Adele has been named Britain’s richest ever female musician – but is one of only three solo women to make it on to a new list of the top 50 wealthiest pop stars in the British Isles.
The Hello singer is estimated to be worth £85 million, £35 million up from a year ago, putting her in 30th place on the Music Millionaires Top 50 list from The Sunday Times.
She is also ranked at the top of the Young Music Rich List of performers aged 30 and under this year.
“It is men that dominate the list, and members of male bands by and large,” said Ian Coxon, who has edited The Sunday Times Rich List for 20 years.
“Adele is the exception. No woman has been increasing her wealth like Adele – she’s even outstripping young male performers.”
Enya is still Ireland’s wealthiest female performer with a fortune of £91 million, earning her the 28th spot, while Australian singer Kylie Minogue is worth £55 million and at position number 42.
Kylie is tied alongside Coldplay’s Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland and Will Champion, and The Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood.
U2 have held on to third place on the Sunday Times' new Music Millionaires Top 50 list with an estimated fortune of €635m.
Only Paul McCartney and wife Nancy Shevell with €965m, and composer Andrew Lloyd-Webber with €908m, are ranked higher than the Dublin band on the list of artists and composers from Ireland and the UK. The top three remain unchanged from last year.
