Forbes released its list of the 20 Highest-Paid Country Stars of the year—and some recognizable names are once again in the mix.
The 5 Highest-Paid Country Stars of 2019
- Luke Bryan, $42.5 million
- Zac Brown Band, $38.5 million
- Keith Urban, $35 million
- Blake Shelton, $32 million
- Kenny Chesney, $31 million
Although Luke Bryan earned almost $10 million less than last year, his $42.5 million was good enough for this year’s top spot. Luke earned the majority of his income via his headlining tour as well as his role as a judge on American Idol. Keith Urban moved into the Top 5 this year after being absent from the Top 10 last year, while ZBB, Blake Shelton and Kenny Chesney are once again in familiar territory in this year’s Top 5.
To formulate the list, Forbes looked at touring numbers from Pollstar, Bandsintown and Songkick, as well as record sales data from Nielsen, while performing independent research on outside business ventures and endorsement deals.
The 5 Highest-Paid Country Stars of 2018
- Luke Bryan, $52 million
- Garth Brooks, $45.5 million
- Kenny Chesney, $37 million
- Zac Brown Band, $31 million
- Blake Shelton, $28 million
The 5 Highest-Paid Country Stars of 2017
- No. 1: Garth Brooks, $60 million
- No. 2: Kenny Chesney, $42.5 million
- No. 3: Luke Bryan, $42 million
- No. 4: Dolly Parton, $37 million
- No. 5: Toby Keith, $34.5 million
- No. 5: Florida Georgia Line, $34.5 million
