It's undeniable that Taylor Swift has been working hard over the last twelve months. Not only has she orchestrated one of the biggest world tours in history, the Eras Tour became the first ever to surpass the $1 billion mark - making it the highest-grossing tour of all time, too. Casual.
As Taylor performed across the US in 2023, there were reports that her shows were having a substantial fiscal impact on local economies and many believed she would reach billionaire status before the end of the tour. Bloomberg said that she is 'essentially a multinational conglomerate with the world's most devoted customer base', and following the latest Forbes rich list those nine-figure predictions seem to be bang on the money.
The Forbes World's Billionaires List 2024 was released today, and Taylor has made the cut for the very first time. With the incredible success of the Eras Tour tipping her into billionaire territory, the singer is reportedly worth an estimated $1.1bn (£877m). Eyes watering? Same.
As per the report, Taylor's accumulated wealth has largely come from her music - something which sets her apart from other Rich List individuals who usually amass their cash through a mix of sponsorships and endorsement deals, advertising and product marketing. But for Taylor, performing and songwriting - including the re-recorded 'Taylor's Versions' albums - have been behind her increasingly bloated bank balance.
Of course, Taylor's pulling (and spending) power is deniable. Last year, concert goers spent an average of $1,279 when attending her shows (as per Time), and when her relationship with NFL athlete Travis Kelce went public it reportedly caused a huge spike in merchandise sales for his team, the Kansas City Chiefs.
According to the Forbes report, there are 141 more billionaires this year compared to 2023, and cumulatively they're worth a staggering $14.2 trillion (£11.3tn) with the likes of Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates remaining in the top 10.
