The Highest Paid Musician 2013: 'Who's That Girl' At The Top?

Forbes Magazine have released their list of the 25 Highest Paid Musicians of the 2013, taking into account living artists' earnings between June 2012 to June 2013.

The latest rich list was compiled from sources including Pollstar, the RIAA, Nielsen SoundScan, artists' managers, lawyers and many of the artists themselves. The figures are comprises of concert ticket sales, royalties, publishing, merchandise sales, endorsement deals and other such business ventures.

Of course, if all artists - dead or alive - were to be considered, Michael Jackson would top the list by far with a mighty $160 million (£99 million) earned over the past 12 months.

He's not allowed to be included in this loud and lively list though so we present to you a Top 10 countdown of the year's highest earning musicians.

10-) Queen Bey Ties Ten

Beyoncé has tied at tenth place this year with earnings of $53 million (£32.9m) after she embarked on the globe-trotting Mrs. Carter World Tour, grossing a reported $2 million in every city she plays as well as brand endorsements and fashion ventures.

10-) Kenny Chesney Shares 10 With Beyoncé

Kenny Chesney is one of three country superstars to make the top ten list this year and ties with Beyoncé at tenth place with $53 million (£32.9m). The Tennessee native has made most of his money this year from stadium tours and album sales. And let's not forget his own brand of Rum, Blue Chair Bay, that has helped him rake in more cash than the likes of Rihanna or Kanye West.

9) Rocketman Blasts To Number 9

Elton John comes in at ninth with truly huge earnings of $54 million (£33.6m) owing to the Rocketman purely remaining popular. Again, live shows have helped the only solo Brit on the list to pocket the cash as his shows gross a reported $1 million per evening with even more touring planned for 2014 to celebrate his new album, Diving Board.

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8) Taylor Swift Swoops In At 8

Are we the only ones surprised that Taylor Swift came No.8? Such is the success of the country pop star that you'd think she'd be higher up. Still $55 million (£34.2m) is nothing to be sniffed at but for one of showbusiness' hardest working performers? Anyway, her fortune is down to her fourth studio album Red selling 1.2 million copies in a week, a still ongoing Red world tour taking in as many countries as possible, endorsement deals with Diet Coke, Sony and Covergirl, and a high profile appearance at the Victoria's Secret fashion show.

7) Bieber Has The Money

Whether you love him or hate his guts, Justin Bieber is undoubtedly mega-rich with his year's earnings totalling an estimated $58 million (£36m). You have to hand it to the 19 year-old star; despite a year of hell-raising, he's earned his cash with arena shows, album sales, and investments in start-ups including Enflick, Tinychat and Spotify.

6) The Boss Gets A Raise

Bruce Springsteen is sixth on the rich list after the 64 year-old rocker's busy year of touring and festival appearances. His $62 million (38.5m) earnings represents the impressive longevity of The Boss' career as well as an enduring popularity and well, the talent for brilliant music. Bruce has another album planned for 2014 too which which we could well see him in this list again next year.

5) Coldplay Raise Hard Cash

British rockers Coldplay stand at an impressive fifth on the rich list with earnings of $64 million (£39.8m) this year. It's usually Irish rockers U2 who outrank other rock bands on Forbes' list but Coldplay have out-earned them mainly due to a $3 million per show world tour as well as consistent album sales. Rapper Jay Z has helped the group gain more US exposure too by appearing on stage during shows.

4) Toby Keith Is Rich Too

Toby Keith is our highest ranking country star on the rich list after bagging himself $65 million (£40.3m) which adds to a collossal $270 million (£167.8m) from album sales in the past five years. Though Keith may be less well-exposed in the mainstream that some of the other similarly ranking stars, he's bolstered his income by opening 18 restaurants in the USA, playing hundreds of concerts and launching his own brand of mescal. We'll drink to that.]

3) More Than Halfway There

Far from the penny-pinching personas they imagine in 'Living On A Prayer,' US rockers Bon Jovi are named third on the list with their takings of $79 million (£49m) as a unit. The New Jersey band have not only embarked on a stadium tour (grossing over $3m per city), they've also celebrated the one-year anniversary of the Soul Kitchen, a pay-what-you-can restaurant in New Jersey, plus have enjoyed consistently sizeable album sales, proving everyone still loves a power rock ballad.

2) Gaga Gets The Green

...And by green we mean dollar bills, not y'know the other thing...that she may or may not have mentioned here. Lady GaGa is second on our list, losing out by far to our No.1. with her $80 million (£49.6m). Mother Monster's tour grossed an eye-watering $168 million (£104.4m) but would have taken even more had she not been forced to cancel shows and delay her ARTPOP album due to a serious hip injury. Gaga has truly raked in cash this year which stands her in good stead for next year's list where her ARTPOP album sales will be taken into account.

1) It's A Material World

Ta-dah! We're finally here and the veritable Queen of Pop, Madonna, is No.1 of our list. Perched at the top, the 'Ray of Light' singer has netted a hefty $125 million (£77.7m) owing to ticket and merchandise sales at her big MDNA world tour. The veteran popstar, who is clearly still very much on her game, made this year's mega millions between June 2012 and June this year, thanks to her MDNA world tour, 'Material Girl' clothing line, perfume brand and merchandise sales, according to Forbes Magazine.

Madonna's rich list topping powers above Gaga's comparatively lowly second place serves to only fuel the rumors of the rivalry between the world-dominating pop powerhouses.