S. Samuel
With the year coming to a close in just a few weeks, financial publication Forbes has released its annual "Highest Paid Musicians" list this week with pop icon Madonna dominating all.
Known for her global appeal in multiple music genres, Madonna’s $125 million topped the chart.
The bulk of Madge’s millions this year come from the tail end of her MDNA Tour, which grossed $305 million. Madonna augments her income with heady merchandise sales at concerts as well as her Material Girl clothing line and Truth or Dare fragrance. (Forbes)
Rap moguls Diddy and Jay Z, who both typically dominate Forbes’ Cash Kings list, managed to land spots in the Top 20.
#2 LADY GAGA with $80 million #3 BON JOVI with $79 million #4 TOBY KEITH with $65 million #5 COLDPLAY with $64 million #6 BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN with $62 million #7 JUSTIN BIEBER with $58 million #8 TAYLOR SWIFT with $55 million #9 ELTON JOHN with $54 million #10 (Tie) BEYONCÉ and KENNY CHESNEY with $53 million each #12 DIDDY with $50 million #13 PAUL MCCARTNEY witht $47 million #14 CALVIN HARRIS with $46 million #15 JENNIFER LOPEZ with $45 million #16 ROGER WATERS with $44 million #17 (Tie) MUSE and RIHANNA with $43 million #19 JAY Z with $42 million #20 ONE DIRECTION with $42 million (All Access)
Recently, Diddy laughed off just how many zeros are in his bank account despite topping Forbes’ Cash Kings list almost yearly.
“I really can’t deny how humbling and how proud I am to be from Harlem, New York, be from the inner city and to be on the Forbes list,” Diddy said in an interview when asked if he would become hip-hop’s first billionaire. “I can’t deny that. But it doesn’t define me, if I become a billionaire or whatever the status is of what I’m worth. First of all, I do want to say to the Forbes cameras, I actually don’t, I want to tell you the truth. I actually don’t have that money in the bank, that’s saying how much I’m worth. So I don’t have that money in the bank. I want to make sure y’all are clear on that. I have no problem with saying that. If that pushes me down on the list, I’m okay with that.” (Forbes)
Last month, Jay Z downplayed the importance of being motivated by money.
Jay knows to the penny how much money he has, he tells Robinson, but won’t divulge the amount; when told that Forbes estimated his net worth at around $500 million, he dismisses it as a “guesstimate” and says he’s not motivated by money. “I’m not motivated by that. . . . I don’t sit around with my friends and talk about money, ever. On a record, that’s different.” (Vanity Fair)
