The Weeknd topped Forbes’ 2025 ranking of the highest-paid musicians, with estimated earnings of $298 million. Taylor Swift ranked second at $202 million, followed by Beyoncé at $148 million. These are Forbes estimates for a defined 12-month period—not net worth figures or tour grosses.
How Forbes measured musicians’ 2025 earnings
Forbes published its ranking on December 30, 2025, and its page records an update on May 19, 2026. Its estimates cover December 31, 2024, through December 31, 2025, and are projected rather than audited disclosures. Forbes says it deducts costs such as label and publisher shares and fees for agents, attorneys, and managers. It excludes income from outside business ventures and draws on Pollstar tour data, Luminate music-sales data, and interviews with industry experts and insiders. Forbes’ ranking and methodology
That scope matters when comparing artists: the ranking estimates earnings after specified costs, not wealth accumulated over a career. A concert tour’s gross revenue is also not the same as the artist’s earnings from it.
The 25 highest-paid musicians on Forbes’ 2025 list
All figures are Forbes’ estimated earnings in millions of U.S. dollars for its stated period. The two artists tied at No. 5 both appear with that rank.
#1 Best Overall
| Rank | Musician or group | Estimated earnings |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Weeknd | $298 million |
| 2 | Taylor Swift | $202 million |
| 3 | Beyoncé | $148 million |
| 4 | Kendrick Lamar | $109 million |
| 5 | Coldplay | $105 million |
| 5 | Shakira | $105 million |
| 7 | Drake | $78 million |
| 8 | Chris Brown | $74 million |
| 9 | Zach Bryan | $70 million |
| 10 | Bad Bunny | $66 million |
| 11 | Post Malone | $62 million |
| 12 | Ed Sheeran | $60 million |
| 13 | Tyler, The Creator | $53 million |
| 14 | Metallica | $53 million |
| 15 | Lady Gaga | $52 million |
| 16 | Billie Eilish | $52 million |
| 17 | Imagine Dragons | $48 million |
| 18 | Dua Lipa | $44 million |
| 19 | Linkin Park | $36 million |
| 20 | SZA | $34 million |
| 21 | Morgan Wallen | $33 million |
| 22 | Bruno Mars | $31 million |
| 23 | Sabrina Carpenter | $29 million |
| 24 | Andrea Bocelli | $25 million |
| 25 | Iron Maiden | $25 million |
Forbes reported that the 25 artists together earned $1.9 billion, with median earnings of $52 million; eight women and 17 men appear on the list. Those totals describe Forbes’ ranking, not an independently audited census. Forbes’ summary of the list
What drove the top rankings
The Weeknd: catalog deal, album and touring
Forbes attributed The Weeknd’s No. 1 position to a combination of a catalog deal with Lyric Capital, his album Hurry Up Tomorrow, and touring. It estimated he would pocket $200 million after fees from the catalog arrangement and $77 million in profits from more than 40 shows in 2025. The reported $1 billion deal value was a stake sale: he retained a stake in existing masters and creative control, while future recordings were excluded from the deal.
Rank #2
In an April interview while promoting Hurry Up Tomorrow, he spoke about potentially moving on from his stage identity: “It felt like I had nothing else to say. I’ve said everything I can say as this person and now it’s time for me to take the next step,” Forbes quoted him as saying.
Taylor Swift: media deal and recorded music
Forbes estimated Swift’s Disney+ deal covering the final Eras Tour show and a six-episode behind-the-scenes series at about $80 million after fees. It also reported that Luminate measured 14.7 million album-equivalent units across streaming, digital, and physical sales for Swift’s music in 2025. That unit figure is a measure of music consumption, not a dollar amount or a direct statement of her earnings.
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Beyoncé: tour gross versus estimated earnings
Forbes reported that the 32-show Cowboy Carter Tour grossed $407.6 million, while estimating Beyoncé’s earnings at $148 million. The gross is revenue generated by the tour, not her personal earnings from it.
Touring figures for other artists
Forbes reported a $358.7 million gross for Kendrick Lamar and SZA’s Grand National Tour; their earnings estimates are listed separately at $109 million and $34 million. It put Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres World Tour gross at $375 million in 2025, compared with the group’s $105 million earnings estimate. Shakira’s tour gross was reported at $327.4 million, while her estimated earnings were $105 million. In each case, tour gross and estimated artist earnings are distinct measures.
Rank #4
How to read the ranking
- It is a period-specific estimate. The figures cover Forbes’ stated December 31, 2024–December 31, 2025 window, rather than lifetime earnings or total wealth.
- Different income sources can affect rank. Touring, catalog or recorded-music income, and media deals all contributed to the leading results; no single sales or touring measure explains every artist’s place.
- Keep comparisons consistent. Compare artists using the same period and methodology, and do not substitute album-equivalent units, tour gross, or net worth for estimated earnings.
The estimates are attributable to Forbes’ ranking and methodology; they have not been independently validated artist by artist against its underlying tour data, sales data, or private interviews.
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