American rapper Jay-Z is the wealthiest music artist in the world, with Forbes estimating his net worth at US$2.5 billion in 2024.
The following is a list of music artists with the highest recorded 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 2024, five music artists have reached the billionaire status on Forbes reports: Jay-Z leading the list with US$2.5 billion, and becoming the first billionaire music artist, followed by Taylor Swift, the first billionaire with music as the primary income, and Rihanna, the first female artist to become a billionaire.
When Forbes 400 Richest Americans debuted in 1982, Yoko Ono was the only musician listed, with a net worth of $150 million (equivalent to $474 million in 2023), largely due to the music royalties of her late husband's band the Beatles.[1] In 1991, Forbes estimated Michael Jackson's net worth at $230 million (equivalent to $515 million in 2023), making him the wealthiest musician and the second wealthiest entertainer, behind comedian Bill Cosby.[2] It is estimated that Jackson's estate is worth over $2 billion as of 2024.[3][4]
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. Reports from others business-related publications such as Bloomberg L.P. could differ; for instance, they valued Kanye West at US$6.6 billion in 2021, while West himself measured at least US$3.3 billion in 2020.[5][6] Outside of Forbes, net worth estimations could vastly vary amid same artists and different sources, as some media outlets have published estimations from various websites and lists such as CelebrityNetWorth, Bankrate and Sunday Times Rich List. Artists such as Bono and Paul McCartney have been claimed to achieve billionaire status, albeit denied by Forbes.[7][8]
Forbes
American singer Taylor Swift is currently the wealthiest female musician, with a net worth of US$1.6 billion as of 2024.
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.
^Julio Iglesias' net worth according to Forbes Spain.
^Forbes has not reported an updated estimation of Mariah Carey's net worth since 2007.
^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.[30] As of 2024, McCartney has yet to appear on Forbes's world's billionaires list.[31]
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