The World's Highest-Paid Women In Music 2017

Beyonce has dethroned Taylor Swift as the highest-earning female musician of 2017. The “Lemonade” star’s pretax earnings completely overshadowed her competition putting her head and shoulders above the person in second.

According to Forbes’ highest-paid women in music study, Beyonce has topped the list dethroning the former 2016 title-holder, Swift, with a whopping $105 million. The article attributes her success in 2017 to the release of her sixth studio album, “Lemonade,” as well as the ensuing “Formation World Tour,” which grossed a quarter billion dollars. The big win comes during an eventful year for Beyonce and husband, Jay Z, as they welcomed twins Rumi and Sir Carter in June.

Interestingly-enough, Swift didn’t drop from first to second, but rather third. Holding the accolade for 2017’s second highest-paid female musician is Adele. The “Hello” singer’s first tour since 2011, which scored roughly seven-figures per night, helped her capture $69 million in 2017, which is still more than $30 below Beyonce.

Swift clocked in at $44 million, but the bronze medal comes with an huge asterisk. Forbes admits its rankings calculate only June 1, 2016 to June 1, 2017 data. Therefore, Swift’s newly-released album “Reputation,” which is already the best-selling album of 2017, is not calculated in her earnings total. In other words, she’s a strong contender to be back on top when the 2018 calculations come about.

"Adele’s music appeals to listeners of all ages all over the world with her undeniably powerful, emotional vocal interpretations paired with timeless songwriting and production," says multiplatinum singer-songwriter Skylar Grey. "No matter what genre someone generally subscribes to, it’s hard to find a music lover who doesn’t appreciate what she does."

According to Forbes, the top 10 highest-paid women in music are as follows:

1. Beyonce - $105 million
   
   
2. Adele - $69 million
   
   
3. Taylor Swift - $44 million
   
   
4. Celine Dion - $42 million
   
   
5. Jennifer Lopez - $38 million
   
   
6. Dolly Parton - $37 million
   
   
7. Rihanna - $36 million
   
   
8. Britney Spears - $34 million
   
   
9. Katy Perry - $33 million
   
   
10. Barbra Streisand - $30 million