• Home
  • News
  • Fortune 500
  • Tech
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
MPWMost Powerful Women

Taylor Swift Is Officially the Highest-Paid Musician in the World

By
Madeline Farber
Madeline Farber
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Madeline Farber
Madeline Farber
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 30, 2016, 5:11 PM ET
Taylor Swift '1989' World Tour - Sydney
Photograph by Mark Metcalfe — Getty Images

One of the world’s most famous musicians is now also the richest.

Singer and performer Taylor Swift topped Forbes‘ list of the world’s highest-paid musicians this year, after earning a whopping $170 million from June 2015 to June 2016. Her success is largely attributable to both her 1989 tour and product endorsements, including deals with Keds, Diet Coke, and Apple, according to Forbes.

Snagging the No. 2 spot on the musicians list is boy-band One Direction, at $110 million. Adele came in at No. 3 with $80.5 million, and following her were singers Madonna and Rihanna with $76.5 million and $75 million, respectively.

Although women rounded out the list’s top five, only seven were among the top 30. And unfortunately for them, this particular gender gap doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon.

“When it comes to the relative earning power of these artists, we have a way to go until we see the gender gap eliminated,” attorney Lori Landew of Fox Rothschild first told Forbes.

Despite this, climbing to the top doesn’t seem to be a problem for Swift: Earlier this year, she also made the No. 1 spot on Forbes’ lists of highest-paid celebrities of 2016.

About the Author
By Madeline Farber
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map

© 2025 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.