Last month we showed you 2018’s highest-paid female musicians, with Katy Perry sitting pretty out front with a whopping $83 million.
She’s not exactly going home hungry, but when you consider all musicians, Katy only comes in at fifth place.
Taking home top spot, and still going strong after all these years, is U2. That’s due in large part to another mammoth year of touring, described below by Forbes:
U2 released Joshua Tree more than three decades ago, planting lasting roots. The immortal Irishmen played the album in its entirety at every show on their recent Joshua Tree Tour—and grossed $316 million as some 2.7 million fans turned out to make it last year’s most lucrative tour.
The tail end of that outing and the beginning of U2’s next tour combined to help the band earn an estimated $118 million in our scoring period, making U2 the world’s highest-paid musical act yet again. In the midst of all the time on the road, the group also managed to release its 14th studio album, Songs Of Experience.
Not a bad haul there for the Irishmen.
As for the rest of the top earners:
U2 isn’t the only act from the British Isles to pull in nine figures—Ireland and the U.K. monopolize this year’s top three. Coldplay claims the No. 2 spot with $115.5 million; its A Head Full Of Dreams Tour grossed more than half a billion dollars in its two-year, five-continent run. Ed Sheeran, at just 27 years old, rounds out the trio with $110 million. His billions of streams helped make him the highest-paid solo act on our list.
All in all, the 10 highest-paid musicians pulled in $886 million, about the same as last year’s combined tally. But this year’s list is more top-heavy, featuring four centimillion-dollar paychecks (the aforementioned names as well as Bruno Mars) as opposed to last year’s two (Diddy and Beyoncé).
When you’re throwing around terms like ‘centimillion-dollar’, you know you’re doing alright.
Your full top 30, before we roll on outta here:
1. U2 ($118 million)
2. Coldplay ($115.5 million)
3. Ed Sheeran ($110 million)
4. Bruno Mars ($100 million)
5. Katy Perry ($83 million)
6. Taylor Swift ($80 million)
7. Jay-Z ($76.5 million)
8. Guns N’ Roses ($71 million)
9. Roger Waters ($68 million)
10. Diddy ($64 million)
11. Beyoncé ($60 million)
12. Kendrick Lamar ($58 million)
13. The Weeknd ($57 million)
14. The Eagles ($56 million)
15. Depeche Mode ($53 million)
16. Pink ($52 million, tie)
16. Luke Bryan ($52 million, tie)
18. Jimmy Buffett ($51 million)
19. Lady Gaga ($50 million)
20. Calvin Harris ($48 million)
21. Paul McCartney ($47.5 million)
22. Drake ($47 million, tie)
22. Jennifer Lopez ($47 million, tie)
22. Foo Fighters ($47 million, tie)
25. Elton John ($46 million, tie)
25. Metallica ($46 million, tie)
27. Garth Brooks ($45.5 million, tie)
27. The Chainsmokers ($45.5 million, tie)
29. Billy Joel ($43.5 million)
30. Rolling Stones ($39 million)
[source:forbes]
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