Taylor Swift has flogged her rivals to be music’s top earner in 2013 according to US website Billboard.com’s annual rich list.
Swift, now 24, made almost US$40 million (NZ$46.9 million) in 2013 based on Nielsen data and Billboard’s own data – it runs the charts in the United States.
More than $33 million of Swift’s earnings came from ticket sales for the Red tour, which she brought here in December, last year. The rest came from physical album sales, downloads and streaming.
Swift’s touring revenues were higher than any other artist on the planet, she was fifth highest earner on streaming royalties and sixth on downloads. She was downloaded 10 million times last year.
Sales of Swift’s merchandise and her various sponsorships, (including Diet Coke, Elizabeth Arden and Keds, which are flat canvas shoes) were not counted in Billboard’s estimates although the website estimated she would have earned at least an extra $11 million.
American country star Kenny Chesney was the second highest earner (but was $7.5 million behind Swift) with over $32 million income. The world’s leading male slashie Justin Timberlake was next, then Bon Jovi and septuagenarian juggernaut, The Rolling Stones, rounded out the top five.
The top 10 was completed by Beyonce, Maroon 5, emerging country star Luke Bryan, Aussie favourite Pink and Fleetwood Mac.
Top 10 Money Makers of 2014:
This article first appeared on Billboard.com. Click here to see the full list of Billboard’s 2014 Money Makers.
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