Forbes list of highest-earning musicians
The highest-earning musicians, also published as the "highest-paid musicians", 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. 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. U2 became the annual highest-earning musician five times, more than any other act. They were also the top-earning music group in a record eight different years. Michael Jackson became the first musician to earn over $100 million in a year (1989), and has become the top-earning 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. Madonna is the first woman in music to earn $100 million for a year (2009) and has become the top-earning female artist a record 11 times. Taylor Swift remains the female artist with the highest-earning ever in a year (first with $170 million in 2016, and $185 million in 2019), breaking previous record-holders Madonna ($125 million in 2013) and Katy Perry ($135 million in 2015). Although Forbes named Rihanna as the world's richest female musician, she has never topped any annual earnings list. Most of her wealth does not come from her music income, but from the stock value of her cosmetics company, Fenty Beauty. Highest-earning musicians by year

Group

Male

Female

Highest-earning musicians by decade

2010s

See also
Forbes Top 40 – list of highest-earning celebrities (1987–1998)
Forbes Celebrity 100 – list of most powerful celebrities (1999–2014) and highest-earning celebrities (2015–2020)

Notes

References

Print sources
 
 

Highest-earning musicians
Top people lists
Lists of musicians
Lists of salaries