Forbes List: The World's Highest-Paid Women In Music 2019

Ten years ago, Taylor Swift was best known as an up-and-coming country singer who’d just been interrupted by Kanye West at the MTV Video Music Awards. What a difference a decade makes: Fresh off her seventh studio album, Swift is the most-nominated act at this year’s VMAs—and the highest-paid woman in music, according to a Forbes list.

Swift, who is also the world’s top-earning entertainer of any stripe, pulled in $185 million pretax over the past year. Much of it came from her Reputation Stadium Tour, which grossed a U.S.-record $266 million. She also cashed in on a new nine-figure deal with Universal’s Republic Records, and her new album Lover, released last week, is poised to add additional dollars to her coffers after a prime-time performance to kick off the 2019 VMAs.

“Taylor and her team understand the subtle yet important art of creating substantial moments,” says Kim Kaupe, a Forbes 30 Under 30 alum and cofounder of the Superfan Company, which has worked on album packages with Swift in the past. “These moments are not only perfectly captured by fans and media outlets, but they are the perfect bite-sized, PR-ready morsel that the news cycle loves.”

10. Shakira - Earnings: $35 million

Taylor Swift

9. Celine Dion - $37.5 million

8. Lady Gaga - $39.5 million

7. Jennifer Lopez - $43 million

6. Ariana Grande - $48 million

5. P!nk - $57 million

4. Katy Perry - $57.5 million

3. Rihanna - $62 million

2. Beyoncé - $81 million

1. Taylor Swift - $185 million