top 10 richest singers in the world

Top 10 Richest Singers in the World

Successful entertainers belong to the wealthiest people in our society. Successful singers, in particular, belong to the richest within the general entertainment industry. One successful album is usually enough to catapult a singer to millionaire status. The absolute richest singers, however, brought out several good-selling songs and albums. Most of them aren’t just successful nationally either but have managed to sell their records all around the world and belong to the best-selling music artists alive.

While their record sales certainly represent a large chunk of their overall net worth, the richest singers nowadays have a lot more income streams, however. Concerts / Tours, commercials, endorsement deals, social media influencing, TV appearances, acting work, etc. are some of the different ways of making money for a music artist once he or she gets his/her breakthrough. Oftentimes singers will also venture into completely different businesses that have nothing to do with the music industry that then further add to their net worths.

The following list ranks the richest singers in the world by the estimated net worth each singer has currently. All sources of income a singer has are included in the net worth ranking, including business ventures outside the music industry.

Note: The ranking ranks the Top 10 richest singers in the world, which does not include rappers. For the ranking of the top ten richest rappers in the world, click here.

The 10 Richest Singers in the World 2024

richest singers in the world top 10

1. Robyn Fenty a.k.a. Rihanna

rihanna - third of the richest singers in the world

Rihanna

Net worth: ~ $1.4 billion

Real name: Robyn Fenty
Born: February 20, 1988 in Bridgetown, Saint Michael, Barbados
Nationality: Barbadian

Source of wealth (music):
Solo career
Record producer (through her own record label Westbury Road Entertainment)

Source of wealth (other):
Founder & Co-Owner of Fenty Beauty (cosmetics brand),
Own fragrance lines (for Parlux Fragrances)

Rihanna (real name Robyn Fenty) is the richest singer in the world. The global R&B icon has amassed a significant fortune throughout her career as one of the best-selling music artists of all time. However, Rihanna’s net worth is not solely attributed to her music career, her successful ventures into fashion and cosmetics with some of the highest endorsement deals in history have significantly contributed to her tremendous wealth. Her brand Fenty Beauty, a makeup brand, belongs to the most valuable beauty brands in the world. All this turned Rihanna into one of the few self-made billionaire women in the world and also the wealthiest Barbadian and first billionaire from her native country of Barbados.


2. Paul McCartney

paul mccartney - richest singer in the world
Photo: NRK P3 / Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Paul McCartney

Net worth: ~ $1.2 billion

Born: June 18, 1942 in Liverpool, England, UK
Nationality: British

Source of wealth (music):
Part of The Beatles & Solo career
Record producer (through his own record label MPL Communications)

Source of wealth (other):
Co-Owner of Apple Corps (media company)

Paul McCartney follows as second among the richest singers in the world. The former member of ‘The Beatles’, the best-selling band of all time, has amassed a significant fortune throughout his career, which spans six decades. His net worth has been accumulated through decades of work as a member of The Beatles, and through his successful solo career, along with royalties from his extensive catalog of music, but also through his co-ownership of Apple Corps, a media company. All this turned the British musician into a billionaire and the richest male singer currently.


3. Taylor Swift

richest musicians richest singers

Taylor Swift

Net worth: ~ $1.1 billion

Born: December 3, 1989 in West Reading, Pennsylvania, USA
Nationality: American

Source of wealth (music):
Solo career

Source of wealth (other):
Own fragrance lines (for Elizabeth Arden),
Own fashion line (for Stella McCartney)

Taylor Swift is now the third richest singer in the world, having recently become a billionaire. The American singer’s incredible net worth is a testament to her meteoric rise in the music industry, where she is now among the most popular and best-selling singers of all time. She has also gone on a record-breaking World Tour in 2023, the highest-grossing tour of all time, which further added to her tremendous wealth and ultimately established her as a self-made billionaire. Aside from her music, Taylor Swift also managed to create a highly valuable brand around her, which enabled her to partner with some of the most exclusive brands in the fragrance and fashion industry.


4. Celine Dion

 Photo: celebrityabc / Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

Celine Dion

Net worth: ~ $850 million

Born: March 30, 1968 in Charlemagne, Quebec, Canada
Nationality: Canadian

Source of wealth (music):
Solo career

Source of wealth (other):
Co-Founder & Co-Owner of Les Productions Feelings (entertainment company),
Co-Owner of Schwartz’s Restaurant (in Montreal, Canada),
Co-Owner of Le Mirage Golf Club (in Terrebonne, Canada),
Co-Owner of Pure (night club in Paradise, USA),
Own fragrance line (for Coty),
Own handbag line (for Bugatti)

Celine Dion is the fourth richest singer in the world. The Canadian singer known globally for her powerful vocals, has accumulated a substantial part of through her successful career spanning over three decades. However, Dion has also been a successful businesswoman and invested much of her music money into other profitable ventures. She co-owns an entertainment company, Les Productions Feelings, as well as a restaurant and golf club in her native Canada. She also co-owns the Pure, a popular nightclub inside the legendary Ceasar’s Palace on the Las Vegas Strip. She has also created her extremely successful own fragrance line for Coty and a handbag line for Bugatti.


5. Beyonce Knowles-Carter

Beyonce

Net worth: ~ $800 million

Real name: Beyonce Knowles-Carter
Born: September 4, 1981 in Houston, Texas, USA
Nationality: American

Source of wealth (music):
Solo career,
Part of Destiny’s Child (band)

Source of wealth (other):
Founder, Owner & CEO of Parkwood Entertainment (entertainment & clothing company),
Own fashion line (for Adidas),
Acting work

Beyonce completes the Top Five of the richest singers in the world. The American singer’s impressive financial fortune comes both from her membership in the Destiny’s Child band in the 1990s and even more from her subsequent even more successful solo career. Her wealth also stems from many lucrative endorsement deals and profitable business ventures. Through her own company Parkwood Entertainment, she’s involved in the entertainment and sports fashion industries. Until 2023, Beyonce also worked with Adidas, creating several own sports fashion lines. She has also done some acting work in Hollywood.

Beyonce is married to rapper Jay-Z (real name Shawn Carter), who is currently the richest rapper in the world, making Beyonce and Jay-Z the richest couple in the music industry.


6. Paul Hewson a.k.a. Bono

bono - second of the richest singers in the world
Photo: World Bank Photo Collection / Licensed under CC-BY-NC-ND 2.0 

Bono

Net worth: ~ $700 million

Real name: Paul Hewson
Born: May 10, 1959 in Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland
Nationality: Irish

Source of wealth (music):
Part of U2 (band)

Source of wealth (other):
Co-Owner of the Clarence Hotel (in Dublin, Ireland),
Board member of Zipline (drone delivery company),
Book author

Bono, real name Paul Hewson, stands in eighth place among the richest singers in the world. Most of his wealth stems from him being part of ‘U2’, one of the most successful bands of all time. However, Bono’s wealth not only reflects his musical success but also his many savvy business investments. Bono is currently most notably a board member of American drone delivery company Zipline. He also co-owns a hotel in his hometown of Dublin, Ireland. Additionally, the Irish singer has also authored several well-selling books.


7. Madonna Ciccone

madonna - fourth richest singer in the world
Photo: chrisweger / Licensed under CC BY-SA 2

Madonna

Net worth: ~ $580 million

Real name: Madonna Ciccone
Born: August 16, 1958 in Bay City, Michigan, USA
Nationality: American

Source of wealth (music):
Solo career

Source of wealth (other):
Own fashion lines (for H&M, Dolce&Gabbana & Macy’s),
Book author

Madonna, one of the most successful and iconic pop stars of all time, has accumulated an impressive financial portfolio throughout her four-decade career and is currently the fifth richest singer in the world. Her wealth is primarily derived from her music. But she additionally managed to generate her wealth through several real estate investments, and various business ventures, primarily highly lucrative partnerships with some of the world’s major clothing retailers and fashion labels. The American singer has also authored several books.


8. Elton John

Photo: NRK P3 / Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Elton John

Net worth: ~ $550 million

Born: March 25, 1947 in London, England, UK
Nationality: British

Source of wealth (music):
Solo career

Source of wealth (other):
Art collection (among the world’s biggest)

Elton John comes eighth among the richest singers worldwide. The British singer’s multimillionaire status comes mainly from his successful career in the music industry, which includes recording one of the most popular songs of all time as well as several highly successful albums and tours over the last six decades. Additionally, Elton John is also an avid art collector and owns one of the largest photographic fine art collections in the world, which, too, contributes to his net wealth.


9. Gloria Estefan

Gloria Estefan

Net worth: ~ $520 million

Born: September 1, 1957 in Havana, La Habana, Cuba
Nationality: Cuban & American

Source of wealth (music):
Solo career

Source of wealth (other):
Co-Owner of Estefan Kitchen Orlando (restaurant in Kissimmee, USA),
Co-Owner of The Cardozo South Beach Hotel (in Miami Beach, USA),
Co-Owner of the Costa d’Este Hotel (in Vero Beach, USA),
Co-Owner of the Miami Dolphins (American football franchise),
Board member of Univision Communications (TV Network),
Board member of Areu Bros. (film studio),
Book Author,
Acting work

Gloria Estefan is the ninth richest singer in the world. The American-Cuban icon of Latin Pop has obviously had tremendous success in the music industry. However, most of her wealth actually stems from her numerous business endeavors. This includes the co-ownership of two hotels and one restaurant in Florida. Estefan is also a co-owner of the Miami Dolphins, an American football franchise in the NFL. She’s also a board member of Univision, the largest Spanish-speaking TV network in the United States, and a board member of Areu Bros. a film studio company. She has also done some acting work in the past and authored several books.


10. Dolly Parton

Dolly Parton

Net worth: ~ $440 million

Born: January 19, 1946 in Pittman Center, Tennessee, USA
Nationality: American

Source of wealth (music):
Solo career,
Duo with Porter Wagoner

Source of wealth (other):
Co-Founder & Co-Owner of Sandollar Productions (film production company),
Co-Owner of The Dollywood Company (theme park company),
Acting work

Dolly Parton completes the Top Ten of the richest singers in the world. The Country singer is mostly known for being the most successful and popular female Country singer of the 20th Century. Among her many music accolades belongs the song “I Will Always Love You”, one of the best-selling songs in history later popularized by Whitney Houston. Parton was also a successful actress, even earning two Golde Globe nominations. She also co-founded and co-owns Sandollar Productions, a major film production company that has produced big hits for television in the past. She is also co-owner of The Dollywood Company, which operates a popular theme park in her home state of Tennessee.



The Top 10 Richest Singers in the World:

1.ROBYN FENTY (a.k.a. RIHANNA)Net worth: ~ $1.4 billion
2. PAUL MCCARTNEYNet worth: ~ $1.2 billion
3. richest musicians richest singersTAYLOR SWIFTNet worth: ~ $1.1 billion
4. CELINE DION Net worth: ~ $850 million
5. BEYONCE KNOWLES-CARTERNet worth: ~ $800 million
6. PAUL HEWSON (a.k.a. BONO)Net worth: ~ $700 million
7. MADONNA CICCONENet worth: ~ $580 million
8. ELTON JOHNNet worth: ~ $550 million
9.GLORIA ESTEFANNet worth: ~ $520 million
10. DOLLY PARTONNet worth: ~ $440 million
Updated as of January 2024.

Top 10 richest singers in the world. The ranking does not include rappers, there is a separate ranking of the top 10 richest rappers in the world here. The richest musicians in the world are determined by their respective estimated net worths, earned both within the music industry and outside the music industry. Source: Forbes
.


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