Taylor Swift becomes world's richest female musician

Taylor Swift leapfrogged singer and beauty mogul Rihanna to become the world’s richest female musician following the blockbuster success of her Eras Tour, as other female artists, including Madonna and Beyoncé, rank just outside the billion-dollar club, Report informs via Forbes.

Swift is now worth $1.6 billion, Forbes estimates, up $500 million from last October, when Forbes reported Swift had become a billionaire with a then-estimated net worth of $1.1 billion.

Right behind Swift is Rihanna ($1.4 billion), whose wealth largely comes from her stakes in her Fenty Beauty and Savage X Fenty companies rather than her music catalog.

Madonna, who is one of the world’s top touring artists with more than $1.6 billion in total gross across all her concert tours, is just behind billionaire status with an estimated net worth of $850 million in May.

Beyoncé was worth an estimated $760 million as of May, which increased last year after she pocketed about $100 million from her Renaissance World Tour.

Canadian star Celine Dion is worth an estimated $550 million, much of which comes from her successful Las Vegas concert residencies.

EGOT-winning singer-actress Barbra Streisand, who published a nearly thousand-page memoir last year, is worth an estimated $460 million.

Country superstar Dolly Parton is worth $450 million, Forbes estimated in May, much of which comes from her stake in the Tennessee family theme park Dollywood and the estimated $150 million value of her music catalog.

Katy Perry is worth an estimated $350 million, following the reported $225 million sale of her music catalog in 2023 and a stint as a judge on American Idol that reportedly earned her $25 million per season.

Swift, 34, became the first musician to become a billionaire solely based on the value of songs and performances in 2023. Forbes estimates her music catalog is worth $600 million, and her tours and royalties have pocketed her another $600 million. She also owns an estimated $125 million in real estate. Her jump to billionaire status was driven largely by her ongoing Eras Tour, which began in March 2023 and is set to conclude in December. Last year, Forbes estimated the first leg of the Eras Tour alone earned her $190 million. The Eras Tour became the first ever concert tour to surpass $1 billion in total gross, Pollstar reported in December.