Taylor Swift is the richest female musician in the world at $1.6 billion

But what makes Swift's fate special is where it comes from. While most musicians have made their fortunes through lucrative lifestyle brands and corporate partnerships, Swift amassed her fortune primarily through her music.

According to Forbes, which tracks the net worth of the world's richest people, he is the first musician to become a billionaire primarily through his musical success — including earnings from his record-breaking Eras tour and the value of his catalog.

That's no surprise to Swifties trying to get tickets to the Eras tour, which kicks off in March 2023 and grosses over $1 billion for the first time in US history. The tour spanned five continents and boosted the U.S. economy by $5.7 billion in 2023, according to a Washington Post analysis.

The success of the tour catapulted Swift to billionaire status for the first time in October last year. Forbes estimates that Swift has earned $600 million from touring and royalties alone.

Forbes valued Swift's musical catalog at another $600 million. That's more than Bruce Springsteen, who he sold to Sony Music in 2021 for $550 million, but less than Queens, which Sony Music acquired earlier this year for $1.2 billion.

Meanwhile, Swift's wealthiest musical peers owe much of their fortunes to lucrative side projects and partnerships.

Despite constant requests from her fans, Rihanna has not released a studio album since 2016's “Anti.” But the star's cosmetics line Fenty Beauty, which launched in 2017, took her into the category. Forbes estimates the singer's net worth at around $1.4 billion. (Rihanna owns a 49.9 percent stake in the brand, worth $2.8 billion.)

More and more money is made not from the actual music but from monetizing their reputation and their brands A similar calculus holds true for hip-hop's first billionaire — and the world's richest musician today. Jay-Z's last studio album was 2018's “Everything Is Love,” a collaboration with his wife Beyoncé. It ranked as the 70th most popular album of the year according to Billboard. The 54-year-old Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee won a Grammy and an Emmy for his work producing the Super Bowl halftime show, but his wealth mainly comes from his other businesses, including his champagne brand, Armand de Brignac (also known as Ace of Spades). ), and its cognac brand, D'Ussé. Jay-Z also has stakes in companies like Uber, CashApp parent Bloc and music streaming service Tidal.

While Swift is on hiatus from the Eras Tour — which resumes Oct. 18 in Miami — the singer continues to flex her political influence. Swift endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris in September, citing Harris and running mate Minn. Gov. Tim Walz's support for abortion rights, IVF and LGBTQ+ rights.

“He fights for rights and because I believe they need a fighter to champion,” Swift said of Harris.