July 11, 2009
14, “We Belong Together,” Mariah Carey, June 4, 2005
14, “Candle in the Wind 1997″/”Something About the Way You Look Tonight,” Elton John, Oct. 11, 1997
14, “Macarena (Bayside Boys Mix),” Los Del Rio, Aug. 3, 1996
14, “I’ll Make Love to You,” Boyz II Men, Aug. 27, 1994
14, “I Will Always Love You,” Whitney Houston, Nov. 28, 1992
13 (to date), “Uptown Funk!,” Ronson feat. Mars, Jan. 17, 2015
13, “The Boy Is Mine,” Brandy & Monica, June 6, 1998
13, “End of the Road,” Boyz II Men, Aug. 15, 1992

“Uptown Funk” is now just three weeks away from potentially tying Mariah Carey & Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day” for the record, and four weeks from possibly claiming it all to itself.

Mars’ “Uptown Funk” Notches a 12th Week at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart

Posted on March 27, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Bruno Mars’ chart-topping run continues…

The 29-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer-songwriter’s collaboration with Mark Ronson, “Uptown Funk,” rules the roost on the Billboard Hot 100 for a twelfth week.

Released on RCA Records, “Uptown Funk” becomes only the fifteenth No. 1 in the chart’s five-and-a-half-decade history to rule for at least 12 weeks. It also ties for the longest reign of the 2010s: Robin Thicke‘s “Blurred Lines,” featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams, also logged a 12-week command beginning in June 2013.

“Uptown Funk” inks a 12th week atop the Digital Songs chart with 187,000 downloads sold (down 1 percent) in the week ending March 22, according to Nielsen Music. It’s now within one week of tying the record for the most time spent atop Digital Songs: the T-Pain-assisted “Low” by Flo Rida led for a record 13 weeks in 2007-08.

“Uptown Funk” leads the subscription services-based On-Demand Songs chart (4.6 million U.S. streams, down 6 percent) for an 11th week and Streaming Songs (19.1 million, up 13 percent) for a 10th, adding top Streaming Gainer honors on the Hot 100. Helping fuel its burst in streams: a clip that YouTuber Carson Dean created (featuring the song’s audio), in which he dances, and gets in a good cardio workout, on a treadmill. It drew 2.2 million U.S. clicks in the chart’s tracking week.

On Radio Songs, “Uptown Funk” reigns for a ninth week with 173 million in all-format audience (down 3 percent).

Ronson and Mars’ smash, therefore, leads the Hot 100 and its three main component charts (Digital Songs, Radio Songs and Streaming Songs) simultaneously for a record-extending eighth week (non-consecutively).

Twelve weeks into its Hot 100 reign, “Uptown Funk” manages to widen its lead at No. 1, as it’s up by 3 percent in overall activity, while Maroon 5‘s “Sugar,” at its No. 2 peak for a second week, dips by 4 percent. “Sugar” holds at No. 2 on Digital Songs (156,000, down 13 percent) and No. 4 on both Radio Songs (129 million, up 5 percent) and Streaming Songs (9.8 million, down 1 percent).

Mars & Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk!” Leads the Billboard Hot 100 for an 11th Week

Posted on March 20, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Bruno Mars continues to etch his name in the annals of Billboard chart history…

The 29-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer-songwriter, the world’s highest-paid Latino musician, rules the Billboard Hot 100 for an 11th week with his hit collaboration with Mark Ronson‘s “Uptown Funk!”

“Uptown Funk!,” released on RCA Records, becomes only the 19th No. 1 in Hot 100 history to lead for at least 11 weeks. It’s just the second to reach that level this decade: Robin Thicke‘s “Blurred Lines,” featuring T.I. and Pharrell, began a 12-week command in June 2013.

“Uptown Funk!” logs an 11th week atop the Digital Songs chart with 189,000 downloads sold (down 10 percent) in the week ending March 15, according to Nielsen Music.

It’s now one of just three songs to lead Digital Songs for at least 11 weeks: Flo Rida‘s “Low,” featuring T-Pain, racked a record 13 weeks on top in 2007-08, while Pharrell Williams‘ “Happy” dominated for 11 weeks last year.

“Uptown Funk!” leads the subscription services-based On-Demand Songs chart (4.9 million U.S. streams, down 4 percent) for a 10th week and Streaming Songs (16.9 million, down 3 percent) for a ninth. On Radio Songs, the track reigns for an eighth week with 178 million in all-format audience (down 2 percent).

Ronson and Mars’ collaboration, thus, leads the Hot 100 and its three main component charts (Digital Songs, Radio Songs and Streaming Songs) simultaneously for a record-extending seventh week (nonconsecutively).

Mars’ “Uptown Funk!” Rules the Billboard Hot 100 for an Eighth Week

Posted on February 25, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Make that eight weeks at the helm for Bruno Mars…

The 29-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer’s smash hit collaboration with Mark Ronson, “Uptown Funk!,” rules the Billboard Hot 100 for an eighth week.

“Uptown Funk!,” released on RCA Records, leads Billboard’s Streaming Songs (19.8 million U.S. streams, up 9 percent, according to Nielsen Music) and the subscription services-based On-Demand Songs (5.4 million, down 1 percent) for a sixth week each.

On Radio Songs, “Uptown Funk!” reigns for a fifth week with a 3 percent lift to 187 million in all-format audience. In the airplay chart’s 24-year history, only eight songs have posted higher audience totals, led by Robin Thicke‘s “Blurred Lines,” featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams, which peaked with 228.9 million on the Aug. 31, 2013, tally.

“Uptown Funk!” returns to the top of the Digital Songs chart (2-1) for an eighth cumulative week on top with 257,000 downloads sold (down 14 percent) in the week ending Feb. 22.

Ronson and Mars’ collab crowns the Hot 100 and its three main component charts (Digital Songs, Radio Songs and Streaming Songs) simultaneously for a record fourth week (non-consecutively). The only other song to quadruple up at No. 1 for even two weeks: Meghan Trainor‘s “All About That Bass” last year.

“Funk” widens its lead over runner-up Ed Sheeran‘s “Thinking Out Loud,” which ranks at its No. 2 peak on the Hot 100 for a sixth week. “Funk” is up by 2 percent in overall activity, while “Loud” loses 16 percent of its points.

Mars Earns Sixth Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 with “Uptown Funk!”

Posted on January 8, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

It’s a chart-topping start of the New Year for Bruno Mars…

The 29-year-old’s collaboration with Mark Ronson‘s, “Uptown Funk!,” has reached the summit on the Billboard 100 chart, rising 2-1 on the first chart released in 2015.

The song replaces Taylor Swift‘s “Blank Space” after seven weeks at the helm.

“Uptown Funk!,” released via RCA Records, earns Mars his sixth Hot 100 No. 1 and second as a featured artist: he previously reigned as a guest in his first appearance, on B.o.B‘s “Nothin’ on You” in 2010. In between, he led with his own tracks “Just the Way You Are” (four weeks, 2010), “Grenade” (four, 2011), “Locked Out of Heaven” and “When I Was Your Man” (one, 2013).

Among male soloists in the Hot 100’s 56-year history, only nine boast more No. 1s than Mars. Michael Jackson leads with 13, followed by Stevie Wonder (10), Elton John, Paul McCartney, Usher (nine each), George Michael (eight), Phil Collins, Frankie Valli and Elvis Presley (seven each; note that Presley’s career predated the Hot 100’s 1958 launch by two years).

“Uptown Funk!,” the 1,041st Hot 100 No. 1 of all-time, reaches the summit with the majority (65 percent) of its chart activity from sales, as it rebounds 2-1 for a second week atop the Digital Songs chart with 382,000 downloads sold (down 12 percent) in the week ending Jan. 4, according to Nielsen Music.

“Uptown Funk!” pushes 4-2 on the Streaming Songs charts with a 14 percent surge to 10 million U.S. streams. On Radio Songs, it rises 10-9 with an 11 percent increase to 76 million in all-format audience.

“Funk!” previews Ronson’s album Uptown Special, due Tuesday (January 13).

“It’s definitely one of the best things I’ve ever done,” Ronson says of his new Hot 100 leader. “And, I know that it’s one of Bruno’s favorite things that he’s ever done, as well.”

Mars & Mark Ronson Appear in “Saturday Night Live” Promo with Cameron Diaz

Posted on November 21, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Bruno Mars is ready to rock late night…

The 29-year-old part-Puerto Rican singer and Mark Ronson will serve as the musical guests on this weekend’s installment of Saturday Night Live, with Cameron Diaz serving as the night’s host.

Mars, Ronson and Diaz appear in the just-released promos for NBC’s late-night sketch comedy and variety show.

Mars and Ronson will perform their brand new single “Uptown Funk,” which Ronson recently told Billboard is “one of Bruno’s favorite things that he’s ever done.”

The song comes from Ronson’s upcoming fourth solo album, Upcoming Special. A January 27, 2015 release date has been set.

It’ll be Mars’ third time on SNL. He first appeared as a musical guest in October 2010, and he pulled double duty as the host and musical guest in October 2012.

Diaz to Host NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” on November 22

Posted on November 4, 2014 by Tom Castaneda

Cameron Diaz is ready to a little Saturday Night fun…

The 42-year-old half-Cuban American actress is set to host NBC’s sketch comedy program Saturday Night Live on November 22, NBC confirms.

It’ll be the fourth time hosting SNL for Diaz, who most recently starred in comedies The Other Woman and Sex Tape this year.

Diaz next stars as Miss Hannigan in Annie, set for release December 19.

That night, Mark Ronson teams up with Bruno Mars as SNL’s musical guest; Mars last served as both host and musical guest in 2012. Mars and Ronson collaborate on “Uptown Funk!” which will be released on November 10 and is the first single off Ronson’s new album.

NBC also confirmed that Woody Harrelson will return to Studio 8H for the first time in more than 20 years to make his third appearance as SNL host. He’ll be joined by musical guest Kendrick Lamar, who is making his second appearance as music act.

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