Forbes list of the world's highest-paid musicians

This article is about musicians by earnings. For musicians by net worth, see List of music artists by net worth § Forbes.

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 official annual earnings ever with $185 million in 2019, breaking the previous record set by herself in 2016 with $170 million.

Highest-paid musicians by year

U2 became the annual highest-paid musician a record five times and the annual highest-paid music group a record eight times.

Michael Jackson became the annual highest-paid musician three times and the annual highest-paid male solo musician a record seven times.

Madonna became the annual highest-paid musician three times and the annual highest-paid female musician a record eleven times.

Key

*	Indicates the year's highest-paid celebrity (all fields of entertainment)

Highest-paid musicians of the year

Year	Musician	Nationality	Earnings	Adjusted earnings (in 2024 dollar)	Ref.
1987	Bruce Springsteen	United States	$56 million	$155 million	[10][11]
1988	Michael Jackson *	United States	$97 million	$258 million	[12][13]
1989	Michael Jackson *	United States	$125 million	$317 million	[14][15]
1990	Michael Jackson	United States	$100 million	$241 million	[16]
1991	New Kids on the Block *	United States	$115 million	$265 million	[17][18]
1992	New Kids on the Block	United States	$62 million	$139 million	[19]
1993	Guns N' Roses	United States	$53 million	$115 million	[20][21]
1994	Pink Floyd	United Kingdom	$62 million	$132 million	[22][23]
1995	The Beatles	United Kingdom	$130 million	$268 million	[24]
1996	The Beatles	United Kingdom	$130 million	$261 million	[25]
1997	The Beatles	United Kingdom	$98 million	$192 million	[26]
1998	The Rolling Stones	United Kingdom	$57 million	$110 million	[27]
1999	Backstreet Boys	United States	$60 million	$113 million	[28]
2001	The Beatles	United Kingdom	$70 million	$124 million	[29]
2002	U2	Ireland	$69 million	$121 million	[30]
2003	The Rolling Stones	United Kingdom	$66.5 million	$114 million	[31]
2004	Bruce Springsteen	United States	$64 million	$107 million	[32]
2005	Madonna	United States	$50 million	$80 million	[33]
2006	U2	Ireland	$110 million	$172 million	[34]
2007	The Rolling Stones	United Kingdom	$110 million	$167 million	[35]
2008	The Police	United Kingdom	$115 million	$168 million	[36]
2009	Madonna	United States	$110 million	$161 million	[37]
2010	U2	Ireland	$130 million	$187 million	[38]
2011	U2	Ireland	$195 million	$273 million	[39]
2012	Dr. Dre	United States	$110 million	$151 million	[40]
2013	Madonna *	United States	$125 million	$169 million	[41]
2014	Dr. Dre *	United States	$620 million	$824 million	[42]
2015	Katy Perry	United States	$135 million	$179 million	[43]
2016	Taylor Swift *	United States	$170 million	$223 million	[3]
2017	Diddy *	United States	$130 million	$167 million	[44]
2018	U2	Ireland	$118 million	$148 million	[45]
2019	Taylor Swift *	United States	$185 million	$228 million	[4]
2020	Kanye West	United States	$170 million	$207 million	[46]
2021	Bruce Springsteen	United States	$435 million	$505 million	[7]
2022	Genesis	United Kingdom	$230 million	$247 million	[47]

Group

The Beatles became the annual highest-paid musician four times and the annual highest-paid music group four times.

The Rolling Stones became the annual highest-paid musician three times and the annual highest-paid music group five times.

Eagles became the annual highest-paid music group three times.

Highest-paid music groups of the year

Year	Music group	Nationality	Earnings	Adjusted earnings (in 2024 dollar)	Ref.
1987	U2	Ireland	$37 million	$102 million	[10][11]
1988	U2	Ireland	$42 million	$112 million	[12][13]
1989	Pink Floyd	United Kingdom	$56 million	$142 million	[14][15]
1990	The Rolling Stones	United Kingdom	$88 million	$212 million	[16]
1991	New Kids on the Block *	United States	$115 million	$265 million	[17][18]
1992	New Kids on the Block	United States	$62 million	$139 million	[19]
1993	Guns N' Roses	United States	$53 million	$115 million	[20][21]
1994	Pink Floyd	United Kingdom	$62 million	$132 million	[22][23]
1995	The Beatles	United Kingdom	$130 million	$268 million	[24]
1996	The Beatles	United Kingdom	$130 million	$261 million	[25]
1997	The Beatles	United Kingdom	$98 million	$192 million	[26]
1998	The Rolling Stones	United Kingdom	$57 million	$110 million	[27]
1999	Backstreet Boys	United States	$60 million	$113 million	[28]
2001	The Beatles	United Kingdom	$70 million	$124 million	[29]
2002	U2	Ireland	$69 million	$121 million	[30]
2003	The Rolling Stones	United Kingdom	$66.5 million	$114 million	[31]
2004	The Rolling Stones	United Kingdom	$51 million	$85 million	[32]
2005	Eagles	United States	$45 million	$72 million	[33]
2006	U2	Ireland	$110 million	$172 million	[34]
2007	The Rolling Stones	United Kingdom	$110 million	$167 million	[35]
2008	The Police	United Kingdom	$115 million	$168 million	[36]
2009	Rascal Flatts	United States	$60 million	$88 million	[37]
2010	U2	Ireland	$130 million	$187 million	[38]
2011	U2	Ireland	$195 million	$273 million	[39]
2012	U2	Ireland	$78 million	$107 million	[40]
2013	Bon Jovi	United States	$79 million	$107 million	[41]
2014	Eagles	United States	$100 million	$133 million	[42]
2015	One Direction	United Kingdom / Ireland	$130 million	$172 million	[43]
2016	One Direction	United Kingdom / Ireland	$110 million	$144 million	[3]
2017	Coldplay	United Kingdom	$88 million	$113 million	[44]
2018	U2	Ireland	$118 million	$147 million	[45]
2019	Eagles	United States	$100 million	$123 million	[4]
2020	Jonas Brothers	United States	$68.5 million	$83 million	[46]
2021	Red Hot Chili Peppers	United States	$116 million	$135 million	[7]
2022	Genesis	United Kingdom	$230 million	$247 million	[47]

Male

Bruce Springsteen became the annual highest-paid musician three times and the annual highest-paid male solo musician six times.

Elton John became the annual highest-paid male solo musician three times.

Garth Brooks became the annual highest-paid male solo musician three times.

Highest-paid male solo musicians of the year

Year	Musician	Nationality	Earnings	Adjusted earnings (in 2024 dollar)	Ref.
1987	Bruce Springsteen	United States	$56 million	$155 million	[10][11]
1988	Michael Jackson *	United States	$97 million	$258 million	[12]
1989	Michael Jackson *	United States	$125 million	$317 million	[14][15]
1990	Michael Jackson	United States	$100 million	$241 million	[16]
1991	Michael Jackson	United States	$60 million	$139 million	[17][18]
1992	Michael Jackson	United States	$51 million	$114 million	[19]
1993	Prince	United States	$49 million	$107 million	[20][21]
1994	Garth Brooks	United States	$41 million	$87 million	[22][23]
1995	Michael Jackson	United States	$67 million	$138 million	[24]
1996	Michael Jackson	United States	$90 million	$180 million	[25]
1997	David Bowie	United Kingdom	$63 million	$123 million	[26]
1998	Master P	United States	$56.5 million	$109 million	[27]
1999	Lou Bega[a]	Germany	$6 million	$11 million	[28]
2001	Dr. Dre	United States	$35 million	$62 million	[29]
2002	Elton John	United Kingdom	$30 million	$52 million	[49]
2003	Paul McCartney	United Kingdom	$59 million	$101 million	[31]
2004	Bruce Springsteen	United States	$64 million	$107 million	[32]
2005	Prince	United States	$49.7 million	$80 million	[33]
2006	Bruce Springsteen	United States	$55 million	$86 million	[34]
2007	Elton John	United Kingdom	$53 million	$80 million	[35]
2008	Toby Keith	United States	$48 million	$70 million	[36]
2009	Bruce Springsteen	United States	$70 million	$103 million	[37]
2010	Bruce Springsteen	United States	$70 million	$101 million	[38]
2011	Elton John	United Kingdom	$100 million	$140 million	[39]
2012	Dr. Dre	United States	$110 million	$151 million	[40]
2013	Toby Keith	United States	$65 million	$88 million	[41]
2014	Dr. Dre *	United States	$620 million	$824 million	[42]
2015	Garth Brooks	United States	$90 million	$119 million	[43]
2016	Garth Brooks	United States	$70 million	$92 million	[50]
2017	Diddy *	United States	$130 million	$167 million	[44]
2018	Ed Sheeran	United Kingdom	$110 million	$138 million	[45]
2019	Kanye West	United States	$150 million	$184 million	[4]
2020	Kanye West	United States	$170 million	$207 million	[46]
2021	Bruce Springsteen	United States	$435 million	$505 million	[7]
2022	Sting	United Kingdom	$210 million	$226 million	[47]

Female

Taylor Swift became the annual highest-paid musician twice and the annual highest-paid female musician four times.

Celine Dion became the annual highest-paid female musician four times.

Beyoncé became the annual highest-paid female musician four times.

Highest-paid female musicians of the year

Year	Musician	Nationality	Earnings	Adjusted earnings (in 2024 dollar)	Ref.
1987	Madonna	United States	$47 million	$130 million	[10][11]
1988	Madonna	United States	$46 million	$122 million	[12][13]
1989	Madonna	United States	$43 million	$109 million	[14][51]
1990	Madonna	United States	$62 million	$149 million	[16]
1991	Madonna	United States	$63 million	$145 million	[17][18]
1992	Madonna	United States	$48 million	$108 million	[19]
1993	Madonna	United States	$37 million	$81 million	[20][21]
1994	Barbra Streisand	United States	$57 million	$121 million	[22][23]
1995	Barbra Streisand	United States	$63 million	$130 million	[24]
1996	Mariah Carey	United States	$32 million	$64 million	[25]
1997	Celine Dion	Canada	$65 million	$127 million	[26]
1998	Celine Dion	Canada	$55.5 million	$107 million	[27]
1999	Shania Twain	Canada	$48 million	$91 million	[28]
2001	Britney Spears	United States	$38.5 million	$68 million	[29]
2002	Mariah Carey	United States	$58 million	$101 million	[30]
2003	Cher	United States	$33.1 million	$57 million	[31]
2004	Celine Dion	Canada	$28 million[b]	$47 million	[32]
2005	Madonna	United States	$50 million	$80 million	[33]
2006	Celine Dion	Canada	$40 million	$62 million	[34]
2007	Madonna	United States	$72 million	$109 million	[35]
2008	Beyoncé	United States	$80 million	$117 million	[36]
2009	Madonna	United States	$110 million	$161 million	[37]
2010	Beyoncé	United States	$87 million	$125 million	[38]
2011	Lady Gaga	United States	$90 million	$126 million	[39]
2012	Britney Spears	United States	$58 million	$79 million	[40]
2013	Madonna *	United States	$125 million	$169 million	[41]
2014	Beyoncé	United States	$115 million	$153 million	[42]
2015	Katy Perry	United States	$135 million	$179 million	[43]
2016	Taylor Swift *	United States	$170 million	$223 million	[3]
2017	Beyoncé	United States	$105 million	$135 million	[44]
2018	Katy Perry	United States	$83 million	$104 million	[45]
2019	Taylor Swift *	United States	$185 million	$228 million	[4]
2020	Ariana Grande	United States	$72 million	$87 million	[46]
2021	Taylor Swift	United States	$52 million	$60 million	[7]
2022	Taylor Swift	United States	$92 million	$99 million	[47]

Highest-paid musicians by decade

2010s

Dr. Dre became the highest-paid musician of the 2010s decade.

Top 10 highest-paid musicians of the 2010s decade^[54]

Rank	Musician	Nationality	Earnings	Adjusted earnings (in 2024 dollar)
1	Dr. Dre	United States	$950 million	$1,168 million
2	Taylor Swift	United States	$825 million	$1,015 million
3	Beyoncé	United States	$685 million	$842 million
4	U2	Ireland	$675 million	$830 million
5	Diddy	United States	$605 million	$744 million
6	Elton John	United Kingdom	$565 million	$695 million
7	Jay-Z	United States	$560 million	$689 million
8	Paul McCartney	United Kingdom	$535 million	$658 million
9	Katy Perry	United States	$530 million	$652 million
10	Lady Gaga	United States	$500 million	$615 million

See also

• Forbes Top 40 – list of highest-paid celebrities (1987–1998)
• Forbes Celebrity 100 – list of most powerful celebrities (1999–2014) and highest-paid celebrities (2015–2020)
• Forbes list of the world's highest-paid dead celebrities
• List of music artists by net worth

Notes

1. Male soloists were largely absent in 1999. Lou Bega was only ranked 76th on the overall celebrity earnings list.^[48]
2. Although Forbes listed Celine Dion and Cher each with rounded earnings of $28 million in 2004, the former was ranked higher than the latter.^[52][53]