Billboard’s Top 50 Musical Moneymakers… Black artists not on top, neither are women

Despite ruling the charts for the most part, American Black music artists aren’t on top of Billboard’s list of top moneymakers. Leading the list the band U2 (with an estimated $54.4 million in take-home pay), followed by country’s staple Garth Brooks ($52.2 million). Then it’s rockers Metallica ($43.2 million). Finally, at No. 4 comes Bruno Mars (with $40.7 million). Pop favorite Ed Sheeran is No. 5 (with $31.3 million), the first female – Lady Gaga – enters the list at No. 6 (with $29.7 million). No. 7 is old schooler Billy Joel (with $29.2 million). At No. 8 is the group Guns n’ Roses (with $27.8 million) followed by Roger Waters (with $27.2 million). The rockers continue with Coldplay rounding out the top 10 (with $26.5 million). Where is Drake? Keep reading. At No. 11 is Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers (with $23.4 million). The Weekend checks in close behind at No. 12 (with $23.3 million). Kendrick Lamar is No. 13 (with $21.7 million), and then Jay Z pops in at No. 18 (with $19.8 million). Drake doesn’t come in until No. 37 (with $12.1 million). That’s still an accomplishment, considering Drake did not tour last year. Of the 50, there are only seven women, including Lady Gaga, Celine Dion at No. 26 ($16.8 million), Britney Spears at No. 30 (with $14,1 million), Faith Hill at No. 36 (with $12.5 million), Ariana Grande at No. 42 (with $11.36 million), Janet Jackson at No. 43 (with $11.34 million) and Taylor Swift at No. 48 (with $9.3 million). Billboard’s annual Money Makers report – which ranks the earnings of the top 50 music acts based on their U.S. concert grosses and royalties generated from domestic sales, streaming and publishing in 2017 – reveals that the collective take home pay for these artists grew 12.9 percent to almost $961 million, up from $851 million for the previous year. Of the top 50, only eight are R&B/hip hop, while rockers took nearly half the list at 24. Seems urban artists need to cut better deals…