List of music artists by net worth

American rapper Jay-Z is the wealthiest music artist in the world, with estimated earnings at US$2.8 billion as of 2026.

The following is a list of music artists with the highest estimated net worth (also known as wealthiest musicians or richest musicians), based on calculations by reputable publications such as Forbes and The Sunday Times Rich List. As of March 2026, seven music artists have reached the billionaire status on Forbes reports, among them: Jay-Z leading the list with $2.8 billion, Taylor Swift—the richest female musician—and then Rihanna, the first female artist to become a billionaire.

Forbes lists are dominated by American artists, while musicians of other nationalities have built their wealth predominantly in the U.S., such as Celine Dion. When Forbes 400 Richest Americans debuted in 1982, Yoko Ono was the only musician listed, with a net worth of $155 million (equivalent to $500 million in 2025), largely due to the music royalties of her late husband John Lennon's band the Beatles.[1] In 1991, Forbes estimated Michael Jackson's net worth at $230 million (equivalent to $544 million in 2025), making him the wealthiest musician and the second wealthiest entertainer, behind comedian Bill Cosby.[2] According to some insiders, it is estimated that Jackson's estate is worth over $2 billion as of 2024.[3][4]

Outside of Forbes, net worth estimations vary amid the same artists and different sources, as some media outlets have published estimations from various websites and lists such as CelebrityNetWorth and Bankrate, or other business-related publication. For instance, Bloomberg L.P. valued Selena Gomez at US$1.3 billion in 2024, while Forbes estimated her net worth at only $700 million by 2025. U2 singer Bono has been described as a billionaire, and Paul McCartney is listed as one by the Sunday Times Rich List, though neither have been accorded such status by Forbes.[5][6]

Forbes

Not to be confused with Forbes list of the world's highest-paid musicians.
American singer Taylor Swift is the wealthiest female musician, with a net worth of US$2 billion as of 2026.
Barbadian singer Rihanna became the first female musician to attain a billionaire status in 2021, with a net worth of $1.7 billion at that time.

The following are music artists with a net worth of over $300 million (adjusted for inflation) according to Forbes. The artists are listed based on the nominal figure of their most recently available estimation.

Music artists with the highest net worth reported by Forbes
Artists Nationality Lifetime Net worth Report year Ref.
Latest
estimation 		Peak
estimation 		Peak estimation
adjusted in 2025 $ 		Latest Peak
Jay-Z United States 1969–present $2.8 billion $2.8 billion $2.87 billion 2026 [7]
Taylor Swift United States 1989–present $2 billion[a] $2 billion 2026 [9]
Bruce Springsteen United States 1949–present $1.2 billion $1.2 billion 2025 [10]
Beyoncé United States 1981–present $1 billion $1 billion 2025 [11]
Rihanna Barbados 1988–present $1 billion $1.7 billion $2.02 billion 2025 2021 [12][13]
Dr. Dre United States 1965–present $1 billion $1 billion 2026 [14]
Jimmy Buffett United States 1946–2023 $1 billion $1.06 billion 2023 [15]
Madonna United States 1958–present $850 million $850 million 2025 [16]
Selena Gomez[b] United States 1992–present $700 million $700 million 2025 [18]
Julio Iglesias Spain 1943–present $600 million[c] $634 million 2023 [19]
Celine Dion Canada 1968–present $570 million $570 million 2025 [20]
Barbra Streisand United States 1942–present $510 million $510 million 2025 [21]
Dolly Parton United States 1946–present $450 million $450 million 2025 [22]
Jon Bon Jovi United States 1962–present $410 million $550 million 2016 [23]
Kanye West United States 1977–present $400 million $2.77 billion[d] $2.77 billion 2025 2022 [26][25]
Sean Combs United States 1969–present $400 million $820 million[e] $1.08 billion 2024 2017 [28][29]
Katy Perry United States 1984–present $360 million $360 million 2025 [18]
Michael Jackson United States 1958–2009 $350 million $613 million 2003 [2]
Mariah Carey United States 1969–present $225 million $349 million 2007 [30]
Yoko Ono Japan 1933–present $150 million $500 million 1982 [1]

Sunday Times Rich List

British singer Paul McCartney is a billionaire according to Sunday Times Rich List, although this status is denied by Forbes.

The following are music artists from the United Kingdom and Ireland with a net worth of over £300 million according to the Sunday Times Rich List.

Music artists with the highest net worth reported on the Sunday Times Rich List
Artist(s) Nationality Lifetime Net worth Report year Ref.
Latest
estimation 		Peak
estimation 		Peak estimation
adjusted in 2025 £ 		Latest Peak
Paul McCartney[f] United Kingdom 1942–present £1.025 billion £1.03 billion 2025 [33]
U2 Ireland 1976–present £625 million £665 million 2022 [34]
Andrew Lloyd Webber United Kingdom 1948–present £500 million £820 million £1.03 billion 2025 2019 [33][35]
Elton John United Kingdom 1947–present £475 million £475 million 2025 [33]
Coldplay[g] United Kingdom 1997–present £471 million £501 million 2022 [36]
Mick Jagger United Kingdom 1943–present £440 million £440 million 2025 [33]
Keith Richards United Kingdom 1943–present £440 million £440 million 2025 [33]
Ed Sheeran United Kingdom 1991–present £370 million £370 million 2025 [33]
Sting United Kingdom 1951–present £320 million £341 million 2022 [37]

Artists' estates

In 2020, one Elvis Presley's state executive told Rolling Stone magazine that artist's estate was worth between US$400–500 million.[38] As of 2024, the estate of Michael Jackson has been valued over US$2 billion.[3][4]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Bloomberg L.P. estimated Swift's net worth at $2.1 billion as of October 2025.[8]
  2. ^ Selena Gomez is a billionaire according to Bloomberg L.P., which estimated her net worth at $1.3 billion as of 2024.[17]
  3. ^ Julio Iglesias' net worth according to Forbes Spain.
  4. ^ Outside of Forbes, estimates of Kanye West's net worth have been dynamic. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index valued him at $6.6 billion in 2021, while West himself measured at least US$3.3 billion in 2020.[24][25]
  5. ^ Former Forbes editor Zack O'Malley Greenburg estimated Combs' net worth at $1 billion on a Substack report in 2022.[27]
  6. ^ Paul McCartney's estimation includes his wife Nancy Shevell's wealth, hence Forbes disputed McCartney's status as a billionaire. Shevell's family owns a trucking company which generates over $300 million per year in revenue. In 2008, McCartney disclosed personal net assets of £387,012,000 (about $600 million) as part of divorce proceedings with ex-wife Heather Mills. In 2013, Forbes estimates his net worth roughly at $650 million.[31] As of 2025, McCartney has yet to appear on Forbes's world's billionaires list.[32]
  7. ^ Although The Sunday Times reported the combined net worth of Coldplay, they were not listed collectively as a group on Sunday Times Rich List 2022

References

  1. ^ a b Dellatto, Marisa. "Forbes' Hollywood Walk Of Fame: The Richest Celebrities Of All Time". Forbes.
  2. ^ a b "In Pictures: A Forbes History Of Michael Jackson's Earnings". Forbes. October 27, 2009. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Bacher, Danielle (March 25, 2024). "Inside the Fight over Michael Jackson's $2 Billion Estate — and His Mom's Battle with Her Grandson Bigi". People. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Dillon, Nancy (March 9, 2024). "Michael Jackson Estate, Katherine Jackson Clash in Court Over $600 Million Catalog Deal". Rolling Stone.
  5. ^ Robehmed, Natalie (September 1, 2015). "Why U2's Bono Isn't A Billionaire". Forbes. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  6. ^ Olson, Parmy (September 1, 2015). "Sorry, Heather. Paul Ain't No Billionaire". Forbes. Retrieved May 30, 2024.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  7. ^ "Profile: Jay-Z". Forbes. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  8. ^ Pendleton, Devon (October 2, 2025). "Taylor Swift's Wealth Tops $2 Billion Before Life of a Showgirl Album Release". Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved October 15, 2025.
  9. ^ "Profile: Taylor Swift". Forbes. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  10. ^ "Profile: Bruce Springsteen". Forbes. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  11. ^ "Profile: Beyoncé Knowles-Carter". Forbes. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  12. ^ "Profile: Rihanna". Forbes. Retrieved June 3, 2025.
  13. ^ Berg, Madeline (August 4, 2021). "Fenty's Fortune: Rihanna Is Now Officially A Billionaire". Forbes. Retrieved September 6, 2025.
  14. ^ "The World's Celebrity Billionaires". Forbes. March 10, 2026. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  15. ^ "Forbes Profile: Jimmy Buffett". Forbes. April 4, 2023. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023.
  16. ^ "Profile: Madonna". Forbes. Retrieved June 3, 2025.
  17. ^ Dailey, Hannah (July 9, 2024). "Selena Gomez is now a Billionaire, according to Bloomberg". Billboard. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  18. ^ a b Craig, Matt (June 3, 2025). "America's Richest Women Celebrities 2025". Forbes. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
    "Profile: Selena Gomez". Forbes. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  19. ^ "¿De cuánto es el patrimonio de Julio Iglesias? Este es el puesto que ocupa en el top 10 de los artistas más ricos del mundo el cantante que cumplirá 80 años". El Universo (in Spanish). September 15, 2023. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  20. ^ "Profile: Celine Dion". Forbes. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  21. ^ "Profile: Barbra Streisand". Forbes. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
  22. ^ "Profile: Dolly Parton". Forbes. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  23. ^ Greenburg, Zack O'Malley. "Jon Bon Jovi's Net Worth: $410 Million In 2016". Forbes. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  24. ^ Goldman, Lea (September 18, 2007). "Forbes And 50 Cent 'Get Money'". Forbes. Retrieved May 30, 2024.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  25. ^ a b Voytko, Lisette (April 5, 2023). "Here's Why Kanye West Dropped Off The Forbes Billionaires List". Forbes. Retrieved May 30, 2024.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  26. ^ "Profile: Kanye West". Forbes. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  27. ^ Paul, Larisha (October 28, 2022). "Diddy Replaces Ye, Joins Jay-Z in Billionaires Club on 2022 List of Wealthiest Hip-Hop Artists". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 30, 2024.
  28. ^ Voytko-Best, Lisette (June 21, 2024). "Inside The Rubble Of Diddy's Empire". Forbes. Retrieved February 27, 2025.
  29. ^ Greenburg, Zack O'Malley. "Diddy's Net Worth: $820 Million In 2017". Forbes.
  30. ^ "In Pictures: The Richest 20 Women In Entertainment". Forbes. January 17, 2007. Retrieved November 19, 2025.
  31. ^ Greenburg, Zack O'Malley (April 12, 2013). "Why Paul McCartney Isn't on the FORBES Billionaires List". Forbes.
  32. ^ "Forbes Billionaires 2025". Forbes.
  33. ^ a b c d e f Muir, Ellie (May 16, 2025). "Paul McCartney, Ed Sheeran and Elton John among musicians named on Sunday Times Rich List for 2025". The Independent. Retrieved September 9, 2025.
  34. ^ Dean, Jonathan (June 9, 2024). "The 40 richest musicians in the UK and Ireland". The Sunday Times.
  35. ^ "Ed Sheeran tops Adele as Stormzy joins Sunday Times Rich List". BBC News. 2019-05-09. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  36. ^ "Coldplay's Chris Martin Net Worth". The Sunday Times. 20 May 2022. Retrieved 3 June 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  37. ^ "Sting net worth — Sunday Times Rich List 2022". The Sunday Times. June 9, 2024.
  38. ^ Contreras, Brian; Sakoui, Anousha (January 14, 2023). "Lisa Marie Presley leaves behind a lucrative Graceland — and a complicated financial legacy". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 30, 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_music_artists_by_net_worth