West coast rap legend Dr. Dre tops Forbes’ list of highest paid musicians for the year of 2012.
It’s no secret that Aftermath Records head honcho Dr. Dre makes money, and lots of it at that. What is a bit surprising is the fact that Dr. Dre was the highest earning musician across any genre for 2012 pulling in a staggering $110 million.
Dr. Dre is among the richest rappers alive, and with all of the business moves he’s been making, namely Beats by Dre, he has continued to climb the ranks. “The brands are so aligned, Dre and Beats, it’s just who he is,” says former Def Jam president Kevin Liles. “If you look at the biggest earners, the guys have been doing it for 20 years … what’s happening now is people are really telling their truth.”
Roger Walters, Elton John, U2, and Take That round out the top 5, and Dr. Dre is the only hip hop representative in the top 10. In fact the next hip hop affiliate is Diddy at number 15 with $45 million earned during 2012. Other rap artists include Jay-Z and Kanye West.
Check out the list of the top 25 highest earning musicians for 2012 according to Forbes below.
  • 1. Dr Dre – $110 Million
  • 2. Roger Waters – $88 Million
  • 3. Elton John – $80 Million
  • 4. U2 – $78 Million
  • 5. Take That – $69 Million
  • 6. Bon Jovi – $60 Million
  • 7. Britney Spears – $58 Million
  • 8. Paul McCartney – $57 Million (tie)
  • 8. Taylor Swift – $57 Million (tie)
  • 10. Justin Bieber – $55 Million (tie)
  • 10. Toby Keith – $55 Million (tie)
  • 12. Rihanna – $53 Million
  • 13. Lady GaGa – $52 Million
  • 14. Foo Fighters – $47 Million
  • 15. Diddy – $45 Million (tie)
  • 15. Katy Perry – $45 Million (tie)
  • 17. Kenny Chesney – $44 Million
  • 18. Beyoncé – $40 Million
  • 19. Red Hot Chili Peppers – $39 Million
  • 20. Jay-Z – $38 Million
  • 21. Coldplay – $37 Million
  • 22. Adele – $35 Million (tie)
  • 22. Kanye West – $35 Million (tie)
  • 24. Michael Bublé – $34 Million
  • 25. Sade – $33 Million