KCOOLMUZIQ said:

novabrkr said:

I'm under the impression that many of those that are making a lot of money do it in a way that they would never let it known publicly how much they make (Prince, for example).

At the same time, I find it hard to believe someone like Rihanna or Katy Perry are (*) actually ever getting to use that money that they've allegedly been "paid".

[edit: * eh, grammatical error]

[Edited 12/1/12 9:23am]

1. Prince – $110 000 000
2. Roger Waters – $88 000 000
3. Elton John – $80 000 000
4. U2 – $78 000 000
5. Take That – $69 000 000
6. Bon Jovi – $60 000 000
7. Britney Spears – $58 000 000
8-9. Paul McCartney – $57 000 000
8-9. Taylor Swift – $57 000 000
10-11. Justin Bieber – $55 000 000
10-11. Toby Keith – $55 000 000
12. Rihanna – $53 000 000
13. Lady GaGa – $52 000 000
14. Foo Fighters – $47 000 000
15-16. Diddy – $45 000 000
15-16. Katy Perry – $45 000 000
17. Kenny Chesney – $44 000 000
18. Beyoncé – $40 000 000
19. Red Hot Chili Peppers – $39 000 000
20. Jay-Z – $38 000 000
21. Coldplay – $37 000 000
22-23. Adele – $35 000 000
22-23. Kanye West – $35 000 000
24. Michael Bublé – $34 000 000
25. Sade – $33 000 000

Facts to back up your claim kind sir, please do provide as I'm sure P has made a tidy sum in the past three years of touring but I doubt $110 mill. If so, at least $300 of it was mine.

LiLi1992 said:

1. Dr Dre – $110 000 000
2. Roger Waters – $88 000 000
3. Elton John – $80 000 000
4. U2 – $78 000 000
5. Take That – $69 000 000
6. Bon Jovi – $60 000 000
7. Britney Spears – $58 000 000
8-9. Paul McCartney – $57 000 000
8-9. Taylor Swift – $57 000 000
10-11. Justin Bieber – $55 000 000
10-11. Toby Keith – $55 000 000
12. Rihanna – $53 000 000
13. Lady GaGa – $52 000 000
14. Foo Fighters – $47 000 000
15-16. Diddy – $45 000 000
15-16. Katy Perry – $45 000 000
17. Kenny Chesney – $44 000 000
18. Beyoncé – $40 000 000
19. Red Hot Chili Peppers – $39 000 000
20. Jay-Z – $38 000 000
21. Coldplay – $37 000 000
22-23. Adele – $35 000 000
22-23. Kanye West – $35 000 000
24. Michael Bublé – $34 000 000
25. Sade – $33 000 000

Dre is at the top because of those stupid headphones not because of music.

Terrib3Towel said:

My guess is the artists are paid in cash maybe about 30-35%, then after their team is paid (managers, entourage, etc) they probably take home about 15-20%. Then after taxes they are only left with half of that.

So a more accurate list would be if you divided these numbers by three, subtract 10%, then cut that number in half.

I always knew the real money in the music industry comes from songwriting and touring but I didn't quite realize how shamelessly labels rip-off many of the artists. Toni Braxton was interviewed on 20/20 last night. Despite her debut album selling 10 million copies and being certified 8x Platinum in the United States alone, she said about time she got finished paying the record label back their advances, she only made around $2000 off the sale of that album! Now I understand why so many artists tour so relentlessly year after year.

[Edited 12/1/12 19:47pm]

UncleGrandpa said:

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

1. Prince – $110 000 000
2. Roger Waters – $88 000 000
3. Elton John – $80 000 000
4. U2 – $78 000 000
5. Take That – $69 000 000
6. Bon Jovi – $60 000 000
7. Britney Spears – $58 000 000
8-9. Paul McCartney – $57 000 000
8-9. Taylor Swift – $57 000 000
10-11. Justin Bieber – $55 000 000
10-11. Toby Keith – $55 000 000
12. Rihanna – $53 000 000
13. Lady GaGa – $52 000 000
14. Foo Fighters – $47 000 000
15-16. Diddy – $45 000 000
15-16. Katy Perry – $45 000 000
17. Kenny Chesney – $44 000 000
18. Beyoncé – $40 000 000
19. Red Hot Chili Peppers – $39 000 000
20. Jay-Z – $38 000 000
21. Coldplay – $37 000 000
22-23. Adele – $35 000 000
22-23. Kanye West – $35 000 000
24. Michael Bublé – $34 000 000
25. Sade – $33 000 000

Facts to back up your claim kind sir, please do provide as I'm sure P has made a tidy sum in the past three years of touring but I doubt $110 mill. If so, at least $300 of it was mine.

laurarichardson said:

LiLi1992 said:

1. Dr Dre – $110 000 000
2. Roger Waters – $88 000 000
3. Elton John – $80 000 000
4. U2 – $78 000 000
5. Take That – $69 000 000
6. Bon Jovi – $60 000 000
7. Britney Spears – $58 000 000
8-9. Paul McCartney – $57 000 000
8-9. Taylor Swift – $57 000 000
10-11. Justin Bieber – $55 000 000
10-11. Toby Keith – $55 000 000
12. Rihanna – $53 000 000
13. Lady GaGa – $52 000 000
14. Foo Fighters – $47 000 000
15-16. Diddy – $45 000 000
15-16. Katy Perry – $45 000 000
17. Kenny Chesney – $44 000 000
18. Beyoncé – $40 000 000
19. Red Hot Chili Peppers – $39 000 000
20. Jay-Z – $38 000 000
21. Coldplay – $37 000 000
22-23. Adele – $35 000 000
22-23. Kanye West – $35 000 000
24. Michael Bublé – $34 000 000
25. Sade – $33 000 000

Dre is at the top because of those stupid headphones not because of music.

Let's not forget that Britney's collects a paycheck for the tv show, Diddy has a clothing label, Jay Z has a club.

kitbradley said:

Terrib3Towel said:

My guess is the artists are paid in cash maybe about 30-35%, then after their team is paid (managers, entourage, etc) they probably take home about 15-20%. Then after taxes they are only left with half of that.

So a more accurate list would be if you divided these numbers by three, subtract 10%, then cut that number in half.

I always knew the real money in the music industry comes from songwriting and touring but I didn't quite realize how shamelessly labels rip-off many of the artists. Toni Braxton was interviewed on 20/20 last night. Despite her debut album selling 10 million copies and being certified 8x Platinum in the United States alone, she said about time she got finished paying the record label back their advances, she only made around $2000 off the sale of that album! Now I understand why so many artists tour so relentlessly year after year.

[Edited 12/1/12 19:47pm]

Yeah, Toni got the short end of the stick from the jump. It's sad, really. On her behind the music Babyface and LA said they weren't in the position to save her from her first bankruptcy..yeah okay.

No telling where she would be if it weren't for her Reality Show, lord knows they probably screw her out of her royalty checks..