Diddy

$64 million

There are few people who are as multi-talented as Sean Combs, who goes the stage name Diddy (one of many). He is a rapper, record producer, record executive, actor and entrepreneur. He started his career in the music business as a talent director for Uptown Records. In 1993, he left to form his own record label, Bad Boy Entertainment. The first rapper they produced was named The Notorious BIG. In 1997, Combs got on the mic and produced his own album, which went 7X platinum and made 5 hit singles. Since then, Comb’s career has only skyrocketed. He produced more hit albums, which earned him 3 Grammy awards. He acted in Hollywood Movies like, Get Him To The Greek. He started a successful clothing line and lifestyle company called Sean John which still kills it today. He developed the vodka brand Ciroc, which he owns 50% of. He owns a TV network/production company and has done many other ventures too. His net worth is in the neighborhood of $825 million.

Roger Waters

$68 million

Roger Waters is a 75 year old rock star who still sells out arenas no problem. He was one of the co-founders of the legendary band Pink Floyd who became their frontman and lead songwriter in 1968. By the early 1980’s Pink Floyd was one of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful bands around. Actually, until this very day they are still both those things. Waters left Pink Floyd in 1985 because of creative differences. He had a long two year legal battle with the rest of the band on who had rights to the band’s name and material. He began a solo career where he produced 4 original albums and an opera in 2005. In 1990, Waters played one the largest concerts in history, The Wall - Live in Berlin, where 450,000 people attended. Today he still tours and is the highest grossing solo artist of all time.

Guns N’ Roses

$71 million

Guns N’ Roses is a staple name in American hard rock history. After forming in 1985, by the combining of two LA local bands, Hollywood Rose and L.A. Guns. Their debut album in 1987 blasted them into superstardom with songs like “Welcome to the Jungle, “Paradise City” and Sweet Child of Mine.” The album sold 30 million copies worldwide. For the next six years the band was hard at work touring the world and producing 4 more successful albums. By 1998 only tow of the original members remained in the band. In 2008, they produced the album, Chinese Democracy, which cost 14 million to make and is the most expensive rock album in history. In 2012, Guns N Roses were inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility. In 2016, the original line up of the band got back together to tour. By 2018, the tour grossed $562 million, which made it the 2nd highest grossing concert tour in history.

Jay-Z

$76.5 million

Jay-Z is nothing short of an icon in the hip-hop world. In his career so far he won a total of 22 Grammy awards, the most by a rapper in history. He also holds the record for the most number 1 albums by a solo artist on the Billboard 200, with 13. He is considered to be among the best rappers of all time and has grown into a cultural icon and global public figure. Jay-Z is also a very successful entrepreneur and businessman. He has done business in clothing lines, beverage companies, alcohol brands, restaurants, record labels, sports teams, film and real estate. Jay-Z is the co-brand director for Budweiser select and works with the company on strategic marketing and creative ad development. He is co-owner of the Brooklyn Nets. He owns a chain of high end sports bars called 40/40. I could go on listing all he has done but it would take several more sentences. You get the picture. He’s an absolute baller.

Taylor Swift

$80 million

Taylor Swift pursued her dream of becoming a musician when she was just 14 years old. And I think we can all say that she definitely obtained her dream, and a lot more. She was the youngest artist to be signed by Sony, right before she became a huge pop star (she was originally a country singer). At just 29 years old Taylor is one of the most successful musical artists alive. With producing 7 studio albums she has sold more than 50 million records worldwide and 150 million single downloads. She has won 10 Grammy Awards, 1 Emmy, 23 American Music Awards, 23 Billboard music Awards and many more, including six Guinness World Records. She ranked number 1 in Forbes 2016’s Celebrity 100 and has appeared 3 times in Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People. She’s crazy talented with a non stop work ethic. I think it’s safe to say that she will continue to have a great career.

Katy Perry

$83 million

Originally, Katy Perry tried to become a gospel singer under her real name Katy Hudson. She made 1 album but commercially it didn’t do well. She then moved to LA to become a secular singer. She dropped her second album as Katy Perry titled One of the Boys, with the hit singles “I kissed a Girl” and “Hot n Cold”. Her next album Teenage Dream really pushed her into the mainstream with a set of chart topping singles. It was the first album by a female artist to produce 5 number one songs. Her next three albums brought her up even more into stardom. Katy Perry is one of the best selling artists of all time, having sold more than 100 million albums worldwide. She ventured into film and voiced the character Smurfette in the 2011 film The Smurfs and its sequel. In 2018, she became a judge on American Idol. Throughout her career she has won 5 American Music Awards, 4 Guiness World Records, 1 Brit award, 1 Juno Award and 14 People’s Choice awards.

Bruno Mars

$100 million

Bruno Mars has been performing in the music business since 2004 but didn’t become known until 2010, with his debut album Doo-Wops & Hoologans. Bruno can do it all, he plays multiple instruments, dances, sings and he’s super good at all of it. He is praised for his musical talent in many genres like; funk, soul, pop, rock, reggae, hip hop, and R&B. So far, Mars has won 11 Grammys, 9 American Music Awards, 3 Brit awards, 10 Soul Train awards and 3 Guinness World records. He has sold over 180 million singles and 26 million albums world wide. He has gotten 7 of his songs to hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. He attained his first 5 faster than any male artist since Elvis Presley. It’s no wonder that Bruno takes in 100 million a year.

Ed Sheeran

$110 million

Ed Sheeran is a hit making machine. All of this albums so far have done terrifically, both commercially and critically. He has come a long way from a kid with a YouTube channel uploading his music. His other passion is acting, with a huge movie with him in one of the lead roles just coming out titled Yesterday. Sheeran has sold 150 million records worldwide, making him a top selling artist of today. Two of his albums are featured the Best Selling Albums in UK History as #34 and #20.

Coldplay

$115.5 million

Having formed in 1998, Coldplay has been voted by Rolling Stone’s readers as the 4th best artist of the 2000’s. With 7 studio albums and 7 world wide tours, Cold Play was absolutely huge from their first step into the spotlight in 2000. They have sold more than 100 million records world wide. They have been nominated for Grammy awards 29 times and won 7 of them. They have 7 Billboard Music Awards, 7 MTV Europe Awards, 9 Brit Awards, 4 Best British Group Awards, 6 MTV Music Awards and 1 American Music Award.

U2

$118 million

U2 is undisputed one of the biggest bands there ever was. Formed in 1976 as part of the post-punk movement, U2’s sound has evolved over the decades, never becoming dated. The band’s frontman, Bono, is one of the biggest cultural icons in the world right now. U2 is known for their elaborate live performances, huge tours and campaigning for social justice causes. They have released 14 studio albums and sold 150-170 million records in their career so far. They have won the most Grammys any band in the world has, which is 22. In 2005, they were inducted in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, in the first year they were eligible .

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