The highest-paid musicians [1] [2] [3] in the world have been reported annually by Forbes since at least 1987. For measurement, the magazine used pretax earnings—before deducting fees for agents, managers or lawyers. [4] Most of the lists were estimated within a June-to-June scoring period, except for 1999, 2021, and 2022 when a calendar year period was used instead. [5] [6] [7]
U2 became the annual highest-paid musician five times, more than any other act. They were also the highest-paid music group in a record eight different years. Michael Jackson became the first musician to earn over $100 million in a year (1989), [8] and has become the highest-paid male soloist a record seven times. Dr. Dre currently holds the record for the highest annual earnings for a musician, collecting $620 million in 2014, mainly through the sales of his headphone-manufacturing company, Beats Electronics. [9]
Madonna is the first woman in music to earn $100 million for a year (2009) and has become the highest-paid female musician a record 11 times. Taylor Swift remains the female musician with the highest annual earnings ever with $185 million in 2019, breaking previous record set by herself in 2016 with $170 million. [10] [11]
*
|
Indicates the year's highest-paid celebrity (all fields of entertainment) |
Year | Musician | Nationality | Earnings |
Adjusted earnings (in 2023 dollar) |
Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1987 | Bruce Springsteen | United States | $56 million | $150 million | [12] [13] |
1988 | Michael Jackson * | United States | $97 million | $250 million | [14] [15] |
1989 | Michael Jackson * | United States | $125 million | $307 million | [16] [17] |
1990 | Michael Jackson | United States | $100 million | $233 million | [18] |
1991 | New Kids on the Block * | United States | $115 million | $257 million | [19] [20] |
1992 | New Kids on the Block | United States | $62 million | $135 million | [21] |
1993 | Guns N' Roses | United States | $53 million | $112 million | [22] [23] |
1994 | Pink Floyd | United Kingdom | $62 million | $127 million | [24] [25] |
1995 | The Beatles | United Kingdom | $130 million | $260 million | [26] |
1996 | The Beatles | United Kingdom | $130 million | $253 million | [27] |
1997 | The Beatles | United Kingdom | $98 million | $186 million | [28] |
1998 | The Rolling Stones | United Kingdom | $57 million | $107 million | [29] |
1999 | Backstreet Boys | United States | $60 million | $110 million | [30] |
2001 | The Beatles | United Kingdom | $70 million | $120 million | [31] |
2002 | U2 | Ireland | $69 million | $117 million | [32] |
2003 | The Rolling Stones | United Kingdom | $66.5 million | $110 million | [33] |
2004 | Bruce Springsteen | United States | $64 million | $103 million | [34] |
2005 | Madonna | United States | $50 million | $78 million | [35] |
2006 | U2 | Ireland | $110 million | $166 million | [36] |
2007 | The Rolling Stones | United Kingdom | $110 million | $162 million | [37] |
2008 | The Police | United Kingdom | $115 million | $163 million | [38] |
2009 | Madonna | United States | $110 million | $156 million | [39] |
2010 | U2 | Ireland | $130 million | $182 million | [40] |
2011 | U2 | Ireland | $195 million | $264 million | [41] |
2012 | Dr. Dre | United States | $110 million | $146 million | [42] |
2013 | Madonna * | United States | $125 million | $164 million | [43] |
2014 | Dr. Dre * | United States | $620 million | $798 million | [44] |
2015 | Katy Perry | United States | $135 million | $174 million | [45] |
2016 | Taylor Swift * | United States | $170 million | $216 million | [3] |
2017 | Diddy * | United States | $130 million | $162 million | [46] |
2018 | U2 | Ireland | $118 million | $143 million | [47] |
2019 | Taylor Swift * | United States | $185 million | $220 million | [4] |
2020 | Kanye West | United States | $170 million | $200 million | [48] |
2021 | Bruce Springsteen | United States | $435 million | $489 million | [7] |
2022 | Genesis | United Kingdom | $230 million | $239 million | [49] |
Year | Music group | Nationality | Earnings |
Adjusted earnings (in 2023 dollar) |
Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1987 | U2 | Ireland | $37 million | $99 million | [12] [13] |
1988 | U2 | Ireland | $42 million | $108 million | [14] [15] |
1989 | Pink Floyd | United Kingdom | $56 million | $138 million | [16] [17] |
1990 | The Rolling Stones | United Kingdom | $88 million | $205 million | [18] |
1991 | New Kids on the Block * | United States | $115 million | $257 million | [19] [20] |
1992 | New Kids on the Block | United States | $62 million | $135 million | [21] |
1993 | Guns N' Roses | United States | $53 million | $112 million | [22] [23] |
1994 | Pink Floyd | United Kingdom | $62 million | $127 million | [24] [25] |
1995 | The Beatles | United Kingdom | $130 million | $260 million | [26] |
1996 | The Beatles | United Kingdom | $130 million | $253 million | [27] |
1997 | The Beatles | United Kingdom | $98 million | $186 million | [28] |
1998 | The Rolling Stones | United Kingdom | $57 million | $107 million | [29] |
1999 | Backstreet Boys | United States | $60 million | $110 million | [30] |
2001 | The Beatles | United Kingdom | $70 million | $120 million | [31] |
2002 | U2 | Ireland | $69 million | $117 million | [32] |
2003 | The Rolling Stones | United Kingdom | $66.5 million | $110 million | [33] |
2004 | The Rolling Stones | United Kingdom | $51 million | $82 million | [34] |
2005 | Eagles | United States | $45 million | $70 million | [35] |
2006 | U2 | Ireland | $110 million | $166 million | [36] |
2007 | The Rolling Stones | United Kingdom | $110 million | $162 million | [37] |
2008 | The Police | United Kingdom | $115 million | $163 million | [38] |
2009 | Rascal Flatts | United States | $60 million | $85 million | [39] |
2010 | U2 | Ireland | $130 million | $182 million | [40] |
2011 | U2 | Ireland | $195 million | $264 million | [41] |
2012 | U2 | Ireland | $78 million | $104 million | [42] |
2013 | Bon Jovi | United States | $79 million | $103 million | [43] |
2014 | Eagles | United States | $100 million | $129 million | [44] |
2015 | One Direction | United Kingdom / Ireland | $130 million | $167 million | [45] |
2016 | One Direction | United Kingdom / Ireland | $110 million | $140 million | [3] |
2017 | Coldplay | United Kingdom | $88 million | $109 million | [46] |
2018 | U2 | Ireland | $118 million | $143 million | [47] |
2019 | Eagles | United States | $100 million | $119 million | [4] |
2020 | Jonas Brothers | United States | $68.5 million | $81 million | [48] |
2021 | Red Hot Chili Peppers | United States | $116 million | $130 million | [7] |
2022 | Genesis | United Kingdom | $230 million | $239 million | [49] |
Year | Musician | Nationality | Earnings |
Adjusted earnings (in 2023 dollar) |
Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1987 | Bruce Springsteen | United States | $56 million | $150 million | [12] [13] |
1988 | Michael Jackson * | United States | $97 million | $250 million | [14] |
1989 | Michael Jackson * | United States | $125 million | $307 million | [16] [17] |
1990 | Michael Jackson | United States | $100 million | $233 million | [18] |
1991 | Michael Jackson | United States | $60 million | $134 million | [19] [20] |
1992 | Michael Jackson | United States | $51 million | $111 million | [21] |
1993 | Prince | United States | $49 million | $103 million | [22] [23] |
1994 | Garth Brooks | United States | $41 million | $84 million | [24] [25] |
1995 | Michael Jackson | United States | $67 million | $134 million | [26] |
1996 | Michael Jackson | United States | $90 million | $175 million | [27] |
1997 | David Bowie | United Kingdom | $63 million | $120 million | [28] |
1998 | Master P | United States | $56.5 million | $106 million | [29] |
1999 | Lou Bega [a] | Germany | $6 million | $11 million | [30] |
2001 | Dr. Dre | United States | $35 million | $60 million | [31] |
2002 | Elton John | United Kingdom | $30 million | $51 million | [51] |
2003 | Paul McCartney | United Kingdom | $59 million | $98 million | [33] |
2004 | Bruce Springsteen | United States | $64 million | $103 million | [34] |
2005 | Prince | United States | $49.7 million | $78 million | [35] |
2006 | Bruce Springsteen | United States | $55 million | $83 million | [36] |
2007 | Elton John | United Kingdom | $53 million | $78 million | [37] |
2008 | Toby Keith | United States | $48 million | $68 million | [38] |
2009 | Bruce Springsteen | United States | $70 million | $99 million | [39] |
2010 | Bruce Springsteen | United States | $70 million | $98 million | [40] |
2011 | Elton John | United Kingdom | $100 million | $135 million | [41] |
2012 | Dr. Dre | United States | $110 million | $146 million | [42] |
2013 | Toby Keith | United States | $65 million | $85 million | [43] |
2014 | Dr. Dre * | United States | $620 million | $798 million | [44] |
2015 | Garth Brooks | United States | $90 million | $116 million | [45] |
2016 | Garth Brooks | United States | $70 million | $89 million | [52] |
2017 | Diddy * | United States | $130 million | $162 million | [46] |
2018 | Ed Sheeran | United Kingdom | $110 million | $133 million | [47] |
2019 | Kanye West | United States | $150 million | $179 million | [4] |
2020 | Kanye West | United States | $170 million | $200 million | [48] |
2021 | Bruce Springsteen | United States | $435 million | $489 million | [7] |
2022 | Sting | United Kingdom | $210 million | $219 million | [49] |
Year | Musician | Nationality | Earnings |
Adjusted earnings (in 2023 dollar) |
Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1987 | Madonna | United States | $47 million | $126 million | [12] [13] |
1988 | Madonna | United States | $46 million | $119 million | [14] [15] |
1989 | Madonna | United States | $43 million | $106 million | [16] [53] |
1990 | Madonna | United States | $62 million | $145 million | [18] |
1991 | Madonna | United States | $63 million | $141 million | [19] [20] |
1992 | Madonna | United States | $48 million | $104 million | [21] |
1993 | Madonna | United States | $37 million | $78 million | [22] [23] |
1994 | Barbra Streisand | United States | $57 million | $117 million | [24] [25] |
1995 | Barbra Streisand | United States | $63 million | $126 million | [26] |
1996 | Mariah Carey | United States | $32 million | $62 million | [27] |
1997 | Celine Dion | Canada | $65 million | $123 million | [28] |
1998 | Celine Dion | Canada | $55.5 million | $104 million | [29] |
1999 | Shania Twain | Canada | $48 million | $88 million | [30] |
2001 | Britney Spears | United States | $38.5 million | $66 million | [31] |
2002 | Mariah Carey | United States | $58 million | $98 million | [32] |
2003 | Cher | United States | $33.1 million | $55 million | [33] |
2004 | Celine Dion | Canada | $28 million [b] | $45 million | [34] |
2005 | Madonna | United States | $50 million | $78 million | [35] |
2006 | Celine Dion | Canada | $40 million | $60 million | [36] |
2007 | Madonna | United States | $72 million | $106 million | [37] |
2008 | Beyoncé | United States | $80 million | $113 million | [38] |
2009 | Madonna | United States | $110 million | $156 million | [39] |
2010 | Beyoncé | United States | $87 million | $122 million | [40] |
2011 | Lady Gaga | United States | $90 million | $122 million | [41] |
2012 | Britney Spears | United States | $58 million | $77 million | [42] |
2013 | Madonna * | United States | $125 million | $164 million | [43] |
2014 | Beyoncé | United States | $115 million | $148 million | [44] |
2015 | Katy Perry | United States | $135 million | $174 million | [45] |
2016 | Taylor Swift * | United States | $170 million | $216 million | [3] |
2017 | Beyoncé | United States | $105 million | $131 million | [46] |
2018 | Katy Perry | United States | $83 million | $101 million | [47] |
2019 | Taylor Swift * | United States | $185 million | $220 million | [4] |
2020 | Ariana Grande | United States | $72 million | $85 million | [48] |
2021 | Taylor Swift | United States | $52 million | $58 million | [7] |
2022 | Taylor Swift | United States | $92 million | $96 million | [49] |
Rank | Musician | Nationality | Earnings |
Adjusted earnings (in 2023 dollar) |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Dr. Dre | United States | $950 million | $1,132 million |
2 | Taylor Swift | United States | $825 million | $983 million |
3 | Beyoncé | United States | $685 million | $816 million |
4 | U2 | Ireland | $675 million | $804 million |
5 | Diddy | United States | $605 million | $721 million |
6 | Elton John | United Kingdom | $565 million | $673 million |
7 | Jay-Z | United States | $560 million | $667 million |
8 | Paul McCartney | United Kingdom | $535 million | $638 million |
9 | Katy Perry | United States | $530 million | $632 million |
10 | Lady Gaga | United States | $500 million | $596 million |
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