Taylor Swift secures highest-paid female singer spot with $185 million: Forbes
Singer Taylor Swift is the highest-paid entertainer in the world after earning $185 million pretax in the last year, according to a list of music's highest-paid women published by Forbes on Monday.
Beyonce took the second spot with $81 million, and Rihanna took third with $62 million. Forbes used data from June 2018 to June 2019.
Swift has dominated the music world in the past month — she released her seventh studio album, "Lover," last week and boasted 10 nominations at the MTV Video Music Awards on Monday.
Another top-earning pop singer, Ariana Grande, also had 10 nominations at the VMAs. She ranked at number six on Forbes' list for raking in $48 million thanks to her back-to-back albums "Sweetener" and "Thank U, Next."
Swift topped the financial charts partly because of her Reputation Stadium Tour, which grossed $266 million and set a U.S. record, according to Forbes. Swift kicked off the VMAs on Monday night and blasted the White House for its lack of response to a petition supporting the LGBTQ issues-focused Equality Act during her acceptance speech for the Video of the Year award.
"I want to thank everyone who signed that petition because it now has half a million signatures, which is five times the amount that it would need to warrant a response from the White House," Swift said, tapping an imaginary watch on her wrist.
Swift's net worth was $360 million as of June, according to Forbes' estimate.
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Other artists on Forbes' list included Katy Perrry in fourth place with $57.5 million, P!nk in fifth with $57 million, Ariana Grande in sixth with $48 million, Jennifer Lopez in seventh with $43 million, Lady Gaga in eighth with $39.5 million, Celine Dion in ninth with $37.5 million and Shakira in 10th with $35 million.
Agents', managers' and lawyers' fees were not deducted from the artists' pretax income for the list, Forbes said.
1. Taylor Swift: $185 million
Singer Taylor Swift arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party in Beverly Hills, California February 28, 2016. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok/File Photo
2. Beyonce: $81 million
3. Rihanna: $62 million
NEW YORK, NY - JANUARY 30: Rihanna goes to dinner at Kappo Masa on January 30, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jackson Lee/GC Images)
4. Katy Perry: $57.5 million
MONTE-CARLO, MONACO - SEPTEMBER 26: Katy Perry attends the Gala for the Global Ocean hosted by H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco at Opera of Monte-Carlo on September 26, 2018 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Daniele Venturelli/Daniele Venturelli/ Ge
5. P!nk: $57 million
6. Ariana Grande: $48 million
Ariana Grande was sued for photo a similar photo on her Instagram. (osiah Kamau/BuzzFoto via Getty Images)
7. Jennifer Lopez: $43 million
Jennifer Lopez arrives at the 61st annual Grammy Awards at the Staples Center on Sunday, Feb. 10, 2019, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
8. Lady Gaga: $39.5 million
Lady Gaga announced Tuesday she's launching a beauty line that will be sold on Amazon. (AP)