Taylor Swift has officially claimed the title of the world’s richest female musician, with an estimated net worth of $1.6 billion (£1.2 billion).
Earlier this year, Swift made her debut on Forbes’ annual billionaires list, and on October 5, the publication updated her net worth to reflect its increase due to her massive ongoing ‘Eras Tour’ and the sustained popularity of her music catalog.
According to Forbes, Swift now leads the ranking of the wealthiest female musicians, surpassing Rihanna, whose net worth is estimated at $1.4 billion (£1 billion). However, Forbes maintains that Rihanna is still the “Richest Female Musician of All Time,” as her net worth once peaked at $1.77 billion (£1.3 billion).
The ‘Love Story’ singer is also ranked second among the richest musicians overall, with Jay-Z holding the top position at an estimated net worth of $2.5 billion.
In its assessment of the superstar’s wealth, Forbes estimated that she has earned $600 million (£457 million) from royalties and touring, along with an additional $600 million from her music catalog.
A significant portion of this wealth stems from the singer-songwriter’s series of re-recorded albums, which she created to regain control of her master recordings. The latest of these was the re-release of her 2014 album 1989, which surpassed the original in sales.
Forbes also reported that she has made $125 million (£99.5 million) from real estate investments and earned approximately $100 million (£79.6 million) in Spotify streaming royalties last year, largely due to the success of her 2022 album Midnights and 2023’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version).
Bloomberg initially reported that Swift became a billionaire in October 2023, fueled by her new albums, the ‘Eras’ tour (the first tour to ever gross $1 billion (£795 million)), and her record-breaking concert film.
In other news about Taylor Swift, the pop star concluded the UK and European leg of her Eras Tour in August with five final performances at Wembley Stadium.
To celebrate the occasion, the stadium presented her with a personalized Wembley guitar. There are also calls for Swift to be awarded the Freedom of the City of London for her record-setting residency.
She is set to resume the final leg of her tour at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium on October 18, before wrapping up the extensive Eras Tour in Vancouver, Canada, in early December.
Recently, Swift announced her support for Democratic Party candidate and current Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming US election.
Last month, she endorsed Harris’ presidential campaign, describing her as “a steady-handed, gifted leader.” Swift stated, “She fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them… I think we can achieve so much more in this country if we are led by calm and not chaos.”
This announcement drew criticism from Donald Trump, who later stirred up attention by posting on social media, “I HATE TAYLOR SWIFT.”