The following is a list of music artists with the highest estimated net worth (also known as wealthiest musicians or richest musicians), based on calculations by reputable publications such as Forbes and The Sunday Times Rich List . As of March 2026 [update] , seven music artists have reached the billionaire status on Forbes reports, among them: Jay-Z leading the list with $2.8 billion, Taylor Swift—the richest female musician—and then Rihanna, the first female artist to become a billionaire.
Contents
Forbes lists are dominated by American artists, while musicians of other nationalities have built their wealth predominantly in the U.S., such as Celine Dion. When Forbes 400 Richest Americans debuted in 1982, Yoko Ono was the only musician listed, with a net worth of $155 million (equivalent to $500 million in 2025), largely due to the music royalties of her late husband John Lennon's band the Beatles. [1] In 1991, Forbes estimated Michael Jackson's net worth at $230 million (equivalent to $544 million in 2025), making him the wealthiest musician and the second wealthiest entertainer, behind comedian Bill Cosby. [2] According to some insiders, it is estimated that Jackson's estate is worth over $2 billion as of 2024. [3] [4]
Outside of Forbes, net worth estimations vary amid the same artists and different sources, as some media outlets have published estimations from various websites and lists such as CelebrityNetWorth and Bankrate, or other business-related publication. For instance, Bloomberg L.P. valued Selena Gomez at US$1.3 billion in 2024, while Forbes estimated her net worth at only $700 million by 2025. U2 singer Bono has been described as a billionaire, and Paul McCartney is listed as one by the Sunday Times Rich List, though neither have been accorded such status by Forbes. [5] [6]
