While they couldn’t top Taylor Swift ($170 million), One Direction ($110 million) or Adele ($80.5 million), a handful of country crooners made Forbes’ 2016 World’s Highest-Paid Musicians list, including Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney, Luke Bryan and Toby Keith.
Forbes’ list measured pretax income from June 1, 2015, to June 1, 2016 before deducting management fees. Numbers are based on data from Pollstar, Nielsen and the RIAA, as well as interviews with managers, agents, lawyers—and some stars themselves.
Check out country’s top earners.
#22. Toby Keith: $47.5 million
Touring, endorsements (Ford), restaurants (I Love This Bar & Grill)
#19. Luke Bryan: $53 million
Touring, endorsements (Miller Lite, Cabela’s)
#13. Kenny Chesney: 56 million
Touring, endorsements (Corona beer), business ventures (Blue Chair Bay Rum)
#6. Garth Brooks: $70 million
Touring
Taylor Swift may have earned $100 million more than Garth, but we think $70 million is enough to live comfortably.
