LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 05: Taylor Swift attends the 65th GRAMMY Awards on February 05, … [+]

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Taylor Swift officially landed on Forbes’ billionaires list on Tuesday, April 2. But what distinguishes the 34-year-old singer-songwriter from other wealthy artists is how she accumulated her billion-dollar fortune.

The inclusion of the “Miss Americana” star on Forbes’ World’s Billionaires List, ranking at No. 2,545, marks a significant milestone. Forbes previously declared Swift a billionaire in October 2023, citing her net worth at $1.1 billion. What sets Swift apart is her achievement as the first musician to reach this milestone solely through songwriting and performing, rather than relying on additional ventures like beauty brands or fashion lines.

Swift’s fortune predominantly stems from music royalties and touring, with more than $500 million attributed to these sources. Her earnings include an estimated $190 million after taxes from the initial leg of the Eras tour, as well as $35 million from the first two weeks of screenings of the corresponding concert film, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour,” which became the highest-grossing concert movie in history.

Additionally, the increasing value of Swift’s music catalog has contributed significantly to her wealth, amounting to another $500 million. Notably, her masters, comprising her first six albums, were acquired by Scooter Braun in 2019 and later sold to Shamrock Capital for $300 million in 2020.

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – MAY 06: EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO BOOK COVERS. Taylor Swift performs onstage … [+]

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“This is my worst case scenario. This is what happens when you sign a deal at fifteen to someone for whom the term ‘loyalty’ is clearly just a contractual concept,” Swift penned on Tumblr in 2019 when she learned that Braun had bought her masters. “Now Scooter has stripped me of my life’s work, that I wasn’t given an opportunity to buy. Essentially, my musical legacy is about to lie in the hands of someone who tried to dismantle it.”

At the time, Swift also parted ways with her long-time home, Big Machine Label Group, to join Universal Music Group’s Republic Records, a deal that would give the superstar complete ownership over songwriting and the recordings, ultimately boosting her earnings in the long run.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 11: Taylor Swift attends “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” Concert … [+]

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“I’m ecstatic to announce that my musical home will be Republic Records and Universal Music Group,” Swift wrote on Instagram about the news. “Over the years, [UMG chief] Sir Lucian Grainge and [Republic chief] Monte Lipman have been such incredible partners. It’s so thrilling to me that they, and the UMG team, will be my label family moving forward. It’s also incredibly exciting to know that I’ll own all of my master recordings that I make from now on.”

Since transitioning to new labels, Swift has unveiled a remarkable array of musical offerings, including four original albums— “Lover,” “Folklore,” “Evermore,” and “Midnights”—alongside re-recorded versions of her classics like “Fearless (Taylor’s Version),” “Red (Taylor’s Version),” “Speak Now (Taylor’s Version),” and “1989 (Taylor’s Version).” Demonstrating her prowess as a songwriter, Swift stands as the sole writer on over one-fourth of her top 50 hits on the Billboard charts, although she frequently collaborates with esteemed songwriters like Jack Antonoff and Max Martin, who also earn a share of record sales.

Adding to her already substantial earnings, Swift is set to release her 11th studio album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” on April 19. This highly anticipated record was announced during her acceptance speech for Album of the Year at the 2024 Grammy Awards in February, further solidifying her status as a powerhouse in the music industry.

While becoming a billionaire, the singer made a huge monetary impact on the NFL. Swift created a brand value equivalent of $331.5 million for the Chiefs and the league, according to data from Apex Marketing Group. That number comes from print, digital, radio, TV, highlights, and social media mentioning Swift from her first game on Sept. 24 to Jan. 22.

One of Swift’s many accomplishments from last year also includes being named Time Magazine’s 2023 Person of the Year. In her interview with journalist Sam Lansky, Swift told the magazine that “this is the proudest and happiest I’ve ever felt, and the most creatively fulfilled and free I’ve ever been.”