Britney Spears Is Music's Top Earning Woman of 2012
Credit: Steve Jennings/Getty Images.
The pop princess of the moment has been bested by the queen. Britney Spears narrowly beat out Taylor Swift and earned more money than any other gal singing her heart out this year, according to Forbes' latest list of music's top-earning women.
The 31-year-old pop star hauled in $58 million over the past year thanks to her latest album, "Femme Fatale," and the tour she did to support it. Endorsement deals helped her bottom line.
Swift came in second on Forbes' list at $57 million. The 22-year-old country crossover has been on a non-stop promo tour for her new album, "Red," which went triple platinum in less than a month.
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To create the list, Forbes looked at income from record sales, touring, endorsements, merchandise, and other ventures. The figures represent earnings from May 2011 to May 2012, before subtracting management fees, legal costs and taxes.
Check out who else made the cut:
3. Rihanna, $54 million.
4. Lady Gaga, $52 million.
5. Katy Perry, $45 million.
6. Beyonce, $40 million.
7. Adele, $35 million.
8. Sade, $33 million.
9. Madonna, $30 million.
10. Shakira, $20 million.