Top 10 Highest Paid Women Musicians
From Britney Spears to Beyoncé, these millionaire artists are giving further proof that girls indeed run the world. Forbes has formulated a list of the 10 women in music who are taking home the most bank. You might be surprised by a few of the names on here, though they’re all familiar. It will, of course, be interesting to see how many remain as we move into the new year. Britney Spears earned over $50 million in 2010—$64 million, to be exact. This year, she might describe her financial gains with the words to one of her best-known songs: “Oops! I did it again.” Below is list of Top 10 Highest Paid Women Musicians 2012.
Let’s check the list of Top 10 Highest Paid Women Musicians.
1. Britney Spears ($58 million)
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, she began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. The 31-year-old pop star tops our list of the top-earning women in music thanks to millions from touring, endorsements and a fragrance line with Elizabeth Arden. Her latest album, Femme Fatale, earned platinum certification in the U.S.
2. Taylor Swift ($57 million)
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift is an American singer-songwriter. Raised in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, Swift moved to Nashville, Tennessee at the age of fourteen to pursue a career in country music. The country crossover star grossed over $1 million per night on the road this year, and also earns big from endorsements with the likes of CoverGirl and Sony. There’s more cash on the way: her latest album, Red, moved 1.2 million units its opening week this fall, the best debut since 2002.
3. Rihanna ($53 million)
Barbadian singer Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty, known mononymously as Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist and actress. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, her career began when she met record producer Evan Rogers in late 2003. The Barbados-born diva is one of the top earning women in music thanks to lucrative sidelines including endorsements with Vita Coco and Nivea, fragrance Reb’l Fleur and a heavy touring schedule.
4. Lady Gaga ($52 million)
Lady Gaga
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer-songwriter. The Born This Way singer still makes plenty of money off of music sales, padding her coffers a new fragrance called Fame. Up next: more touring and perhaps a new album.
5. Katy Perry ($45 million)
Katy Perry
Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson, known by her stage name Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Perry was born and raised in Santa Barbara, California around the influence of gospel music. The California Girl continues to garner considerable airplay €”and dollars. Her California Dreams Tour grossed nearly $60 million, and she’s the only musician besides Michael Jackson to have five No. 1 singles from the same album.
6. Beyoncé ($40 million)
Beyoncé
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter, known mononymously as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and actress. Beyoncé took a break from her hectic schedule after giving birth to Blue Ivy in January. But she still earns big from old hits and non-musical ventures like her House of Dereon clothing line. Next up: a $50 million deal with Pepsi and a new album.
7. Adele ($35 million)
Adele
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, better known simply as Adele, is an English singer-songwriter and musician. Adele was offered a recording contract from XL Recordings after a friend posted her demo on Myspace in 2006. Who says recorded music is dead? The big-voiced Brit has sold over 23 million copies of her smash album 21 and in February earned six Grammys for her efforts.
8. Sade ($33 million)
Sade
One of four foreign-born musicians on the list, the Nigerian-born, Britain-bred singer-songwriter makes the cut thanks to a tour that included nearly 100 show dates in our scoring period.
9. Madonna ($30 million)
Madonna
American singer, songwriter, actress, director, dancer and entrepreneur. She has sold more than 300 million records worldwide and is recognized as the best-selling female recording artist of all time by Guinness World Records. The Material Girl’s latest tour falls outside our scoring period, but she still makes the list on account of a new record deal, endorsements, a shoe line, a fragrance and royalties from old hits.
10. Shakira ($20 million)
Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, known mononymously as Shakira, is a Colombian singer-songwriter, dancer, record producer, choreographer and model who emerged in the music scene of Colombia and Latin America in the early 1990s.
The Colombian-born diva squeaks into the top ten on the strength of a lucrative bunch of live shows, continued record sales and a new fragrance, Elixir.
The Colombian-born diva squeaks into the top ten on the strength of a lucrative bunch of live shows, continued record sales and a new fragrance, Elixir.