Taylor Swift becomes the first songstress to join the Forbes World's Billionaires List

On Tuesday, April 2, 2024, Taylor Swift officially joined the Forbes World's Billionaires List. With an estimated net worth of $1.1 billion, she is the first musician to become a billionaire through music alone.

With a net worth of $1.1 billion as of March 8, Taylor Swift ranked as the 14th most valuable celebrity on the Forbes' 2024 World Billionaires List. The 34-year-old is the first performer to become a billionaire solely via her music and live appearances.

Taylor Swift's superstar status has won her a place on the list. At the 2019 Grammy Awards, she made history by being the first musician to win Album of the Year four times. 1989 (Taylor's Version), her record, was also the best-selling vinyl LP of the previous year. Furthermore, her recent Eras Tour has also significantly contributed to her wealth and reputation.

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How and when did Taylor Swift reach the billionaire mark?

Forbes reported that Swift became a billionaire in October 2023 when her Eras Tour became successful. It was also stated that she was the first musician to become a millionaire only from performance and song royalties.

Swift's net worth has increased six months after becoming a billionaire because of the theatrical and streaming releases of her concert film, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.

Then, with $1.1 billion (£877 million) in revenue, the American music artist made her debut appearance on Forbes World's Billionaires List. Sam Altman, the man behind the AI chatbot ChatGPT, came in second with $1 billion (£800 million). This year, Forbes' list included 265 newcomers, including the 34-year-old singer-cum-song writer.

Taylor Swift's musical career provides the majority of her income. She earns money from performing live, selling products, selling records, and streaming her music online.

Her $190 million after-tax income from the successful Eras Tour was a significant source of wealth for her. Forbes credited Swift's rise to this tour that broke records. In addition, her 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department, will be released in roughly two weeks.

In addition to music, Taylor has over $84 million worth of real estate. She also works with major corporations to endorse their goods.

In addition, Swift received the Pop Artist of the Year, Tour of the Year, and Artist of the Year categories at the iHeartRadio awards. During her virtual acceptance speech, she hinted at the continuation of the Eras Tour and her future album.

Moreover, throughout her career, Taylor Swift has won 14 Grammy Awards, among other awards. Four of these albums won Album of the Year. Her albums and songs have also taken home numerous other honors, including Billboard Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, and American Music Awards.

Additionally, Swift's popularity extends beyond the music industry. She has allegedly increased the NFL viewing just by going to American football games to watch her partner, Travis Kelce.

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The names of other significant billionaires who made the list

There are 2,781 billionaires in the world, according to Forbes' annual list of the richest people in the world. With an estimated net worth of $233 billion (£185 billion), French luxury goods tycoon Bernard Arnault and his family topped the list.

With an estimated net worth of $195 billion (£155 billion), Elon Musk, the owner of Tesla and X, comes in second place. Jeff Bezos, the owner of Amazon, comes in third.

Andrea Pignataro, an Italian who founded financial software company ION Group in 1999 after working as a bond trader at Salomon Brothers, is the wealthiest newcomer on the list. An estimate of his wealth is $27.5 billion.