Richest Musicians Of The Decade

10. Lady Gaga

The A Star Is Born actress has amassed $500 million (£386m) thanks to the five albums she released throughout the decade (Born This Way, Artpop, Cheek to Cheek, Joanne and the A Star Is Born album) and live shows, including her Las Vegas residency.

9. Katy Perry

The California Girl singer has earned $530 million (£410m) over the past 10 years, largely thanks to multiple huge world tours - California Dreams, Prismatic and Witness.

8. Sir Paul McCartney

Despite The Beatles breaking up in 1969, the 77-year-old has earned $535 million (£413m) between 2010 and 2012 thanks to his ongoing solo career, which has involved world tours, a collaboration with Kanye West and Rihanna and a number one album with Egypt Station in 2018.

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7. Jay-Z

The rapper, producer and entrepreneur has earned $560 million (£433 m) over the past ten years, according to Forbes. His accumulation of wealth has mainly come from the many companies he's built and invested in (champagne and cognac brands, Tidal, art collections and more) but he's also earned a tidy sum of money from two tours and an album with Beyoncé. Considering all this, it's no surprise that Forbes titled him the first billionaire rapper earlier this year.

6. Sir Elton John

The legendary musician has earned $565 million (£436m) largely through years of stadium concerts and his Las Vegas residency.

5. Diddy

The rapper and businessman - who just celebrated his 50th birthday with a star-studded party - has amassed $605 million ($467m) in this last 10 year period. Forbes attributes his impressive earnings largely to his business deals, like with Cîroc vodka.

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4. U2

The Irish rock band, fronted by Bono, have earned a tidy $675 million (£521m) thanks to their tours. Their 2011 360 tour grossed the most amount of money ever, according to the money magazine.

3. Beyoncé

The ELLE cover star earned an estimated total of $685 million (£529m) over the past decade, largely in part to her successful decade as a solo artist. Over the past 10 years, Beyoncé has released five albums - 4, Beyoncé, Lemonade, Everything Is Love with husband Jay-Z and to cap of the year The Gift, a soundtrack from The Lion King, and toured extensively.

2. Taylor Swift

The pop singer is ranked the second-highest earning musician of the decade - and the highest earning female musician of the decade - due to her multiple stadium-packed tours and albums - the latest of which, Lover, was released this year and no doubt added to the impressive bank balance of $825 million (£637m).

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1. Dr Dre

The richest musician, in terms of earnings throughout the decade, is rapper, producer, former NWA member and businessman Dr Dre. The 54-year-old does not top the list for albums, tours or songs but because he co-founded Beats headphones, which was famously bought by Apple for $3 billion in 2014 - earning him $950 million (£734m) over the past 10 years.

Olivia Blair is Talent Editor at Hearst UK, working predominantly across Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Esquire and Harper's Bazaar. Olivia covers all things entertainment and has interviewed the likes of Margot Robbie, Emma Stone, Timothée Chalamet and Cynthia Erivo over the years.

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