Pop superstar Taylor Swift has been crowned the world’s highest-paid musician, according to Forbes.
The former Maxim Hot 100 cover beauty made a staggering $185 million in 2019 to top Forbes’ annual list of high-earning artists for the second time in five years. Swift’s lucrative new record deal, corporate endorsements, and profit from her latest tour all contributed to her blockbuster year.
Kanye West notched second place with $150 million thanks to a surge in sales of his Yeezy sneakers. British singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran and California rockers The Eagles made $110 million and $100 million to take the No. 3 and No. 4 spots, respectively. Pop-rock mainstay Elton John raked in $84 million to round out the top five.
Forbes determined the rankings by reviewing income from touring, music and business ventures as reported by Pollstar and Nielsen Music, as well as from interviews with industry insiders and the artists themselves. Find out where Metallica, Jay-Z and Beyoncé and others landed on the top 10 below, and see the list in its entirety on Forbes.