Drake finds himself in wealthy company today, placed on a list tallying 2014’s highest-earning musicians!
The list uses cash generated by Pop’s brightest stars to compile the the top 40 and is set to surprise any who may have expected the likes of Iggy Azalea, Nicki Minaj and Jennifer Lopez to make commendable appearances following the release of new LPs in the period.
Check it out below!
The amounts of money these people make is obscene…
Thank you for providing a list of Top 40 Billboard Moneymakers. I’m just letting you know that One Direction and Katy Perry are 2 sorely overlooked artists with great music. However Justin Timberlake being at #3 is questionable. That spot should be given to Taylor Swift who is another scorned artist with great music. That’s my humble opinion.
Taylor was absent for the most part of 2014. So she didn’t had enough time to make enough money to make it to top 10 of the chart.
and tbh those numbers seem way off from the actual reality as well.
Spotify said they payed Taylor Swift 6 million dollars for a year(before she pulled her tracks from the service) and they expected to double it this year.
But on that list, not one single artist had more than 1 million in streams??
The fact that Bey is top 15 top 20 and THIS LIST IS CLEARLY BASED ON MUSIC ! The fact that she didn’t promote a single nor did a promotional tour but she earned millions and killing competition! Speaks VOLUMES!
I’m surprised to see some artists so low on the list with all the bragging their fans do about how much money they make ????????
Why are you complaining keri has and would never be on that list
Meanwhile, Keri is about to get EVICTED for not paying her rent.
http://jerrypatblog.com/2015/03/07/keri-hilson-is-so-broke-shes-almost-homeless/
I’m not even reading that bogus story from that irrelevant site
Keri has her royalties from songwriting for years to come she’s good
Shows that Rihanna makes more money from music than Beyoncé. Yes she’s lower on the list, but when was the last time Rih released an album? Oh that’s right, 2012.
Good point mark ????
That actually MIGHT be the LAST time she release an album, I mean the way her flop ass is set up, who knows.
Putting a search out for R-FLOP.
Bbhmm: 405,849 , 4 weeks
7/11: 628,863 , 6 months ????
Yes, Sir. It’s time Riri get cracking on releasing her album just in time for Summer.
You would have a valid point if this was a TREND. This is one year. You can’t make an assertion like that after one year. Rihanna does SIGNIFICANTLY more outside projects than beyonce. Her yearly salary is not impressive. And the “years” that they use to count income is not Jan thru Dec, it’s from June of one year to July of the next. So all the money bey made from touring, wasn’t counted. Nice try doe.
Your logic is flawed. Let’s pretend that what you said is true. Would you rather make more money from music or would you rather make more money in general? The navy thinks so small. Thinking her 1 mil dollar deals are “lucrative”. Point is: Rihanna does not earn more money than beyonce. It’s pitiful that you think her making more from MUSIC is an accomplishment.
Well it looks like those song writing checks stopped coming, because
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_maoqivswpY1qdrhzqo1_500.jpg
Nice
I see why some queen slaves away on tour. I don’t want to hear artist crying about streams when looking at this list, they made good money off of it.
Oh pls either streaming or sales rihanna would never top that list
Downoads and streaming killed the industry. It´s not the big artists who suffered, it´s the whole industry, which is a shadow of its former self. A LOT of people worked thanks to that industry, not just musicians. Not anymore.
The same argument was proposed when cassette tapes first came on the scene then CDs. Now it’s digital. If you’re a talented artist with good music, your music WILL be heard.
Didn’t Rihanna do 3 Tours in the space of 2 years?
And if she did so what? At least people cared enough to pay to see her in some of the biggest arenas around the world.
Tell your friend Mark that who sees Touring as ‘slaving away’
Congrats to bey’tch, its expected though. Huge well done to katy and her kuntycats, didnt see that coming. Well done to lady queenga, the king of interscope and being above label mate eminem. Well done rih, you didnt even have an album out. Well done miley, people wrote you off too early.
.
Where is lanaholic? Surely if Ultravodka was that great, she would have at least been on this chart? Then again, the chart has always been illusive to lama
????????????????
Im shocked Taylor isn’t in top 10… death at Rihthot being slayed by Gaga Lmao
I actually thought taylor would top that list
Taylor should’ve been at #3, not Timberlake.
but where is iggy and Ciara?
Where is B.Scott(Cedric) on the list?
B**** where the F*** is Ciara doe?
Taylor was absent for the most part of 2014, that’s why.
I actually thought taylor would top that list
Me too. I thought she was going to edge out 1D as well. I guess her now allowing her music to be streamed takes a few coins out of her pocketbook.
Not allowing**
____
^^ I HATE Android. ????????????
Mayb
She should’ve topped that list but we must be careful because some commentators on this site may be Kanye West fans but we know who cooks because Country music is all about stories which is sorely lacking in some genres of music.
She was absent for the most part of the year. And remember that this list is about the US, not WW.
Artists like 1D, Katy, Taylor and etc aren’t really that surprising to see on the list as they are in their primes, but seeing artists like Cher, Bruce Springsteen, Journey, and etc. on the list (who careers are double/triple my age), is the real highlight of the list. Longevity is key. #Icons
Actually Beyoncé placed pretty high considering her new album wasn’t even avaliable on any streaming sites;until her platinumedition Beyonce album was released at the end of the year.#Queen and Kerry accumulated all those music sales due to performing at the super bowl…yass #slay Kerry
Actually Beyoncé placed pretty high considering her new album wasn’t even avaliable on any streaming sites;until her platinumedition Beyonce album was released at the end of the year.#Queen and Kerry accumulated all those music sales due to performing at the super bowl…yass #slayKerry
Nobody is that bothered that kunty is the top female though. She can have alll the success in the world but she remains the gwenyth paltrow of music. Next year we’ll see kunty payola recieve the lifetime kidzbop award at the kids choice awards
The race is on between onika, kunty and lana to be the chairman of the grammyless comitee
You go queen bey always more success to you all the time you work hard and it shows
Hold up, Rihanna is a singles artist but she generated $2.5 million from her music “she didn’t have much music out last year” and yet Beyonce is an album seller who doesn’t care about singles and her album was selling at full price and she only generated $2.7 million.
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I told y’all those 17 music videos were very expensive. Egg on the hives face again. Also if you do the math, you’ll notice that whether it is Beyonce or Rihanna, they still get 14% from touring. Only difference is now is that Rihanna stands to generate more and is in much more control of her career because she owns her masters 10 years into her career.
‘
I guess that singles artist (which are cheap according to Stephy) does not stand if you can generate nearly as much revenue from your music as the album seller queen megastar who can cause tidal waves with a whiff of her spreading her legs to catch a glimpse of her vag, egg on the hives face again.
I need excuses for the stans faves that didbt make the cut
@LB
You better change your avi B****!
Now S******, we were just getting along. You and I both know that’s not going to happen 🙂
B****, just know that he’s mine, that ass is mine.
I agree LB. those videos were not cheap and the gimmick of release was not cheap either. Not too mention all those writers and the lack of record sales, she really didn’t generate a lot of cash off of it. The hive doesn’t know music sales or the music business. All they think is vocals and that’s why their fave is flopping
‘All they care about is vocals’ What kind of self drag? Isn’t that what Beyonce and your fave are primarily? SINGERS. Sorry you can’t use vocals but it is what it is. And either way Beyonce is more business minded and savvy about the game than Rihanna is and ever will be. She has been surrounded by top business men all her life, not abusers.
How is that a self drag? I said all they care about is vocals which is why your fave has to lip or else her fans will leave her like Britney or Cheistina
What? That doesn’t even make any sense and you never said that originally.
F|A|G|BIRD is so damn stupid, Rihanna has masters for her current recordings not for her past ones, so Def Jam and RocNation will still profit off everything she’s put out in the past 10 years. + She’s only got masters for everything that’s come out for R8 which has flopped so far 😆 😆 😆
I said Rihanna stands to generate more from her music. When you figure out what that sentence implies, then come read your comment again and realize just what an imbecile you really are.
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But then again, asking for a hive member to use their brain is asking for too much. The hive are void of any analytic ability. They are empty barrels rolling down a rocky hill, all talk with no substance, loud with nothing inside to show for it. Cretins, akin to trying to squeeze water from a rock when one asks them to actually THINK.
‘
Perhaps it is best you go back to doing what you know best, posting bee emoji’s on people’s instagram page and harassing Beck on twitter. Leave the complex analytic thought to people who have the capacity.
lolololol calm down f*a*g*bird*, rihanna stands to make money but has she made much money? why are you speaking hypothetically, we are talking about the present reality which is dat she iz a damn flop! And you say the hive is deluded, when the titantic is talking about rihanna’s masters on 3 flop songs. cool it with the essays maya angelou.
Once again, you are showing just how dumb you are. Rihanna owns her masters, therefore stands to make more from her music.
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And I am talking about what I want to talk about on my comment, you’re the one who brought you’re nonsensical dumb founded, idiotic, stupid, erratic, retarded statement in my reply box. If you’re going to do so, address what I talked about, which you didn’t because you’re stupid.
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And they may be 3 flop songs, but the fact that they are on Rihanna’s label, coupled with her owning her masters, mean she has generated a larger percentage from those 3 flop songs which have sold about as much as all the flop songs from BEYONCE (album).
I’m in you’re reply box because you need to be checked like the dumb loose bottomed betchassnegro you are. You’re bragging about 3 underperforming songs on an artist owned label which was a carbon of beyonces. F*a*g*bird, come back when she makes some Moolala from this flop era. This whole masters argument means nothing when the singles artists isn’t selling any singles!
Just face it! Shawn Carter, Beyonce Giselle Knowles-Carter and Blue Ivy Carter will continue to make millions from the singles artist while the titantic have meltdowns. Robyn signed her deal and she is the Carter’s s**** ???? ???? ???? and you just admitted they were 3 flop songs hahaha yes keep dragging yourself! ????
And you know this how? Were you there when she was signing her contracts?
You’re talking loads of biased donkey poo. Those funds for her music video were supported by Pepsi. You forgot to mention that Beyonce funds most of her projects under Parkwood anyway which her own company. She doesn’t pay someone else to do the management. Beyonce also has a lucrative independent publishing deal, which is were most of the profits come from along with copyright, not masters.
U MAKE NO SENSE….
Rihanna does not own any of her masters honey, those currently belong to DefJam, she cant own those masters when she doesn’t even have publishing rights to the majority of the music(she didn’t have much writing credits to begin with)…….. her new deal with RocNation however allows her to own masters for her Future RECORDINGS …..and who told they pocket 14% of their tour profits,,,WHAT u earn from ur tour depends on ur Funding and Prodution…..Beyonce funded her tour under Parkwood and a sponsor from Pepsi-her 50 Million dollar deal also comes with a “CREATIVE fund” for her projects,hence why she makes more money than Rihanna….. plus Beyonce has an Independent Publishing deal with WARNER/CHAPPELL MUSIC and most importantly PARKWOOD is also her management company, a company thats OWNED BY BEYONCE..So in retrospect she doesnt pay 20% of her earnings to somebody else to run her brand, she has STUFF Employed by PARKWOOD to manage Brand BEYONCE…RIHANNA on the other had has a better deal now but she is signed to RocNation MANAGEMENT aswel..so not only does she pay RocNation share her Mechanical Royalties(sales profits) with RocNation, they also get 10-20% of her earnings because they manage her lmao..
Justin Timberlake.
Where was hasbeenDonna?
Probably thinking how much she’s gonna earn from her upcoming tour, more than all the people on this list earned combined.
LMAOOOOO! That’s so true.
LMAO i thought Beyonce was below Rihanna reading these comments. Navy struggle.
Rihanna is #36? The way the Navy talk i thought R**** would at least be top 5. I wonder if Rih has ever been top 5?
Ikr. Stupid mistake reading the comments before the chart.
But guess what list RIHANNA IS ON… THE SECOND BIGGEST SELLING FEMALE ARTIST OF ALL TIME LIST THO!
Loool what list is that? Your dreams? She’s not even top 10 in the US let alone in the world.
@king Rih
LMAO Rihanna´s sales are below average after 7 albums and how famous they have made her. Second what? LOL
She’s been top 5 on Forbes. Google it.
How is album seller lower than her husband if Jayz hasn’t had an album out since Watch the throne? Explain please?
Everyone and their mama slaying Thotanna again as usual. And the Navy really bragging about having the masters of three flop songs when her peak has clearly passed.
Guess Rihanna “owning her own masters” didn’t do much for her royalties in comparison to her peers #TIMELESS
Boo she doesn’t own her royalies for any music off her previous albums. The Titanics are celebrating Rihanna coming at 36 with no music out like Beyonce hasn’t out wealthed her on multiple occasions doing literally nothing.
Drake. Started from the top then stayed there.
Lmfao I thought I’d never find Rihanna on that list. Why is the #1 chick behind Phish and Journey?
I just can’t with the navy all those consecutive flop must have them go crazy. BEYONCE made more and made way more period. And let us not act as if this is the Forbes list aka the one that really matters the one my fave topped again and again you guys really sounds dumb coming for BEYONCE and her money everybody and their mama knows that Bey makes more that any female currently how about you focus on buying those songs on iTunes Rihanna is 27 and you think she is unstoppable pit that in perspective
At 27 BEYONCE was married in the middle of a enormous era and making $80 million a year on the forbes list
Her Brand made $80 million, not her, there is a difference and billboard broke it down. If she generated $80 million, she wouldn’t be signing artists on $500,000 deals, she would use the Sony standard of $1 million to $5 million deals.
Billboard broke it down only in terms of music and Touring. Music is only a small part of how these artists make money.
@LB,So how much did Ricoke made at the same age? at 27 BEYONCE was worth $300 million how much is rihcoke worth?
“Her Brand made $80 million, not her, there is a difference and billboard broke it down” you are dumb you are soooo dumb billboard didn’t breakdown s*** but strictly musical earnings
And who in 2015 the world would sign unknown talent for $1-5million??? In the current state of music?you gonna give 5 million to someone because of a pretty voice you really don’t know s*** about business LB!the voice the biggest musical show on TV give $100.000 to talent that have garnenered weeks of following and you want a artist to give 5mill to some youtube sensation
Clock! The same person who said Rihanna had a bigger brand than Beyonce. Yet Rihanna’s brand has yet to make that much.
I want the next richest rappers list be from music sales ONLY. People like Dre, Jay and Diddy are always in the top 5, but it’s so clear that most of their income is from everything but music.
Why are the hive ignoring my question, why is jay z higher on the list (if this is only based on music/touring) than Beyonce?
Is the Navy really trying to use Jay Z to drag her? Lol. Jay Z is above her because he has much bigger business ventures. The big number is their total earnings. The musical breakdown shows, Beyonces numbers are still better.
Rihanna never had any music out nor did anything duri 2014 neither did Jayz but It’s funny how he’s higher than his wifey and she’s the one that slaved during three tours and a front loaded overly hyped album. I really want answers as to why the album seller is so low on the list
Not here for that excuse. Beyonce has charted way higher than 36 with no music in the past. And a lot of artists on that list who came higher than Rihfund had music out in 2014. It’s funny you talk about slaving away on 3 Tours. What were they? I know Rihanna had Diamonds, 777 and Monster in the space of just two years so they’re pretty much the same ‘slaves’ huh. Except my s**** makes more money from her Touring.
*had no music out
32**
The real question is why are hasbeen icons and random bands who had no music out either coming leaps and bounds in front of Rihanna who didn’t even crack the Top 20.
Rihanna is the best selling digital of this decade. She’s unbothered from legends selling their tours to their fans. You need to worry about why “mrs smart business woman” is earning less than her man who did little to no work and received over 4 million more in profits? Smokes and mirrors
She’s the bestselling digital artist of 5 years yet she’s been outdone by bands and hasbeens that also had no music out that year? Yeah not impressed and it goes to show, singles sales isn’t worth that much huh. And as for Jay Z, The musical breakdown still shows Beyonces numbers are higher than Jay Zs in streaming, sales and publishing so what’s the drag? The only thing he topped her in was Touring of which he did more of in the period this was measured.
And like I said, Jay z is her husband screaming at you trying to use him. Whatever money he makes goes towards THEIR empire, just like the money they’re cashing from Rihanna’s Roc Nation cheques. Call me when Rihanna can actually TOP Beyonce with no music out, Beyonce has managed it in the past several times.
Dead at TGJ trying to involve JLo on this list. Did her album sell over 100,000 copies yet? FLOP SITE.
taylor swift music sucks..I really don’t know how the heck she keeps selling….her voice is so annoying too
my girl Pink is so underrated..
yes celine dion..I fukcs with her…
beyondfake should be making way more than that…i thought her last album broke records..fake records..smoke and mirrors
Why are Rihanna fans bragging about having no music out when Beyonce came at #6 the year before with no music out and Rihanna at #20 when she was promoting a whole era. SMH.
katy perry is my guilty pleasure….good for her..her last album was actually solid…
rihanna: what did she do last year?..and she’s on that list..good for her…
joe camel..meh….he’s on my nerves…worth a “billion” and yet still acting desperate for money…smoke and mirrors
Yes. Katy Perry’s album is solid but it’s also slept on compared to Beyonce’s last album. Thank God she’s able to beat all odds.
Kiii The CokeSnortingOne is in the Top40? But isn’t she
supposedly the second highest selling female
of all time according to the Titanic’s claims?
This girl will always be Beyonce’s lesser, this
is a random list it’s not even Forbes but she
still ain’t cracking sh!tt. “She has her
masters” but masters for what? when? how?
Screaming!!! Three flop songs that’s being constantly rejected by the public. #32? Death!!!!!
Nicki didn’t make the list boo, please find a seat somewhere in nick is empty arena tour
*had no music out
Rihanna had no music out but Eminem and Shakira beg to differ.
And the joint Tour. Dying at them saying Rihanna did nothing.
Congrats to all the ladies. Shout out to Bey, such an inspiration.
Also, Pepsi paid for Bey’s videos, that 50 million dollar deal had everything covered.
delusional is a heck of a drug…..
beyondfake should earn more money than rihanna..because A. she has a clothing line.B.perfume line..C. her tours.D album sales.
so what’s there to brag about? and to say she earns more money than rihanna just doing nothing..I call bullsh!t
the bish is always promoting something…..
So what’s River Island Line, Rebel Fleur, Diamonds Tour?
Oh I forgot Monster Tour. And the other two fragrances she had out.
That’s not music. This is music sales, album seller only made that much in music sales but yet Jayz is ranked higher and banking more than her.. Smoke and mirrors
Rihannas NOT The second best selling female artist of all time. I dont need to find anything.
Oh god did I just read someone say Rihanna is the second biggest selling female of all time? The navy have really turned to delusion this era haven’t they.
Find a receipt that counters it, while you’re at it could you also find beyonce record sales receipt, thank you
Rihannas NOT The second best selling female artist of all time. I dont need to find anything.
Jay Z came higher thanks to Touring. I thiught Touring made you a ‘s****’ Stop clinging. Why didn’t Rihanna come higher?
The navy are so pathetic, they should use all this time to but any of Rihanna flop singles. Beyonce is above Rihanna in every ratification and you’ll know it, so I don’t need to write an eassy to prove it. The Queen remain unmoved.
The navy are so pathetic, they should use all this time to buy any of Rihanna flop singles. Beyonce is above Rihanna in every ratification and you’ll know it, so I don’t need to write an eassy to prove it. The Queen remain unmoved.
A lot of those artist make their own money’s by doing whatever that they need to do