Bruce Springsteen is still The Boss, topping the list of the highest-paid artists in 2021. However, one country music superstar is certainly continuing to gain traction. Even besting Taylor Swift amount the top ten highest-paid artists last year.
According to Rolling Stone’s Top 10 list of 2021’s highest-paid artists, Bruce Springsteen heads the pack with nearly $600 million in sales throughout 2021. This is over $100 million more than the runner-up, hip hop icon, and the Mr. to our favorite Queen B, Jay Z.
The Empire State of Mind entertainer racked up a cool $470 million in sales throughout the previous year. Impressive, no doubt, but the iconic rapper still couldn’t get up to the Boss’s territory, falling short of the $590 million raked in by Bruce Springsteen throughout 2021.
Coming close to a head-to-head tie for the third and fourth spots in Rolling Stone’s top ten highest-paid artists is the oldie-but-goodie Paul Simon, and Kanye West – or Ye. Paul Simon lands in the number three spot bringing in a total of $260 million in 2021, while West lands at number four pulling in an impressive $250 million.
Some Throwback Favorites Among the 2021 Highest Paid Artists
Falling at number five on Rolling Stone’s top ten list is One Republic singer, Ryan Tedder whose entertainment swagger pulled in a cool $200 million last year. Next is the 1990s alternative favorite, The Red Hot Chili Peppers. The Can’t Stop singers may be a 1990s favorite, but their impressive 2021 haul of $145 million tells us the Chili Peppers are here to stay…and we are certainly not going to complain!
Numbers seven and eight on the top ten most profitable entertainments put together by Rolling Stone continue with the throw-back theme. Hey, good music, is good music, right? Once we find a classic sound we certainly hope it’s here to stay! Lindsay Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac fame sits as the 2021 seventh highest-paid entertainer. In total, the contemporary rock singer made $100 million last year.
Sitting at number eight is a 1980s hair-band classic, Motley Crüe. These boys came on to the music scene as one of the first major “hair-band” groups nearly four decades ago. Since then, the Kick Start My Heart group has continued to be a fan-favorite finding massive success in many of our throwback playlists. Of course, the recent Nikki Six tell-all Netflix biopic and the upcoming Pam & Tommy limited series may be playing into the former band’s continued success.
Blake Shelton’s Awesome Year
Country music is the specialty of our ninth-placed most profitable artist in 2021, with Blake Shelton besting country and pop music sensation Taylor Swift, who lands on the list at number ten.
Taylor Swift had a big year, remaking her hits from early in her prolific career after a dispute over music rights. In all, Taylor Swift’s year was massively successful with the inspiring star making a cool $80 million in 2021. Blake Shelton raked in an impressive $83 million in 2021. The country music superstar and The Voice host has certainly had quite the whirlwind year! In July, Blake took a trip down the altar to finally wed longtime girlfriend and pop-music icon, Gwen Stefani.
