In brief
- Taylor Swift is the richest singer in the world, with Forbes estimating her net worth at $2 billion in 2026.
- Paul McCartney is second at about $1.35 billion, based on the 2025 Sunday Times Rich List.
- Beyoncé became a billionaire in December 2025, joining Swift, Springsteen and Rihanna.
- Touring, master recordings and businesses such as Fenty Beauty drive most of these fortunes.
As of October 2026, Taylor Swift is the richest singer in the world, with Forbes estimating her net worth at $2 billion. Paul McCartney follows with about $1.35 billion, based on the Sunday Times Rich List figure of £1.025 billion. Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna and Beyoncé are also billionaires, according to Forbes.
Forbes counts only a handful of billionaire musicians. Beyoncé became the latest in December 2025, joining Swift, Springsteen, Rihanna and the rapper Jay-Z, who is the richest musician overall at a reported $2.8 billion. This list covers singers only, so Jay-Z is not ranked.
Most of these fortunes come from more than record sales. Touring, ownership of master recordings and publishing rights, and businesses outside music make up a large share of the money.
Also read10 Richest Fictional Characters in the World (2026 Ranking)| Rank | Singer | Net worth | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taylor Swift | $2 billion | Forbes, 2026 |
| 2 | Paul McCartney | About $1.35 billion (£1.025 billion) | Sunday Times Rich List, 2025 |
| 3 | Bruce Springsteen | Over $1 billion | Forbes, 2024 |
| 4 | Rihanna | $1 billion | Forbes, 2026 |
| 5 | Beyoncé | $1 billion | Forbes, 2025 |
| 6 | Madonna | $850 million | Forbes, 2024 |
| 7 | Elton John | About $630 million (£475 million) | Sunday Times Rich List, 2025 |
| 8 | Mick Jagger | About $585 million (£440 million) | Sunday Times Rich List, 2025 |
| 9 | Celine Dion | $550 million | Forbes, 2024 |
| 10 | Ed Sheeran | About $490 million (£370 million) | Sunday Times Rich List, 2025 |
1. Taylor Swift: $2 billion
Forbes first counted Taylor Swift as a billionaire in October 2023. By March 2026 it estimated her net worth at $2 billion, which also placed her 23rd on its 2026 list of America’s Richest Self-Made Women.
The Eras Tour is the main reason. It earned about $2.2 billion in ticket sales, the highest gross for any concert tour. Swift also bought back the master recordings of her first six albums in 2025, reportedly for about $360 million, and Forbes values her music catalogue at about $600 million. Her property portfolio is estimated at $110 million.
2. Paul McCartney: about $1.35 billion
The 2025 Sunday Times Rich List put Paul McCartney’s wealth, shared with his wife Nancy Shevell, at £1.025 billion, about $1.35 billion. He became the first British musician to pass £1 billion on the list.
His income comes from Beatles and solo royalties, his music publishing company MPL Communications, and touring. His Got Back tour has continued to play stadiums and arenas into his 80s.
3. Bruce Springsteen: over $1 billion
Forbes added Bruce Springsteen to its billionaire count in July 2024. Springsteen himself has disputed the figure, so it is best read as an estimate.
The biggest single item is his catalogue. He sold his recorded music and songwriting rights to Sony in 2021 in a deal widely reported at about $500 million. Long tours with the E Street Band add hundreds of millions in ticket sales.
4. Rihanna: $1 billion
Forbes listed Rihanna at $1 billion in its 2026 ranking of America’s Richest Self-Made Women, down from $1.4 billion in 2024. Her wealth comes mainly from business, not music.
Fenty Beauty, launched with LVMH in 2017, accounts for most of it, along with her stake in the lingerie brand Savage X Fenty. She has not released a studio album since Anti in 2016.
5. Beyoncé: $1 billion
Forbes declared Beyoncé a billionaire in December 2025. It estimated her 2025 pre-tax earnings at $148 million, making her the third highest-paid musician of the year.
Her Cowboy Carter Tour was the highest-grossing tour of 2025, bringing in more than $450 million from tickets and merchandise. She also controls her own back catalogue and has businesses in hair care, whiskey and clothing. Her marriage to Jay-Z makes them one of the richest celebrity couples in the world.
6. Madonna: $850 million
Forbes estimated Madonna’s net worth at $850 million in 2024. She has sold hundreds of millions of records over four decades and remains one of the highest-earning touring acts.
Her Celebration Tour ran from 2023 to 2024 and ended with a free show on Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro in May 2024, which drew a crowd estimated at 1.6 million people.
7. Elton John: about $630 million
The 2025 Sunday Times Rich List placed Elton John’s wealth at £475 million, about $630 million. His Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour, which ended in 2023, was one of the highest-grossing tours of all time.
He also earns from his large song catalogue, written mostly with Bernie Taupin, and from his stage musicals.
8. Mick Jagger: about $585 million
Mick Jagger was listed at £440 million on the 2025 Sunday Times Rich List, about $585 million, joint with bandmate Keith Richards. The Rolling Stones still tour stadiums more than 60 years after forming.
Their 2024 Hackney Diamonds tour of North America followed their first album of new songs in 18 years.
9. Celine Dion: $550 million
Forbes estimated Celine Dion’s net worth at $550 million in 2024. Much of it came from her long Las Vegas residencies at Caesars Palace, which ran for more than a decade.
She paused performing after being diagnosed with stiff person syndrome, which she revealed in 2022. She returned to the stage at the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics.
10. Ed Sheeran: about $490 million
Ed Sheeran was listed at £370 million on the 2025 Sunday Times Rich List, about $490 million. His Divide tour, which ran from 2017 to 2019, was the highest-grossing tour ever at the time.
He also owns property in Suffolk and London and earns from songwriting for other artists.
How we ranked these
We used the most recent figure from Forbes or the Sunday Times Rich List for each singer. Pound figures are converted at about $1.33 to the pound and rounded. Net worth estimates change with tour income and catalogue values, so treat all figures as estimates.
Rappers are not included. For hip-hop fortunes, see our list of the richest female rappers in the world.
Sources: Forbes 2026 self-made women list, via Lakes Media Network; EWN on Forbes and Beyoncé; Sunday Times Rich List 2025, via AOL; Forbes Australia, 2024.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the richest singer in the world in 2026?
Taylor Swift is the richest singer in the world in 2026. Forbes estimated her net worth at $2 billion as of March 2026, helped by the Eras Tour, which grossed about $2.2 billion, and by her music catalogue, which Forbes values at about $600 million.
Which singers are billionaires?
According to Forbes, the singers who are billionaires are Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen, Rihanna and Beyoncé, who joined the group in December 2025. Paul McCartney is also above $1 billion on the Sunday Times Rich List. Rapper Jay-Z is the richest musician overall at a reported $2.8 billion.
What is Paul McCartney’s net worth?
The 2025 Sunday Times Rich List put Paul McCartney’s wealth, shared with his wife Nancy Shevell, at £1.025 billion, or about $1.35 billion. He was the first British musician to pass £1 billion on the list, with income from Beatles royalties, publishing and touring.
Is Rihanna richer than Beyoncé?
Forbes currently puts both Rihanna and Beyoncé at about $1 billion. Rihanna’s wealth comes mostly from Fenty Beauty and Savage X Fenty, while Beyoncé’s comes from music, touring and her catalogue. Rihanna’s estimate fell from $1.4 billion in 2024 to $1 billion in 2026.
How do singers become billionaires?
Most billionaire singers combine touring with ownership. Taylor Swift owns her master recordings, Bruce Springsteen sold his catalogue to Sony for a reported $500 million, and Rihanna built Fenty Beauty. Record sales and streaming alone rarely produce a fortune of that size.
See more Wealthy Garage stories on Google
Add us as a preferred source and our stories will show up more often in your Top Stories.
Add Wealthy Garage as a preferred source on Google
