Top 10 Richest Music Artists in the World Revealed

This is an interesting concept because it proves two things to upcoming and ambitious musicians:

1. It is possible to build immense amounts of money as a music artist.
2. It allows you to grow your wealth and income even more by breaking into Hollywood, Broadway, and becoming an Entrepreneur.

The struggle is real and lots of artists pay their dues and never break through into the mainstream. If you want to make the leap, get ready to become a marketer on top of writing songs and playing instruments, like the following top 10 richest musicians have…

#10 – Bruce Springsteen

Net Worth: $650 Million

Change: +$150M & ↑1 – The Boss himself! A perfect nickname for a man like Bruce Springsteen, icon of American Rock and Roll. You’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who isn’t at least familiar with his name. Considered one of the greatest songwriters of all time, he has released 20 studio albums, and sold 135 million records globally. He’s won a whopping 20 Grammy Awards, plus two Golden Globes, one Academy Award, and a special Tony award! In 1999, he was inducted in both the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And in 2016, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom from then-President Barack Obama.

Aside from his music, he is also widely known for his philanthropy and outspokenness on social issues. His songs often have social and political commentaries. He is a staunch advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and Women’s Rights, even canceling his own shows in protest.

Bruce wasn’t always fond of the nickname “The Boss.” He has a dislike for bosses (very on brand), and it made him uncomfortable. It was given to him before he became a star, overseeing the collection of his band’s fee from the owners of the clubs they played at, and distributing it.

#9 – Dolly Parton

Net Worth: $675 Million

Change: +$150M & ↑3 – The shining star of American country music, Dolly Parton! A celebrity that is as nice in person as she appears on camera. She began as a songwriter before debuting as a singer in 1967, and has written and composed over 3,000 songs, like “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You” (yes, the Whitney song!). Her record sales total to more than 100 million worldwide. Dolly has also been nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress for her role in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. She’s won 11 Grammy Awards, and has been nominated for a Tony, an Emmy, and an Academy Award!

More than that, she is a business woman and celebrated philanthropist. She co-owns The Dollywood Company, which manages entertainment venues like the Dollywood Theme Park, among others. She also founded the Dollywood Foundation, which handles projects involving poverty relief and education in her hometown, East Tennessee.

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library was founded in 1995, mailing free books to children. It has since expanded to the entirety of the United States, as well as the UK, Canada, Australia, and Ireland. Today, there are around two million children registered, and the program has sent out more than 190 million books.

#8 – Bono

Net Worth: $700 Million

Bono is a strange one. The lead singer of U2, Bono is straight killing it by marketing himself as the guy who wears those glasses while caring about eco and social activist issues. I can make jokes all day long, but the fact is, Bono is a boss. Beyond his work as a singer-songwriter and musician, he is also a venture capitalist, philanthropist, and general businessman.

He’s such a huge figure for the Irish people (and unapologetically outspoken) that he’s been the target of terrorist threats and actions. Like many on this list, Bono has been awarded a knighthood. How many dragons have you killed?! He is to be addressed as “Paul David Hewson, KBE OL.”

For being a huge philanthropist and social activist, it was a surprise when his name appeared in the Paradise Papers, which provided proof and exposed globally many wealthy people engaging in tax evasion.

#7 – Celine Dion

Net Worth: $800 Million

Change: ↓1 – There’s no wonder that Ms. Dion is on the top 10 list. She’s the top wealthiest music artist in Canada of all time after selling over 200 million records! After her smash hit on the Titanic soundtrack, she took advantage, launched the popularity of auto-tune (for better or worse), and rode that wave straight to the top 10 list!

She has released albums in French and English, won countless contests and awards, and has the record for the highest concert residency of all time, where in Las Vegas she can command $500,000 per show. Take that info and do this math: she performed her 1000th show in Las Vegas in 2016. Between 2011 and 2019, her Las Vegas residency has been seen by 1.74 million people, grossing almost $300 million!

Trivia Fact: Celine is the youngest of 14 (yes, you read that right) siblings! She’s also been honored Canadian and French titles for her civilian merits and contributions. She is to be addressed as “Celine Dion, CC OQ ChLD.”

#6 – Herb Alpert

$880 Million

Change: -$30M & ↓2 – Hubert Alpert (and the Tijuana Brass band) have released five #1 albums and 28 total albums on the Billboard charts. His other notable awards are 9 Grammy’s, 14 certified Platinum albums, and 15 more Gold albums.

His total sales are over 72 million worldwide! Alpert is the “A” in A&M Records, which undoubtedly contributes to his unbelievable riches (he sold it in 1987 for a reported $500 million along side his partner Jerry Moss). They later sued for a breach of contract, receiving an additional $200 million. His other ventures have included professional sculpting and a line of perfume, which he likens to music with its “high notes and low notes.”

Herb Alpert is the only musician to hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 as both a vocalist in 1968 and an instrumentalist (trumpet) in 1979.

#5 – Sean “Puffy” Combs

Net Worth: $900 Million

Change: +$80M – P. Diddy, A.K.A. Puff Daddy, Puffy, Diddy, Sean Combs, Sean John, etc. I’m sure there’s more. This kind of marketing keeps you relevant, as silly as it is. We all could learn from this master, which has earned him the sixth spot on the list. He went beyond his own recordings to operating his own label, Bad Boy Entertainment.

This label launched the careers of guys like The Notorious B.I.G. and Mase. Other successes include his Sean John clothing line, perfume line, and hit television show Making the Band on MTV.

Like many of the richest people in the world (Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Kanye West, etc.), Puff Daddy is also a college dropout, leaving a business major program. Ironically, Forbes listed Diddy as a top 40 entrepreneur under the age of 40 in 2002.

#4 – Andrew Lloyd Webber

Net Worth: $1.2 Billion

Change: -$80M & ↓3 – You are now looking at the King. You may not know his name, but you know his music. Broadway is almost synonymous with Webber, with him having penned the music of 20 of their greatest hits: The Phantom of the Opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, Cats, Evita, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, School of Rock, and on and on… the dude’s cleaning up.

These shows are still happening nightly all across the world (some have been running for over a decade straight), providing him profit from everything related to his products, including soundtracks, merchandise, film adaptations, and ticket sales. He even collects royalties from two songs he wrote for none other than Elvis Presley (the true King!)

Andrew Lloyd Webber has been granted knighthood and a title of nobility for his contributions to music, in addition to his 6 Tony’s, 3 Grammy’s, an Academy Award, and far too many more to list here. The proper way to address him today is “The Right Honorable The Lord Lloyd-Webber, Kt.”

#3 – Paul McCartney

Net Worth: $1.2 Billion

Change: +$100M & ↓1 – There’s no way you wouldn’t find a member of The Beatles on this list, especially Paul McCartney. He and John Lennon basically shared writing credits for their entire run, guaranteeing both of them continued riches forever. Tag on Paul’s killer solo career, the band Wings, and collaborations with Michael Jackson and most recently Kanye West, and you’ve got a guy who’s been a relevant pop icon since the early 60’s.

The multi-instrumentalist has written or co-written 32 songs to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Paul’s song Yesterday is the most covered song of all time, having been remade by over 2,200 artists and bands. Talk about some royalties! He’s also been knighted and honored every which way possible, musically or otherwise. It’s reported that he holds over 25,000 copyrights.

The Guinness Book of World Records recognizes Paul McCartney twice, as the most honored composer and performer in music as well as the most successful songwriter ever.

#2 – Jay-Z

Net Worth: $1.3 Billion

Change: +$300M & ↑1 – He’s not a businessman, he’s a business, maaaaan. This is what happens after you score 19 Grammy’s, sell over 100 million records, and launch a successful clothing company Rocawear and record label Roc-A-Fella Records. After marrying Beyonce, their combined wealth is over 1 Billion. It still wasn’t enough to outbid Notch (creator of Minecraft) for a house whom competed against.

All it’s going to take is a few more “retirements” and “come backs” and he should climb a few notches on the list. Maybe one extra come back cycle to make up for his goof with Tidal and Aspiro. Of all his shenanigans, Jay-Z admits to having shot his own brother at the age of 12 for stealing some of his jewelry. I don’t know if that adds up to street credibility or the stupidity of being a kid.

Jay-Z was once the president of Def Jam Recordings. He’s also a licensed sports agent, working with his company Roc Nation Sports.

#1 – Rihanna

Net Worth: $1.4 Billion

Change: +$800M & ↑1 – She is now the richest musician and has been storming through our ranking over the past couple of years. A huge portion of her wealth ($1.4B) comes from her business ventures. She has launched in 2017 a beauty line called Fenty Beauty along with the French luxury group LVMH. She also owns a lingerie company called Savage x Fenty. She capitalizes heavily on her huge social media presence to promote her brands.

But don’t get fooled by her recent business successes. She has been a pop music powerhouse since her first success in 2005 and remains one of the most streamed artists despite not having released an album in years.

Born and raised in Barbados, Rihanna is still celebrated in her country of origin. In 2008, the Prime Minister of Barbados declared 22 February “Rihanna Day”. While it is not an official bank holiday, locals celebrate it every year, listening to her music.

Who’s Dropped Out of the Top 10?

Not everyone maintains their slot on the list. Making gobs of money is one thing, but keeping it is another story. Whether an artist blows their fortune, loses momentum in the public eye, or fails to make the same business investments as other stars, sadly some slip from the top 10. Here’s a list of our fallen friends.

Ye (Kanye West)