Country singer Toby Keith made $65 million last year, making him Forbes‘ highest paid country musician again. (He was last year, too.) The simple true stories he sings in songs like How Do You Like Me Now? have generated a massive fan base for Keith over the years. He’s proven he’s not a one-hit wonder, too. Keith knows how to diversify – on stage and off. While on a 30-city tour, Keith is also making money through his restaurant chain I Love This Bar and Grill, his endorsement deal with Ford, his record label Show Dog, and his double premium liquor, Wild Shot mezcal.
Taylor Swift, who also knows how to diversify and sell product, was just $1 million shy of Keith’s #1 rank. Chances are she’ll give him the boot next year. She’s landing big roles in Hollywood that will only heighten her popularity and marketing appeal. Swift’s going to play singer Joni Mitchell in the biopic “Girls Like Us,” and her performance as Rosemary in the highly anticipated film The Giver, will be looking for Oscar.
