Taylor Swift has topped Billboard's list of the highest paid music artists, earning more than $23 million in the United States last year, according to their calculations. It turns out that releasing two new albums plus a re-release of an older album in the same year is a fantastic strategy to keep your fans happy.
According to Billboard, almost half of Swift's music earnings came from streaming, with another $10 million coming from sales and $3.2 million coming from publication rights. Because to COVID restrictions, Swift didn't make a penny from touring, but that wasn't the case for everyone.
Celine Dion may have earned only $300,000 from streaming last year, but she more than made up for it with a massive windfall from touring. Dion crammed in 23 concerts before the final curtain fell, equal to over $50 million in total ticket sales — $17 million of which she pocketed, according to Billboard calculations.
Source: Billboard, US earnings only, chartr