The world’s biggest music stars made staggering amounts of money in the past 12 months from record-breaking tours, album sales, streaming revenue, and major catalogue deals.
According to Forbes, the top 10 highest-paid musicians in the world (2025) list was calculated using estimated earnings before tax from 31 December 2024 to 31 December 2025.
All expenses were deducted, and the ranking only reflects income earned strictly from music-related activities such as touring, streaming, album sales, and catalogue deals. Any earnings from side businesses, endorsements, or investments were excluded. 
Below is a breakdown of the top 10 highest-paid musicians in the world in 2025.
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Top 10 Highest-Paid Musicians in the World (2025)
1. The Weeknd – $298 Million
In 2025, The Weeknd became the highest-paid musician in the world. He played over 40 shows that year, earning an estimated $77 million in tour profits.
His ‘After Hours Til Dawn Tour’ crossed the $1 billion mark, and he sold a stake in his music catalogue to Lyric Capitalin a deal reportedly worth $1 billion.
2. Taylor Swift – $202 Million
Taylor Swift followed closely in second place after a historic year. She shattered records by selling over 5.5 million album-equivalent units globally on her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl.
She also signed a lucrative Disney+ deal, earning an additional estimated $80 million.
3. Beyoncé – $148 Million
Beyoncé reached billionaire status in 2025, thanks largely to her Cowboy Carter Tour. The 32-show run grossed $407.6 million, becoming the highest-grossing country tour ever.
This tour helped her break the record for the highest single-venue gross by a female artist at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and pushed her into the top three.
4. Kendrick Lamar – $109 Million
Kendrick Lamar emerged as the highest-paid rapper of 2025. His Super Bowl LIX Halftime Show performance reignited interest in his album GNX, which became the first hip-hop album to sell over 1 million units in the U.S. in 2025.
Soon after, Lamar launched the Grand National Tour with SZA, which grossed $358.7 million, making it the highest-earning co-headlining tour ever.
5. Coldplay – $105 Million
Coldplay continued their unstoppable global run with the Music of the Spheres World Tour, and in 2025 alone, the British band played nearly 50 stadium shows across Asia, North America, and the Middle East.
The tour grossed an estimated $375 million this year and has now sold more tickets than any tour in history.
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6. Shakira – $105 Million
Shakira matched Coldplay’s earnings thanks to her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour. The tour generated $327.4 million, making it the highest-grossing Latin tour ever by a female artist.
7. Drake – $78 Million
Drake had a strong year driven by both touring and streaming. He played over 40 shows across Australia, New Zealand, and North America, earning around $30 million from live performances.
His eight-album catalogue also generated nearly $50 million in streaming revenue.
8. Chris Brown – $74 Million
Chris Brown enjoyed a career-defining year. He won his second Grammy Award and wrapped up The Breezy Bowl XX Stadium World Tour, which grossed $285 million in just four months.
Forbes estimates that Brown earned close to $60 million from touring alone, with an additional $13 million coming from music sales and royalties.
9. Zach Bryan – $70 Million
Zach Bryan was the highest-earning country artist of 2025. He signed a major $350 million deal with Warner Records, selling his publishing rights and renewing his contract.
From that agreement, Bryan reportedly took home about $48 million. He also earned more than $20 million from album sales.
10. Bad Bunny – $66 Million
Bad Bunny rounded out the top 10 after another dominant year. He was named Spotify’s Global Top Artist for the fourth time, pulling in nearly 20 billion streams.
However, most of his income came from his Puerto Rico residency, where he played over 30 shows.
Other Highest-Paid Musicians of 2025 (11–25)
- Post Malone
- Ed Sheeran
- Tyler, the Creator
- Metallica
- Lady Gaga
- Billie Eilish
- Imagine Dragons
- Dua Lipa
- Linkin Park
- SZA
- Morgan Wallen
- Bruno Mars
- Sabrina Carpenter
- Andrea Bocelli
- Iron Maiden
Why No African Musician Made the List
Despite Africa’s massive musical influence, no African artist appeared in the top 10 or even top 25, and this is because none of them have scaled to that level.
The highest earners on this list benefit from global stadium tours, billion-dollar catalogue deals, and highly monetised streaming markets in North America and Europe.
African artists are gaining global recognition, but structural issues such as lower touring fees, weaker publishing systems, and limited access to large-scale global deals still affect overall earnings.
However, with Afrobeats continuing to grow worldwide, this gap may close sooner than expected.
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