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, followed by Taylor Swift and then Rihanna, the first female artist to become a billionaire.
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When Forbes 400 Richest Americans debuted in 1982, Yoko Ono was the only musician listed, with a net worth of $155 million (equivalent to $489 million in 2024), 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 $531 million in 2024), 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]
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 other 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 and Bankrate. Artists such as Bono and Paul McCartney have been claimed to achieve billionaire status, albeit denied by Forbes. [7] [8]
