Top 10 Richest Musicians in the World and their Net Worth (2024)

The music world has been graced by some very successful musicians over the years. From Kanye West to Rihanna, musicians make a handsome living from their music endeavors but not all of it comes from just music. Most of these artists have successful business ventures that earn them quite a lot.

Let’s take a look at the top 10 richest musicians in the world and their net worth. While many dabble in the world of real estate, some have their own brand companies and products.

1. Kanye West – $6.6 B

Despite his well-known issues, the controversial hip-hop and vocal songwriter continues to see his celebrity status as a benefit and is always eager to participate in business-related projects.

He has real estate holdings, a creative firm, and is linked with Gap. His real estate investment portfolio is worth around $160 million. G.O.O.D. Music, DONDA, and KW Foods LLC are all valued at about $1 billion. Yeezy alone generated over $5 billion in revenue for his businesses.

2. Rihanna – $1.7 B

You better have her money, because Rihanna is worth quite a bit. The 32-year-old singer has made a name for herself not just in the music industry but also in the business world.

She has her own fashion line, beauty line, and lingerie line. All three businesses are immensely successful and have helped Rihanna amass a fortune of $1.7 billion.

3. Jay-Z – $1.4 B

One of the most well-known rappers in the world, Shawn Carter, also known as Jay-Z, has a net worth of $1.4 billion. He not only has his own record label, Roc Nation, which is home to famed musicians, but he also owns Tidal.

He doesn’t stop there- Armand de Brignac and D’Ussé cognac are both under his belt as well. Lastly, he’s made wise investments in real estate.

4. Paul McCartney – $1.3 B

Being part of The Beatles has its perks – just ask Paul McCartney. The 78-year-old musician has a net worth of $1.3 billion and is one of the richest musicians in the world.

Typically, he earns $50-70 million when touring, and if not on tour, still receives royalties and licensing fees from his tracks as well as publishing rights from other artists in MPL Communications, his publishing company.

5. P. Diddy – $900 M

P. Diddy AKA “Puff Daddy” started out as a DJ and then became a rapper. In 1994, he founded Bad Boy Records and produced some of the biggest hits in rap history. His net worth is $900 million and it looks like he’s still getting more.

In addition to his musical success, he’s also a highly successful entrepreneur. He owns the Sean John apparel company, which has yearly earnings of $525 million. He has a minority stake in Ciroc, an alcohol firm, as well.

6. Madonna – $850 M

This material girl is the first woman on this list and she’s worth $850 million. Madonna is known as the “Queen of Pop” and is one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Over her four-decade career, she’s sold more than 300 million albums worldwide.

Other than being a music icon, Madonna is also a successful businesswoman. Through the years, she partnered with H&M and Dolce & Gabbana and launched her own fashion line called Material Girl. She also has a line of beauty products called MDNA Skin. Out of all her investments, her stake in real estate is her most valuable, being worth an estimated $80 million.

7. Celine Dion – $800 M

The Canadian singer is set up for life with her $800 million net worth. Celine Dion has been in the music industry for over three decades and has sold more than 220 million albums worldwide. That’s not all – she’s also one of the highest-grossing touring artists of all time, touring and having sold out shows in Las Vegas for years.

When she’s not touring or recording new music, Celine is juggling many businesses. She founded Nickels Restaurant’s food chain and has a successful fashion line, Celinununu. In addition to her business ventures, she also owns Les Productions Feeling Inc. and is the face of L’Oréal cosmetics.

8. Bono – $700 M

This Irish musician is best known as the frontman of U2. Bono’s real name is Paul David Hewson and he has a net worth of $700 million. He not only earns royalties from being in one of the world’s most popular rock bands but he also has many other business ventures.

Bono is a co-founder of Elevation Partners, a private equity firm. He’s also invested in a number of companies including Facebook.

9. Dolly Parton – $650 M

Everybody loves Dolly! The Tennessee native started her career as a singer-songwriter in 1967 and has released hits such as “Jolene,” “I Will Always Love You,” and “9 to 5” that made her an icon in the country music industry.

She gets a little under $20 million in song royalties from Whitney Houston Alone. What’s more, is that she has a very successful business career.

Dollywood is a theme park that draws 3 million people per year, established in partnership with Herschend Family Entertainment. She also owns a record label Dolly Records and other businesses. With her wealth, she actively donates to many charities through her Dollywood Foundation.

10. Dr. Dre – $500 M

Another rapper breaking the bank with his immense net worth is Dr. Dre. He’s responsible for producing some of the biggest hits in Hip Hop history, such as “Nuthin’ but a ‘G’ Thang” and “California Love”.

The 56-year-old has a net worth of $500 million and the majority of that came from the sale of Beats Electronics to Apple for $3 billion. He was one of the co-founders of the company, and he still earns royalties as a producer for Apple Music. He also founded Aftermath Entertainment. Furthermore, Dre’s real estate portfolio is worth an impressive $80 million.

Conclusion

From rap to pop music, these musicians have made a fortune in the industry. They have not only sold millions of records but have also ventured into other businesses, making them even richer.

What’s even more fascinating is that their net worth is expected to grow even more in the coming years. This list of the richest musicians is living proof that the appeal of money and fame is undeniable, but achieving it is no walk in the park.

Net worth sources: https://www.celebritynetworth.com/

Rihanna Featured Image (Top-Right) by: SIGMA, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Jay-Z Featured Image (Bottom-Right) by: Jay-Z_@Shawn’Jay-Z’_Carter_Foundation_Carnival_02.jpg: Joella Marano from Manhattan, NYJay-Z_2011.jpg: Joella Maranoderivative work: Jorgebarrios, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Paul McCartney Featured Image (Bottom-Left) by: Raphael Pour-Hashemi, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Sean Combs/P. Diddy Image by: Reckless Dream Photography, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Madonna Image by: chrisweger, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Celine Dion Image by: Egghead06, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Bono Image by: Daniel Hazard, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Dolly Parton Image by: Curtis Hilbun, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Dr. Dre Image by: Commondr3ads, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons