Pandemic profits: Taylor highest-paid muso of 2020
QUARANTINE QUEEN: Taylor Swift earned $23.8 million last year
She’s had no shows during the pandemic, but that hasn’t stopped Taylor Swift from being named Billboard’s highest-paid musician of 2020.
In a slow year for the entertainment industry, the 31-year-old pop star still managed to top the US Money Makers list with $23.8 million, down from the $99.6 million when she was previously on the list in 2018.
Billboard estimates Taylor made $10.6m from streaming, $10m from sales and $3.2m from publishing – but no income from touring.
She narrowly beat Post Malone to first spot by $600 000, after he raked in $23.2 million.
That was largely due to his $12.4m from touring, after he managed to sneak in some shows before March 2020 before the world went into lockdown.
The 26-year-old rapper also made $8.1m from streaming.
As fans were forced to stay at home for much of 2020, royalties for artist streaming increased by 82% last year compared to the Money Makers 2019 list, from $106m to $193m.
Celine Dion’s $17m touring income played a huge part in her making it to third on the list with $17.5m, and Eagles’ $11.4m touring revenue also had a big hand in their fourth place with $16.3m.
Rounding off the top five, Billie Eilish was up there with $14.7m after streaming and publishing earned her $5.9m and $5.7m respectively.
Other stars who made up the top 10 include Drake, who received nothing from ticket sales but still banked $14.2m, and Queen didn’t rely on any concert takings for their $13.2m.
Top 15 of Billboard's US Money Makers 2020:
1. Taylor Swift: $23.8 million
2. Post Malone: $23.2 million
3. Céline Dion: $17.5 million
4. Eagles: $16.3 million
5. Billie Eilish: $14.7 million
6. Drake: $14.2 million
7. Queen: $13.2 million
8. The Beatles: $12.9 million
9. YoungBoy Never Broke Again: $11.9 million
10. Lil Baby: $11.7 million
11. The Weeknd: $10.4 million
12. Aventura: $10.2 million
13. AC/DC: $10.1 million
14. Eminem: $9.7 million
15. Lil Uzi Vert: $9.5 million.
16. Luke Combs: $9.2 million