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# Who Are The 25 Richest Musicians In 2012? [LIST]
- URL: https://www.hypebot.com/who-are-the-top-paid-musicians-in-2012-list/
- Published: 2012-11-29T13:49:55.000Z
- Updated: 2012-11-29T13:49:55.000Z
- Description: We’ve shown you who the richest drummers are, the richest “EDM” DJs, and the richest hip-hop stars. Now, a new list has emerged detailing the top-paid musicians overall in 2012. While. Continue reading [https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2012/11/who-are-the-top-paid-musicians-in-2012-list.html]
- Author: admin
- Tags: Live & Ticketing, Major Labels, Vinyl, Cassettes & Retail, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-01-21 10:49

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We’ve shown you who [the richest drummers](https://www.hypebot.com/who-are-the-worlds-richest-drummers/) are, [the richest](https://www.hypebot.com/so-who-are-the-worlds-highest-paid-djs/)  
[“EDM” DJs](https://www.hypebot.com/so-who-are-the-worlds-highest-paid-djs/), and [the richest hip-hop stars](https://www.hypebot.com/who-are-the-worlds-20-richest-hip-hop-stars/). Now, a new list has emerged detailing  
**the top-paid musicians *overall*** in 2012\. While several of the names on the list may not come as a surprise, it’s  
worth noting that many of them also earn the bulk of their income outside of  
their music. But for all, it is in the leveraging of their own personal brands  
that causes them to rake in such huge sums of dough.

  
Forbes magazines ran estimates that are based on total earnings  
from May 2011 to May 2012\. Factored in are the amount of money one makes from  
record sales, touring, endorsements, merchandise sales and other ventures *before* subtracting management fees,  
legal costs and taxes. Keep that in mind as you take in the numbers, as a great  
deal of money is subtracted from the fees, costs and taxes. Still though, these  
numbers are testament to how valuable a personal brand can be in today’s modern  
music business.

Topping [Fobres’ list](http://www.forbes.com/sites/zackomalleygreenburg/2012/11/28/the-worlds-highest-paid-musicians-2012/?ref=hypebot.com) is none other than hip-hop legend and  
mega-producer Dr. Dre with $110 million, thanks largely to his Beats headphone  
line. Dre collected $100 million pretax when HTC paid $300 million for a 51%  
stake in the company last year, and Dre and his partners later bought back half  
of what they sold.

While many of “usual suspects” on a list like this – people  
like Jay-Z or Diddy – owe a large part of their income to outside business  
ventures like Dre’s, the majority of this year’s top 25 made the list due to  
their touring figures.

**The Top-Paid**  
**Musicians in 2012**

1. Dr. Dre @ $110 million
2. Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) @ $88 million
3. Elton John @ $80 million
4. U2 @ $78 million
5. Take That @ $69 million
6. Bon Jovi @ $60 million
7. Britney Spears @ $58 million
8. Paul McCartney @ $57 million (tie)
9. Taylor Swift @ $57 million (tie)
10. Justin Bieber @ $55 million (tie)
11. Toby Keith @ 55 million (tie)
12. Rihanna  
@ $53 million
13. Lady  
Gaga @ $52 million
14. Foo  
Fighters @ $47 million
15. Diddy  
@ $45 million (tie)
16. Katy  
Perry @ $45 million (tie)
17. Kenny  
Chesney @ $44 million
18. Beyoncé  
@ $40 million
19. Red  
Hot Chili Peppers @ $39 million
20. Jay-Z  
@ $38 million
21. Coldplay  
@ $37 million
22. Adele  
@ $35 million (tie)
23. Kayne  
West @ $35 million (tie)
24. Michael  
Bublé @ $34 million
25. Sade  
@ $33 million

—

***Hisham Dahud*** *is a Senior Analyst for Hypebot.com. Additionally, he is a digital strategist for [Fame House](http://famehouse.net/?ref=hypebot.com) and an [independent musician](https://soundcloud.com/hishamdahud?ref=hypebot.com). Follow him on Twitter: [@HishamDahud](http://twitter.com/hishamdahud?ref=hypebot.com)*