The 20 Highest-Paid Musicians In The World

By on July 22, 2017 in ArticlesEntertainment

The latest list of the highest-paid musicians is out and the BeyHive is rejoicing as it is their Queen who rules supreme as the biggest money maker of 2016 with an astounding $62.1 million in sales, steaming, publishing, and touring revenue. Beyoncé's 2016 haul is a full 20 million more than the #2 earners. The bulk of Beyoncé's payday came from her Formation World Tour, which was in support of Lemonade, her sixth studio album. The Formation World Tour grossed $161 million in ticket revenue on 32 North American stadium dates.

Coming in second is vintage rock group Guns 'n Roses. Their $42.3 million take started with a secret show at Los Angeles club Troubadour. That tour is Axl and the gang's highest grossing tour to date and it is still going on.

The Boss came in third with $42.2 million in 2016. Bruce Springsteen also has the second highest grossing tour behind Beyoncé and a healthy $1.4 million in recording royalties.

Rounding out the top five are Drake with $37.3 million and Adele with $37 million. Drake led all artists in streaming revenue. His summer tour with Future also added to his 2016 bottom line. Adele's 2016 tour was the year's highest grossing and accounts for $28.3 million of her $37 million payday. She also sold 2.2 million albums in the U.S., more than anyone else except for Prince.

Let's take a look at the 15 highest-paid musicians of the past year and how much they made touring, publishing, streaming, and selling records.

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

#20. Barbra Streisand – $15.8 million

Sales: $842, 200

Streaming: $22,500

Publishing: $0

Tour: $14.9 million

#19. Trans-Siberian Orchestra – $16 million

Sales: $532,800

Streaming: $153,800

Publishing: $132,800

Tour: $15.1 million

#18. Garth Brooks – $16.02 million

Sales: $7.6 million

Streaming: $75,600

Publishing: $119,600

Tour: $8.2 million

#17. Future – $17 million

Sales: $1.1 million

Streaming: $1.1 million

Publishing: $828,900

Tour: $13.9 million

#16. Paul McCartney – $17.7 million

Sales: $906,200

Streaming: $227,700

Publishing: $141,300

Tour: $16.4 million

#15. Metallica – $18.5 million

Sales: $11.5 million

Streaming: $1.7 million

Publishing: $1.5 million

Tour: $3.8 million

#14. Carrie Underwood – $19.9 million

Sales: $1.3 millio

Streaming: $494,000

Publishing: $340,800

Tour: $17.8 million

#13. Twenty-One Pilots – $21.1 million

Sales: $3.2 million

Streaming: $6.1 million

Publishing: $5.7 million

Tour: $6 million

#12. Rihanna – $22.3 million

Sales: $2.5 million

Streaming: $7.6 million

Publishing: $1 million

Tour: $11.2 million

#11. Billy Joel – $23.6 million

Sales: $537,700

Streaming: $223,800

Publishing: $473,900

Tour: $22.4 million

#10. Kenny Chesney – $25.4 million

Sales: $1.4 million

Streaming: $443,800

Publishing: $335,600

Tour: $23.5 million

#9. Kanye West – $26.1 million

Sales: $926,000

Streaming: $7.6 million

Publishing: $2.2 million

Tour: $15.4 million

#8. Luke Bryan – $27.3 million

Sales: $1.4 million

Streaming: $2.1 million

Publishing: $594,700

Tour: $23.3 million

#7. Justin Bieber – $30.5 million

Sales: $2.0 million

Streaming: $1.9 million

Publishing: $952,700

Tour: $25.6 million

#6. Coldplay – $32.3 million

Sales: $1.4 million

Streaming: $2.7 million

Publishing: $2.2 million

Tour: $26.0 million

#5. Adele – $37 million

Sales: $4.9 million

Streaming: $1.2 million

Publishing: $2.6 million

Tour: $28.3 million

#4. Drake –  $37.3 million

Sales: $5.2 million

Streaming: $18.1 million

Publishing: $420,300

Tour: $13.6 million

#3. Bruce Springsteen – $42.2 million

Sales: $804,900

Streaming: $167,500

Publishing: $415,200

Tour: $40.9 million

#2. Guns 'n Roses

Sales: $771,700

Streaming: $670,800

Publishing: $499,600

Tour: $40.4 million

#1. Beyoncé – $62.1 million

Sales: $4.3 million

Streaming: $1.9 million

Publishing: $1.3 million

Tour: $54.7 million

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