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The small pool of musicians who achieve worldwide fame likely also boasts an impressive net worth. Between securing chart-topping singles, endorsement deals, and even using their knowledge of the music business to start their own record labels, being a famous singer can be an extremely lucrative profession.

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Even so, there is an even smaller, elite group of the world's most lauded musicians that fare far better than even some of today's most popular artists. Most are worth hundreds of millions of dollars, and a select couple have even entered the billionaire territory. Thanks to Forbes, we know exactly which artists sit comfortably on the top of the heap. Here are the top ten richest musicians in the world, as of 2019.

Mariah Carey

With a net worth of $535 million, Mariah Carey is the tenth richest musician in the world. Unlike some of her peers, Mariah Carey earned her money almost entirely through her work in music and film.  Considering Mariah Carey has a five-octave range and unique whistle register, it's no wonder that her beautiful voice has garnered her a worldwide fan base that eats up whatever she puts out.

Since Mariah's debut in 1988, she has sold over 200 albums worldwide and won five Grammy's. In addition to gifting us with "All I Want For Christmas Is You," one of the most beloved (and best selling) Christmas songs of all time, Mariah also holds the record for the longest running number one single ( "One Sweet Day") on the Billboard Hot 100.

Madonna

Madonna holds the spot for the ninth richest musician, with a net worth of $590 million. Even though Madonna made her musical debut in the '80s, where she pushed boundaries with songs such as "Like A Virgin" and "Vogue," her constant reinvention of her image has kept her relevant throughout her career, which has spanned four decades.

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In addition to Madonna's impressive musical catalog, she also has two Golden Globe awards under her belt-- one for her titular role in 1996's Evita, and another for the Best Original Song for 2011's W.E.

Bono

Bono lands at number eight on our list, with a net worth of $700 million. Though he's best known as the front man of U2, the singer has also made a name for himself as prolific solo artist and songwriter. Some of Bono's most popular hits include well-known rock classics like "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and "With or Without You."

He's also written some politically-infused songs about tension between The People's Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom, a violent conflict spanning hundreds of years that was only settled within the last twenty. In addition to Bono's musical endeavors, he's also made a name for himself as a well-respected philanthropist and businessman.

Dr. Dre

Dr. Dre started off his career in the music industry as a gangster rapper with the rap group, N.W.A, who were known for their violent lyrics, and candid commentary on life in the hood. He's also been credited with mentoring fellow rappers like 2Pac, Snoop Dog, and Eminem. In recent years, Dr. Dre has led a quieter life, outside of the public spotlight.

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Since he's claimed the seventh spot on our list, with a net worth of $740 million, you can probably guess that he also has an outside business to thank for that. And you'd be right! The bulk of his $740 million net worth comes from the high-publicized sale of his Beats By Dre company to Apple in 2014. It sold for $3 billion.

Celine Dion

As the fifth richest musician in the world, Cecile Dion is the wealthiest female musician in the world. Though Celine is best known for her lending her voice to 1997's Titanic soundtrack, for "My Heart Will Go On," her musical career is equally as impressive.

Over her career, she has won five Grammy's, performed in multiple languages and maintained one of the longest Las Vegas residencies in the world. Like many other artists, Celine has diversified her musical styling by dabbling in other genres, and even incorporating auto tune into her work. Like Mariah Carey, Celine acquired the bulk of her wealth with her powerhouse voice. 

Diddy

One thing Diddy has in common with every other hip hop artist on this list is his ability to diversify his earning streams. Like Dr. Dre, Diddy started off as a rapper and producer. The music he created in the 90s and early 2000s served as a springboard for his other business.

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The rapper/producer still makes music, but in recent years, the bulk of his income has been made from his other ventures, like fragrance and clothing lines under the name, Sean John. Diddy also produces other artists through his label, Bad Boy Entertainment. In addition to that, he also hosted a long-running music scouting competition for MTV, called Making The Band, which produced groups like Danity Kane and Day 26.

Herb Alpert

Composer of the sensual disco classic "Rise," Herb Alpert is the fourth wealthiest musician in the world with a net worth of $850 million. Unlike some of his wealthy peers, Herb is a bit unusual, considering that his claim to fame didn't come by ways of pop, rock, or urban music.

His early days in the music industry was as a composer and instrumentalist as a member of the group, Herb Albert & The Tijuana Brass. Like McCartney and Madonna, Herb Alpert has been the music business for decades. In that time, he's landed five number one albums on the Billboard Hot 100, and won nine Grammy's.

Jay-Z

Jay-Z is the third richest musician in the world, with a net worth of $900 million. Over the course of his career, he's won nineteen Grammy's and sold over 100 million albums worldwide. Of course, no musician amasses this type of wealth from album sales alone. It takes a smart businessman or woman to build the type of empire Jay-Z has built.

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Though he started off as a rapper, and still raps to this day, his various companies have contributed greatly to his wealth. In addition to being credited to helping artists like Nas, Kanye West, and Rihanna gain success, under his former label, Roc-A-Fella, he also headed the highly-successful urban clothing line, Rocawear. In 2015, Jay-Z launched Tidal, a music streaming service, similar to Spotify and Apple Music.

Paul McCartney

The number two spot on this list goes to another UK artist, Paul McCartney of the renowned Beatles. With a discography that includes thirty-two number one hits on the Billboard's Hot 100, copyrights for over 25,000 songs and a musical career spanning six decades it's easy to see why this former Beatle has taken the number two spot with a $1.2 billion net worth.

Music is far from the only thing he's dipped his toes in, however. He's done a little bit of everything from acting, directing, and even writing. Combined with his musical accomplishments, it's no wonder that this bonafide legend has achieved longevity in business that is known to be less than kind.

Andrew Lloyd Weber

The number one wealthiest musician in the world is Andrew Lloyd Webber. His net worth is, get this, $1.28 billion dollars! No surprise there! As a composer, Weber's name has become synonymous with the world of Broadway.

His work has defined the current generation of musicals. Some of his most famous work has been on musicals like Cats, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Evita, Phantom Of The Opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, as well as many others. Several of his musicals have spanned over a decade. Weber also has one Grammy award-winning, and several Grammy-nominated, albums underneath his belt.

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