Musicians Top Forbes' Earners List

[MasterBlow]

The list of 2010?s highest-grossing tours may have been dominated by male artists, but all of the musicians on Forbes? list of the highest earners in show business for the year are female pop icons.

Of the six musicians on the list, Beyoncé is ranked highest, pulling in a staggering $87 million in 2010, placing her ninth on a list topped by the likes of Oprah Winfrey, James Cameron and Tyler Perry.

Britney Spears is 13th on the list with $64 million, followed closely by Lady Gaga, who earned $62 million. Madonna, Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift also placed in the top 20, raking in $58, $48 and $45 million respectively.

[CunningStunt]

Did you hear about the drummer who was so depressed with his bad timing he threw himself behind a bus?

[Zayne E.]

Did you hear about the drummer who was so depressed with his bad timing he threw himself behind a bus?

[CaptainHowdy]

Those aren't musicians...

[NutraCash]

sad that the shitty ones make so much

[John-ACWM]

They receive it, not steal it, it's the world we live in.

[loreen]

Beyoncé seems pretty hard working to me...
Good voice, body and marketing

[BoardiesBitch]

Those aren't musicians...

exactly what i was thinking

those are marketing products for teenagers, not musicians

[Rochard]

The music industry has changed. It used to be about making records and then concerts. Miley Cyrus is on that list because of her music, concerts, TV show, other TV shows, and her vast - and I mean fucking huge - line of products she sells.

[djroof]

music has money...

[MetaMan]

exactly what i was thinking

those are marketing products for teenagers, not musicians

HATER

Do you know how long Beyonce has sang for? Stop hating because you suck.

musician:
someone who plays a musical instrument (as a profession)
artist who composes or conducts music as a profession

I love how "real musicians" always have no fans and no one respects their "real music". Truly hilarious.

[JFK]

Those aren't musicians...

perhaps entertainers would be a better description ?

[Scott McD]

Hopefully Lady Gaga dies a horrible death in 2011...

[MaDalton]

Did you hear about the drummer who was so depressed with his bad timing he threw himself behind a bus?

lol - could have been me if you count in bass players

[BSleazy]

HATER

Do you know how long Beyonce has sang for? Stop hating because you suck.

musician:
someone who plays a musical instrument (as a profession)
artist who composes or conducts music as a profession

I love how "real musicians" always have no fans and no one respects their "real music". Truly hilarious.

word....

[Elli]

Is that the number pulled in by the name and the studio BEFORE the actual artists are paid out? Those numbers seem high for Britney.

[dyna mo]

Those numbers seem high for Britney.

i was wondering the same. if those #s are true, she's gonna cash in big time next year when her new album comes out. i've heard good things about it so far.

[Quentin]

I love how "real musicians" always have no fans and no one respects their "real music". Truly hilarious.

Q: What's the difference between a pop musician and a jazz musician?

A: A pop musician knows three chords and plays in front of thousands of people; a jazz musician knows thousands of chords and plays in front of 3 people.

[MetaMan]

Q: What's the difference between a pop musician and a jazz musician?

A: A pop musician knows three chords and plays in front of thousands of people; a jazz musician knows thousands of chords and plays in front of 3 people.

I like Jazz, i like all music. I listen to music I dont understand a single word to.

Where did I say Jazz musicians are not musicians? And how are you disproving my point? 3 people listening to music is not "no one".

You are using the same argument either way. How much money someone does or doesnt make doesnt dis credit them as a musician.

People are haters. They see people make money and all of a sudden they arent "real".

[MetaMan]

Q: What's the difference between a pop musician and a jazz musician?

A: A pop musician knows three chords and plays in front of thousands of people; a jazz musician knows thousands of chords and plays in front of 3 people.

Beyonce and Destiny's Child at the age of 15
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ra5WtJxQ9gI

Nope she is not a real musician you guys are right. /sarcasm

You people always act like artists start out with a million fans. Get real.

[kristin]

Beyonce and Destiny's Child at the age of 15
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ra5WtJxQ9gI

Nope she is not a real musician you guys are right. /sarcasm

You people always act like artists start out with a million fans. Get real.

Yes, she was big and that's what got her to where she is. However, I have to think the majority of the $87 million came from endorsements, appearances, various lines, etc. ... not the music.

[dyna mo]

is beyonce black or white?

[Quentin]

I like Jazz, i like all music. I listen to music I dont understand a single word to.

Where did I say Jazz musicians are not musicians? And how are you disproving my point? 3 people listening to music is not "no one".

You are using the same argument either way. How much money someone does or doesnt make doesnt dis credit them as a musician.

People are haters. They see people make money and all of a sudden they arent "real".

I wasn't making an argument. I posted the text of an old joke in response to something you posted, because your statement reminded me of the joke.

I'm a musician. I play and listen to a wide variety of music, including a lot of jazz. I don't hate on people for their financial success, and while I'm not a fan of Beyonce or Britney, I don't hold them in contempt.

Relax MM; not every response to every one of your posts is someone looking for a pissing match.

[BlackCrayon]

i'm surprised about beyonce. i thought she was passe now. haven't heard anything from her in a while.

[MaDalton]

Q: What's the difference between a pop musician and a jazz musician?

A: A pop musician knows three chords and plays in front of thousands of people; a jazz musician knows thousands of chords and plays in front of 3 people.

lol - true

as a sound guy i have mixed quite a few jazz bands in front of very few people - hehe. old rule: a concert will happen as long as there are more people in the audience than on stage

[kristin]

i'm surprised about beyonce. i thought she was passe now. haven't heard anything from her in a while.

She just bought her hubby JayZ a two million dollar car.

[CaptainHowdy]

Still, those aren't musicians...

[Quentin]

lol - true

as a sound guy i have mixed quite a few jazz bands in front of very few people - hehe. old rule: a concert will happen as long as there are more people in the audience than on stage

One of the best shows I've ever seen, musically speaking, was an Elliot Sharpe show that had (literally) about 10 people in attendance.

There were a lot of things that contributed to the problem. The club did a horrible job promoting the show, Elliot Sharpe isn't that well-known period, much less in Tucson where this show took place, and it was a June show in a town with a scene that slows down quite a bit when the out-of-state college students head home for the summer.

Sharpe and his band didn't let it get to them, though; they just walked out on stage and absolutely ripped. Tons of energy, tons of passion. They treated it like an opportunity to really cut loose, and those few of us in attendance were treated to a great, great set.

[dyna mo]

She just bought her hubby JayZ a two million dollar car.

lemme guess, a veyron.

[JFK]

She just bought her hubby JayZ a two million dollar car.

pics, or it didnt happen

[shake]

Still, those aren't musicians...

I agree with that for sure.

[Elli]

Still, those aren't musicians...

by the same argument you could say Kiss or AC/DC aren't musicians because they only play four chords over and over again.

[BlackCrayon]

by the same argument you could say Kiss or AC/DC aren't musicians because they only play four chords over and over again.

he would probably agree. captainhowdy is some kind of music snob. probably listens to some kind obsure stuff that becomes gay if anyone else likes it.

[MetaMan]

I wasn't making an argument. I posted the text of an old joke in response to something you posted, because your statement reminded me of the joke.

I'm a musician. I play and listen to a wide variety of music, including a lot of jazz. I don't hate on people for their financial success, and while I'm not a fan of Beyonce or Britney, I don't hold them in contempt.

Relax MM; not every response to every one of your posts is someone looking for a pissing match.

NO THIS IS LIFE! AND IT IS NOT A GAME!

haha ya i know what you mean. i like the joke i dont really mean it totally directed at you it just kind of went along with what you said and spun it... like i always do lol.

but i dont think the financial part should be looked at, even britney has paid her dues. Alot of people look at the final result of financially successful people and have no idea what they went through to get there.

Yes, she was big and that's what got her to where she is. However, I have to think the majority of the $87 million came from endorsements, appearances, various lines, etc. ... not the music.

It def came from more then music. But music for sure set her up for the long haul. Hell i like Destinys Child.

YOU MAKE ME WANT TO THROW MY PAGER OUT THE WINDOW..... BUG A BOO BUG A BOO

[PR_Glen]

maybe saying that they are not musicians is a little incorrect...

Some of them deserve a little more credit than that, a few of those can actually sing, less of them have written their own music and none of them really play an instrument other than sing so there is a bit of a drop off.. but musicians all the same

Although elvis and the beatles were pop stars before they became 'musical geniuses' too so maybe we have to wait and see? (almost swallowed my tongue comparing them to beatles so don't hate on the comparison too much!)

[Davy]

The cool thing for the artists is that there is no middle man anymore.

[kristin]

lemme guess, a veyron.

Yeppers.

[Serge Litehead]

i've heard U2 scored something close to a billion this or last year in concerts alone

[dyna mo]

Yeppers.

typical eh. i can think of several cars in that range that would be a lot more cool.

[bronco67]

Most of those "musicians" were cooked up in corporate meeting rooms, except maybe Lady Gaga -- but I'm sure that's debatable also.

[LA Crew]

Eighties supergroup U2 made more money than anyone else in music last year, netting an estimated $130 million on the strength of a worldwide tour that sold 1.3 million tickets at an average price of $94 a seat in North America alone. The band, which recently postponed some dates on the tour until 2011, will likely end up in one of the top spots on next year's list as well. Fellow classic rock staple AC/DC followed U2 with $114 million after finishing up a tour that grossed $2.3 million a night.

[brassmonkey]

rich muther fuckers!