Pop star Britney Spears edged past singer Taylor Swift to claim the title of the top-earning woman in music after bringing in an estimated $58 million from her album, endorsements and a perfume in the past year, Forbes said on Wednesday.
Spears, 31, who was number 10 last year, earned most of her money from her latest album Femme Fatale and her tour, which compiled the list with estimated earnings from May 2011 to May 2012.
Country-pop singer Swift, 22, was a close second with an estimated $57 million paycheck thanks to her tour, which made more than $1 million each night — a contract with Cover-Girl cosmetics, her own line of fragrances and her new album Red.
R&B star Rihanna, 24, earned an estimated $53 million to put her at number three, two places up from last year, followed by Lady Gaga, 26, who slipped from number one in 2011 to fourth place with $52 million.
previous post