Top Singer Net Worth Rankings in 2019
According to Forbes, the singer with the highest net worth in 2019 was Rihanna, with an estimated fortune of $600 million, largely driven by her Fenty Beauty and Savage X Fenty brands. Her earnings that year combined music royalties, touring income, and business ventures, placing her above many longtime music industry billionaires. Forbes regularly updates these rankings based on income, assets, and public financial disclosures.
Other top-earning singers in 2019 included Taylor Swift, whose net worth was estimated at around $185 million, and Jay-Z, with a fortune near $1 billion, reflecting his music catalog, investments, and business interests. These figures highlight how diversified income streams, brand partnerships, and equity stakes contribute to the highest net worth among musicians. The rankings are based on public data and Forbes methodology for calculating celebrity wealth.
How Singers Build the Highest Net Worth
Forbes explains that the singer with the highest net worth often builds wealth through a mix of album sales, streaming royalties, touring, and endorsement deals, but the biggest drivers are business ownership and equity. Rihanna's Fenty Beauty, valued at $2.8 billion after LVMH took a stake, and her Savage X Fenty lingerie brand were central to her fortune, as noted in Forbes coverage of celebrity finances.
Other top earners, such as Jay-Z, have grown their net worth through music catalog acquisitions, streaming platform stakes, and investments in companies like Uber and Armand de Brignac champagne. These ventures are tracked by financial outlets and public filings, including SEC documents for private companies and investor reports, which help verify the scale of these business empires.
Where to Find Verified Net Worth Data
Forbes is the primary source for annual richest self-made women and celebrity net worth lists, using interviews, financial records, and industry estimates to compile rankings. The publication also references public company filings, investor reports, and brand valuations to support its figures on singers and other entertainers.
Additional data can be cross-checked with SEC filings for companies in which musicians hold stakes, as well as financial news outlets and business databases that track equity, revenue, and valuation changes over time. These sources help ensure that net worth estimates for the singer with the highest net worth are grounded in verifiable financial information.