The Rolling Stones have topped Billboard’s new Money Makers list of the highest-paid musicians in America.
The Start Me Up hitmakers edged out Ariana Grande for the top spot with an estimated $63 million 2019 haul.
Revealing the list on Monday (August 17, 2020), a Billboard spokesman says, “The rock ‘n’ roll legends secured the top spot as the top live band of the year in the United States, taking home $65 million for the year. They ranked seventh in royalties from sales, bolstered by the 2019 release of a new compilation, Honk.
As one of the few bands on the list this year that owns its masters, the group enjoys a 74 per cent cut of revenue generated by the songs the act recorded from the 1970s forward.”
Grande comes in second with $44.3 million, $500,000 more than Elton John in third place.
The Jonas Brothers and Queen wrap up the top five.
