The following is a list of music artists with the highest estimated 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. , seven music artists have reached the billionaire status on Forbes reports, among them: Jay-Z leading the list with $2.8 billion, Taylor Swift—the richest female musician—and then Rihanna, the first female artist to become a billionaire.
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. When Forbes 400 Richest Americans debuted in 1982, Yoko Ono was the only musician listed, with a net worth of $155 million (equivalent to $ in ), largely due to the music royalties of her late husband John Lennon's band the Beatles. In 1991, Forbes estimated Michael Jackson's net worth at $230 million (equivalent to $ in ), making him the wealthiest musician and the second-wealthiest entertainer, behind comedian Bill Cosby. According to some insiders, it is estimated that Jackson's estate is worth over $2 billion as of 2024.
Outside of Forbes, net worth estimations vary amid the same artists and different sources, as some media outlets have published estimations from various websites and lists such as CelebrityNetWorth and Bankrate, or other business-related publication. For instance, Bloomberg L.P. valued Selena Gomez at US$1.3 billion in 2024, while Forbes estimated her net worth at only $700 million by 2025. U2 singer Bono has been described as a billionaire, and Paul McCartney is listed as one by the Sunday Times Rich List, though neither have been accorded such status by Forbes.
Forbes
Music artists with a net worth of over $300 million (adjusted for inflation) according to Forbes most recent estimate:
+Music artists with the highest net worth reported by Forbes Artists Nationality Lifetime Net worth Report year Latestestimation Peakestimation Peak estimationadjusted in 2025 $ Latest Peak Jay-Z United States 1969–present $ $ 2026 United States 1989–present $2.1 billion $ 2026 United States 1949–present $ $ 2025 Beyoncé United States 1981–present $ $ 2025 Rihanna Barbados 1988–present $ $ $ 2025 2021 United States 1965–present $ $ 2026 United States 1934–2023 $ $ 2023 Madonna United States 1958–present $850 million $850 million 2025 United States 1992–present $700 million $700 million 2025 Spain 1943–present $600 million $ 2023 Canada 1968–present $570 million $570 million 2025 United States 1942–present $510 million $510 million 2025 United States 1946–2026 $450 million $450 million 2025 Jon Bon Jovi United States 1962–present $410 million $ 2016 United States 1977–present $400 million $ $ 2025 2022 United States 1969–present $400 million $820 million $ 2024 2017 United States 1984–present $360 million $360 million 2025 United States 1958–2009 $350 million $ 2003 United States 1969–present $225 million $ 2007 Japan 1933–present $150 million $ 1982
Sunday Times Rich List
The following are music artists from the United Kingdom and Ireland with a net worth of over £300 million, according to the Sunday Times Rich List.
+Music artists with the highest net worth reported on the Sunday Times Rich List Artist(s) Nationality Lifetime Net worth Report year Latestestimation Peakestimation Peak estimationadjusted in £ Latest Peak United Kingdom 1942–present £ £ 2026 U2 Ireland 1976–present £625 million £ 2022 United Kingdom 1948–present £516 million £820 million £ 2026 2019 United Kingdom 1947–present £480 million £ 2026 Coldplay United Kingdom 1997–present £471 million £ 2022 United Kingdom 1943–present £450 million £ 2026 United Kingdom 1943–present £450 million £ 2026 United Kingdom 1991–present £410 million £ 2026 and Liam Gallagher United Kingdom 1967–present £375 million £ 2026 United Kingdom 1947–present £360 million £ 2026 United Kingdom 1949–present £360 million £ 2026 Sting United Kingdom 1951–present £320 million £ 2022
Artists' estates In 2020, one Elvis Presley's state executive told Rolling Stone magazine that artist's estate was worth between US$400–500 million. As of 2024, the estate of Michael Jackson has been valued over US$2 billion.
See also Hollywood accounting Forbes Top 40 (1987–1998) Forbes Celebrity 100 (1999–2020) Forbes list of the world's highest-paid musicians Forbes list of the world's highest-paid dead celebrities List of celebrities by net worth
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