❌

Normal view

There are new articles available, click to refresh the page.
Yesterday β€” 21 December 2024Main stream

Elon Musk's unforgettable year in 7 charts

21 December 2024 at 03:10
Elon Musk
Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.

Patrick Pleul / POOL / AFP via Getty; Rebecca Zisser/BI

  • Elon Musk has had a big year with Tesla and SpaceX soaring in value, supercharging his net worth.
  • He helped Donald Trump win reelection and intends to transform the US government in 2025.
  • Scroll down for seven charts showing how Musk's 2024 played out.

Elon Musk has had a year for the record books.

His businesses have taken off, with Tesla, SpaceX, xAI, and Neuralink all touching new valuation highs. Their success has boosted Musk's net worth to above $450 billion for the first time, putting him over $200 billion ahead of the world's second-richest person, Amazon's Jeff Bezos.

Musk has also become a power player in US politics after wielding his cash and clout to help win Donald Trump a second term in office. As one of the president-elect's closest advisors, he's now gearing up to overhaul the US government.

The situation seems worse at X, formerly Twitter, after Musk's $44 billion takeover and reshaping of the platform sparked an advertiser exodus.

Take a look at Musk's 2024 in charts (all data is accurate as of Friday, December 20):

1. Charging ahead

Tesla shares have shot up as much as 85% this year, driving the electric vehicle maker's market value above $1.4 trillion for the first time. They've since retreated but continue to trade near record levels.

The automaker has benefited from market buzz around artificial intelligence β€” which it's harnessing to develop self-driving cars and humanoid robots β€” plus a robust US economy and the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates.

Investors are also betting that Musk's businesses will benefit from his close ties to Trump, which could translate into less stringent regulations, government subsidies, tariff exemptions, and more.

2. Reaching for the stars

SpaceX's valuation nearly doubled from $180 billion at the end of last year to $350 billion this month, based on the price paid by the company and its backers for employee shares in its latest tender offer.

Musk's rocket, spacecraft, and satellite communications company made several technological breakthroughs this year. For example, it plucked the first-stage booster of its new Starship out of the air using a massive pair of mechanical "chopsticks" in October.

3. Shifting fortunes

Musk's net worth slumped in the spring as Tesla stock tumbled, dropping below $170 billion at its nadir.

But it rebounded by over $300 billion to touch an unprecedented $486 billion on December 17, as Tesla hit fresh highs and SpaceX notched a $350 billion valuation.

4. Rise of the robots

Musk's artificial intelligence company, xAI, was only founded in July 2023.

Yet it notched a post-money valuation of $24 billion in May following its Series B funding round. That rose to $50 billion in November, reports say, meaning the maker of the Grok chatbot is worth roughly as much as Monster Beverage.

5. X marks the drop

It remains tricky to gauge the health of X, the social media company formerly known as Twitter that Musk took private in 2022. One way is to use Fidelity's monthly estimates of the value of its stake in the business.

The mutual fund giant's figures imply that X's valuation has crashed since Musk's purchase. The tech billionaire laid off a large part of the company's workforce and relaxed content moderation in support of greater free speech, triggering an advertiser exodus that hammered the company's revenues.

Regardless, Musk recently posted on X that the platform has roughly 1 billion active users, although around 40% of them only log on during important world events.

6. Trump train

Musk was one of the biggest spenders in the US presidential election, deploying over $270 million to back Trump's race for president, run ads against Democrats, and promote conservative viewpoints.

His starring role in Trump's victory and emergence as one of the president-elect's closest advisors and a co-chief of the new Department of Government Efficiency suggests that his investment in the election has paid off.

7. Building brainpower

Neuralink, Musk's neurotechnology company, was valued at $8 billion this summer, up from about $2 billion three years earlier.

The developer of brain-computer interfaces wants to allow people with quadriplegia to control computers with their thoughts. Musk released footage this spring of the first patient to receive one of its brain implants.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Before yesterdayMain stream

Elon Musk's record $447 billion fortune means he's nearly $200 billion ahead of Jeff Bezos — and worth more than Costco

12 December 2024 at 04:16
Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Steve Granitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images

  • Elon Musk is almost $200 billion richer than Jeff Bezos and worth more than Costco.
  • His net worth hit $447 billion after Tesla stock jumped and SpaceX's valuation rose to $350 billion.
  • Just five years ago, Musk was worth about $25 billion, and Tesla was valued below $100 billion.

Elon Musk is nearly $200 billion richer than Jeff Bezos, and personally worth more than Costco, after adding $63 billion to his fortune in a single day.

His net worth surged to $447 billion on Wednesday, per the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, after Tesla stock jumped 6% and SpaceX's valuation leaped to $350 billion based on employee share sales.

Musk's fortune has ballooned by $218 billion this year β€” a sum that exceeds the net worth of every other person on the rich list except Amazon's Bezos ($249 billion) and Meta's Mark Zuckerberg ($224 billion).

Musk is now more than twice as wealthy as Oracle's Larry Ellison ($198 billion), and more than three times as rich as Warren Buffett ($144 billion).

His one-day gain β€” the largest in the index's history β€” rivals the total wealth of Binance cofounder Changpeng Zhao, ranked 23rd with a $63.2 billion fortune. It also helped to lift the combined wealth of the 500 richest people on the planet to above $10 trillion for the first time, Bloomberg said.

Musk is now worth more on paper than the vast majority of US public companies, including Costco ($442 billion), Home Depot ($419 billion), and Netflix ($400 billion).

His wealth is largely made up of his roughly 13% stake and some contested stock options in Tesla, and his 42% slice of SpaceX. Musk's other businesses include xAI, Neuralink, The Boring Company, and X Corp, formerly Twitter.

Tesla shares have surged more than 70% this year to $425 at Wednesday's close, valuing the company at nearly $1.4 trillion. That figure comfortably exceeds the roughly $1 trillion market value of Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway and approaches the $1.6 trillion value of Zuckerberg's Meta.

The electric vehicle maker's shares have soared as investors bet it will harness artificial intelligence in revolutionary products such as self-driving cars and humanoid robots.

Tesla's robot called Optimus behind a glass display
Tesla is developing Optimus robots.

Future Publishing/ Getty

Musk's prominent role in Donald Trump's campaign, and his emergence as a close advisor to the president-elect who's tasked him with streamlining the US government, have also fueled optimism around his companies.

SpaceX is now valued at $350 billion based on the latest price paid by the company and its backers to buy shares from employees, Bloomberg reported Wednesday. The Starlink owner's valuation was previously $210 billion after a secondary share sale in June.

It's worth underscoring how dramatic Musk's wealth jump has been. He was worth less than $170 billion as recently as April, and only about $25 billion five years ago β€” around 1/18 of his net worth now.

Tesla was worth less than $100 billion during the Covid crash of 2020, or about 1/14 of its valuation today.

Read the original article on Business Insider

How celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay makes his millions

10 December 2024 at 03:32
Gordon Ramsey on a Fox red carpet.
Gordon Ramsay has several streams of income contributing to his estimated status as a multimillionaire.

Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images

  • Although Gordon Ramsay's exact net worth is unknown, he is estimated to be a multimillionaire.
  • Ramsay has over 80 restaurants worldwide and stars in several hit shows on Fox.
  • He also has other business ventures, including wine and frozen-food lines.

With numerous Michelin stars and several TV shows, British chef Gordon Ramsay has cemented himself as one of the most well-known celebrities in the food scene.

The 58-year-old's success in the restaurant and entertainment industries has made him millions. Although his net worth isn't confirmed, Forbes estimated he was worth $70 million as of 2020.

Forbes also ranks Ramsay as No. 19 among the world's highest-paid celebrities, although it's unclear when the list was last updated.

From his projects as a chef to his career as a television personality, here's a breakdown of the empire Ramsay has built.

Ramsay started his career as a chef.
British Chef Gordon Ramsey shouts instructions from his kitchen at his Chelsea restaurant 19 January 2001, after being awarded three stars in France's gastronomy bible, Michelin. Ramsey is only the second British chef to be awarded three stars in the Michelin.
Gordon Ramsay got his start as an apprentice under Marco Pierre White.

GERRY PENNY/Getty Images

At 19, in the 1990s, Ramsay began his career apprenticing under famous chef Marco Pierre White.

By 1993, Ramsay was the head chef at the London restaurant Aubergine, and he'd go on to earn the restaurant two Michelin stars.

In 1998, he founded Gordon Ramsay Restaurants with the opening of his first eatery. Today, the company has more than 80 restaurants around the world β€” many of which have continued to garner acclaim.

In 2001, Ramsay's flagship restaurant, Gordon Ramsay, received a three-star Michelin rating, which it still holds today. Most recently, his Restaurant 1890 in London earned its first Michelin star in February.

However, not all of his restaurants are fine-dining establishments. Ramsay also owns casual eateries like Street Pizza and Street Burger, along with Gordon Ramsay Burger β€” which has locations in the United States, Canada, Qatar, South Korea, and more.

Although it's unclear how much Ramsay makes from his restaurants, Fortune reported in 2023 that his restaurants had brought in Β£95.6 million (about $119.8 million at that time) that year.

Television is one of the food star's big sources of income.
Gordon Ramsay preparing meet on the eighth season of "Masterchef."
The celebrity chef's most well-known shows include "MasterChef," "Hell's Kitchen," and "Kitchen Nightmares."

Fox/Getty Images

Ramsay's first introduction to television was on the British documentary series "Boiling Point" in 1999. He went on to judge and host British shows like "The F-Word," "Hell's Kitchen," and "Kitchen Nightmares."

His foray into American television began in 2005 with the US debut of "Hell's Kitchen" on Fox. The US version of "Kitchen Nightmares" followed, debuting in 2007.

From there, he's starred on many other shows and has appeared as a judge on several competitive cooking series on Fox. Perhaps most notably, he's served as a judge on "MasterChef" throughout its 14 seasons. He also judges "MasterChef Jr." and "Next Level Chef."

Although it's not clear what Ramsay has been paid for his shows and appearances, Forbes reported in 2020 that his shows generated more than $150 million yearly in ad sales for the Fox network.

One of his shows has inspired a series of restaurants.
The doors to Hell's Kitchen in Lake Tahoe.
Hell's Kitchen has seven locations across the US.

George Rose/Getty Images

In 2018, Ramsay began opening Hell's Kitchen restaurants based on the series of the same name. There are now seven locations across the US in cities like Las Vegas, Atlantic City, and DC.

The flagship restaurant in Las Vegas is one of Ramsay's highest-rated US restaurants. It also took the No. 3 spot on Yelp's list of the most photographed restaurants of 2024.

It's not clear how much revenue the Hell's Kitchen restaurants bring in, but the Las Vegas location sold 129,554 beef Wellingtons and 135,000 sticky toffee puddings β€” two signature Ramsay dishes β€” in its first year alone, according to Forbes.

The chef has also launched a cooking school.
Gordon Ramsay preparing skewers of meat on a platter.
Gordon Ramsay Academy in England offers various cooking courses.

Franco Origlia/Getty Images

His first and only cooking school, Gordon Ramsay Academy, opened in September 2021 in Woking, England. Gordon Ramsay Academy offers hundreds of cooking courses for all ages and skill levels.

Classes range from Β£70 (or about $90) for half-day and junior classes to Β£485 (or about $615) for full-day courses that offer qualifications.

A second location is set to open in London in 2025.

Ramsay also has a few product lines, including a wine label and frozen foods.
Gordon Ramsay and Lisa Vanderpump posing with their wine collections.
Gordon Ramsay's and Lisa Vanderpump's wine collections were featured on "Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars."

FOX/FOX Image Collection via Getty Images

Further expanding his food empire, the celebrity chef also has a few product lines.

In 2023, he launched By Chef Ramsay, a frozen-food line sold exclusively at Walmart. The collection includes some of Ramsay's favorite dishes, such as shepherd's pie and fish and chips.

He also launched a Gordon Ramsay wine label in 2021.

The line was also featured on his show "Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars" β€” a reality competition where he offered to invest $250,000 of his own money into entrepreneurship. On it, he and TV personality Lisa Vanderpump served as judges

In fact, "Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars" was produced by his own television production company.
Gordon Ramsay helping a contestant on "Next Level Chef."
"Next Level Chef" is one of the shows produced by Studio Ramsay Global.

FOX/FOX Image Collection via Getty Images

In 2021, Fox Entertainment and Ramsay launched Studio Ramsay Global, which produces several of the chef's shows, including Fox's "Kitchen Nightmares," "Gordon Ramsay's Food Stars," and "Next Level Chef."

It also produces shows starring other chefs, like National Geographic's "No Taste Like Home."

Before this, in 2016, he'd launched the production company Studio Ramsay in the UK. It produced projects like "Gordon Ramsay's 24 Hours To Hell and Back," "The F-Word Live With Gordon Ramsay," and "Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted."

In 2024, he partnered with Fox to launch Bite.
Gordon Ramsay smiling on a Fox red carpet.
Fox and Gordon Ramsay have continued to work together throughout the years.

Roy Rochlin/Getty Images

Ramsay and Fox Entertainment joined forces in 2024 to launch Bite, a global food brand and platform offering a range of culinary content, products, and experiences.

The brand's digital and social content hub, Bite Digitial Network, features multiple original series, such as "Idiot Sandwich" β€” a digital culinary competition series based on Ramsay's viral meme.

He's made several other investments and has had a range of partnerships throughout the years.
Gordon Ramsay cooking on a stove.
Gordon Ramsay has invested in cookware brands and partnered with several other companies.

Franco Origlia/Getty Images

Among his numerous business ventures, Ramsay has partnered and invested in several brands.

He invested in HexClad in 2021 β€” and, in July 2024, Studio Ramsay Global agreed to invest $100 million in the cookware brand.

In 2023, Ramsay joined Borealis Foods, a food tech company, as a shareholder, advisor, and brand ambassador. In September 2024, he also partnered with THOR Kitchen to launch an exclusive line of kitchen appliances.

He could also be making money from his social following.
A closeup of Gordon Ramsay on the Kelly Clarkson Show.
Social media likely serves as another stream of income for the celebrity chef.

NBC/Getty Images

At the time of writing, Ramsay has 40.8 million followers on TikTok and 21 million subscribers on YouTube β€” so social media could be another source of income for the chef.

In addition to clips from his hit Fox shows and various miniseries, Ramsay's YouTube channel and TikTok account feature him cooking with celebrities like Matthew McConaughey and Selena Gomez.

The chef continues to expand his restaurant and entertainment empires.
Gordon Ramsay on "Kitchen Nightmares" in 2023.
"Kitchen Nightmares" is scheduled to return in 2025.

FOX/FOX Image Collection via Getty Images

The chef is slated to open his first Ramsay's Kitchen restaurants in Virginia later this year and one in North Carolina in 2025.

Additionally, Ramsay has plans to open five new culinary experiences in one of London's tallest office buildings in 2025.

He also announced his show "Kitchen Nightmares" is set to return with a new season in January.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Taylor Swift reached billionaire status thanks to her showstopping Eras Tour — see how the pop star makes and spends her fortune

9 December 2024 at 10:17
Taylor Swift performs during the Eras Tour in Liverpool, England.
Taylor Swift performs during the Eras Tour in Liverpool, England.

Gareth Cattermole/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management

  • Taylor Swift's net worth is $1.1 billion, Bloomberg News reported and Forbes confirmed.
  • The pop star is a prolific songwriter who's amassed a significant fortune throughout her career.
  • Here's how Swift earns and spends her fortune, from real estate to charitable donations.

Taylor Swift never fails to impress.

At 15 years old, she was the youngest songwriter to ever sign with Sony. She now has 14 Grammys on her shelf β€” including four for album of the year, the most of any artist in history β€” several tours under her belt, 11 studio albums, a long list of chart-topping songs, and a beloved fan base who dub themselves "Swifties."

Such success makes Swift one of the world's highest-paid celebrities and one of the richest female singers. According to aΒ Bloomberg News analysis published on the eve of her "1989" album rerelease, Swift has officially built a billion-dollar empire.

Forbes later confirmed her $1.1 billion net worth, citing in part her massive Eras Tour and its subsequent concert movie.

Swift has been strategic and generous with her money, investing in a sprawling $84 million real-estate portfolio and often donating to causes she supports.

See how Swift earns and spends her fortune below.

Hillary Hoffower,Β Libby Torres, and Taylor Nicole Rogers contributed to a previous version of this article.

Taylor Swift has an estimated net worth of $1.1 billion.
Taylor Swift attends the "All Too Well" New York Premiere on November 12, 2021 in New York City.
Taylor Swift's "All Too Well" won best music video at the 2023 Grammys.

Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

According to Forbes, which published a series of 2024 billionaire reports on Tuesday, Swift is the first musician to reach 10-figure status solely based on songwriting and performing (rather than brand deals or business ventures).

Swift's vast fortune is primarily thanks to her valuable discography and earnings from streaming deals, music sales, concert tickets, and merchandise.

Representatives for Swift did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment regarding the Forbes report.

The pop star's record-breaking Eras Tour, which began in March 2023, propelled the singer to billionaire status.
taylor swift eras tour nashville
Taylor Swift performs "Reputation" at the Eras Tour.

John Shearer/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management

Swift's 21-month, five-continent Eras Tour was nothing short of a sensation. By the end of its first year, it had become the first tour ever to gross over $1 billion in revenue, on track to become the highest-grossing tour of all time.Β 

In October 2023, after Swift toured 56 dates across the US and Mexico, the Eras Tour had already generated $780 million andΒ added $4.3 billion to America's gross domestic product, according to Bloomberg Economics.

Throughout 2024, Swift also made stops in Argentina, Brazil, Japan, Australia, Singapore, Canada, and 11 countries throughout Europe.

By the end of its run, the Eras Tour had grossed over $2 billion.
Taylor Swift performs at the Eras Tour.
Taylor Swift performs "Folklore" at the Eras Tour.

Folklore Emma McIntyre/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management

The morning of Swift's final performance in Vancouver, The New York Times reported that the Eras Tour had crossed the $2 billion threshold, making it the first concert tour in history to do so.

This figure was confirmed by Taylor Swift Touring, the singer's production company. All 149 stadium shows were sold out, and the company said over 10 billion people attended the Eras Tour.

That means the average ticket sold for $204, well above the industry average for top concert tours, per The New York Times. Resale tickets were even pricier, often going for thousands of dollars in secondhand markets. (Artists like Swift don't earn anything from resold tickets.)

The movie version of the tour broke box-office records before it was even released. It grossed more than $261 million worldwide.
taylor swift eras tour movie premiere
"Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" premiered in theaters in October 2023.

Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images

Worldwide ticket presales had already exceeded $100 million before "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" was released (a day early) on October 12, 2023, AMC Theatres reported.

According to ticketing service Fandango, the film set a record for the highest first-day ticket sales in 2023. It has also become the highest-grossing concert movie of all time, surpassing "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never."

Swift, who bypassed movie studios to personally fund the concert movie, received half of the box office earnings for the film, which grossed $261 million worldwide.

Swift cashed in on her blockbuster Eras Tour movie again by selling the streaming rights to Disney for more than $75 million.
Taylor Swift performs onstage for the opening night of "Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour" at State Farm Stadium on March 17, 2023.
Disney+ bought the exclusive rights to stream "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour."

Kevin Winter/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management

Once "Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" had left theaters, Swift struck a deal with Disney+ to release the film's extended version on streaming.

According to Puck News, Disney paid upwards of $75 million for the exclusive rights.

Citing anonymous sources, the outlet reported that Disney's Bob Iger outbid Netflix and Universal Pictures (which handled VOD distribution for the film in December) for the streaming rights by offering a huge sum, which the other two streamers couldn't match.

Swift also released an Eras Tour photo book, which sold over 800,000 copies in its first weekend.
Taylor Swift's "Eras Tour" book for sale at Target.
"The Eras Tour Book" was sold for $39.99 at Target.

Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images

Shortly before the Eras Tour concluded, Swift released a photo book for Black Friday.

As she did with the Eras Tour film, Swift circumvented traditional routes and opted to self-publish instead, ensuring she would get more of the book's revenue.

The book was exclusively available at Target and sold hundreds of thousands of copies in its first weekend, becoming the second-best-selling non-fiction title after Barack Obama's presidential memoir.

Swift has endorsement deals and partnerships with high-profile brands.
Taylor Swift's 2022 Capitol One commercial.
Taylor Swift starred in a 2022 commercial for Capital One.

Capital One/YouTube

These partnerships include Capital One, AT&T, Stella McCartney, Elizabeth Arden perfumes, American Express, Keds, Diet Coke, Walmart, and Apple.

But touring has long been Swift's biggest money maker. The 1989 World Tour grossed more than $250 million in 2015.
taylor swift 1989 tour
"1989" won album of the year at the 2016 Grammys.

Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

That figure is according to the Los Angeles Times.

She earned even more during her Reputation Stadium Tour in 2018.
taylor swift reputation tour
"Reputation" sold over 1 million copies in its debut week.

Alexander Tamargo/TAS18/Getty Images for TAS

At the time, the Reputation Stadium Tour broke the record for the highest-grossing US tour ever, according to Billboard. Swift earned an average of $7 million per show, more than double the US per-concert average during the "1989" tour.

But her tours don't just bring in ticket sales. Swift also makes a huge sum of money from merch.
taylor swift merch eras tour fans
Taylor Swift fans buy merch at an Eras Tour stop in Melbourne, Australia.

Asanka Ratnayake/Getty Images

In April 2023, Forbes estimated that Swift's coveted on-site merchandise β€” which she sells at an average price of $80 β€”could add an estimated $87 million in proceeds to her fortune.

Swift's latest album, "The Tortured Poets Department," sold millions of copies in a matter of weeks.
Taylor Swift performs during the Eras Tour.
Taylor Swift performs during the Eras Tour.

Shirlaine Forrest/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management

Swift's 11th studio album, "The Tortured Poets Department," was released on April 19, 2024. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 withΒ 2.61 million equivalent album units soldΒ in its first week.

This sum was thanks to huge streaming totals and physical album sales,Β especially vinyl, which Swift sells more successfully than anyone else. According to a Billboard report from November 2023,Β one in every 15 vinyl albums sold in the USΒ is one of Swift's.

Fans continued to buy and stream "Poets" throughout the year,Β sending it to No. 1 for 16 weeks total, the most of any album in 2024.

On November 30, 2024, "Poets" was certified 6x platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, meaning it has sold at least 6 million copies in the US.

Swift amassed an estimated $230 million in record sales following the release of her 2022 album "Midnights."
Taylor Swift Midnights artwork
"Midnights" won album of the year at the 2024 Grammys.

Beth Garrabrant

According to The Guardian, Swift's massive album sales for "Midnights" brought in $230 million for Swift's label Universal.Β 

With more than 1.5 million equivalent album units earned in the US in its first week, "Midnights" landed the biggest week for an album in seven years (since Swift's own album "Reputation").

Swift made $52 million in 2021 after rerecording earlier work that was acquired (and then sold) by Scooter Braun.
Taylor Swift Red (Taylor's Version)
"Red (Taylor's Version)" won top country album at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards.

Taylor Swift/UMG

Swift embarked on a mission to rerecord her first six albums after Scooter Braun, whom she accused of "incessant, manipulative bullying," purchased the legal rights to her back catalog in 2019. (He later sold the master recordings to a private-equity company.)

She released the first installment in the series, "Fearless (Taylor's Version)," in 2021. It debuted atop the Billboard 200 β€” indicating this would be a lucrative venture for Swift. Later that year, Swift's new version of "Red" became one of the year's top-selling albums.

The two rerecorded albums helped plant Swift on the "The Highest-Paid Entertainers 2022" report from Forbes.

She has since released "Speak Now (Taylor's Version)" and "1989 (Taylor's Version)." The latter sold over 1.6 million equivalent units in its first week, surpassing the original's total.

In fact, Swift is the only artist who's sold over 1 million copies of an album in one week since Adele released "30" in November 2015. In that window, Swift has achieved the feat four different times.

Swift has amassed an impressive fortune β€” and she knows how to spend it. Her real-estate portfolio is worth a reported $150 million.
Taylor Swift attends the 2018 American Music Awards at Microsoft Theater on October 9, 2018 in Los Angeles, California.
Taylor Swift owns several homes and a private jet.

Emma McIntyre/Getty Images

In Nashville, she owns a 3,240-square-foot condo worth an estimated $3 million and a 5,600-square-foot Greek Revival estate worth an estimated $2.5 million.
taylor swift cowboy boots CMA Music Festival 2007
Taylor Swift moved to Nashville as a teenager.

Rusty Russell/Getty Images

The latter is the cheapest property she owns.

In LA, Swift owns a 10,982-square-foot Beverly Hills mansion worth nearly $30 million.
taylor swift brother austin swift
Austin and Taylor Swift attend the 2013 Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

Christopher Polk/NBC

In 2017, she was trying to turn it into a historic landmark, according to Teen Vogue.

Across the coast, Swift owns an estate with seaside views in Watch Hill, Rhode Island, for which she reportedly paid $17.75 million.
taylor swift watch hill mansion
The Rhode Island mansion was previously owned by Rebekah Harkness.

Matthew J. Lee/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

With 12,000 square feet, it has plenty of room for parties and even inspired her song "The Last Great American Dynasty."

But that's nothing compared to the estimated $40 million worth of property Swift owns in New York City on the same block in Tribeca.
taylor swift street style 2018
Taylor Swift outside her Tribeca apartment in 2018.

TheStewartofNY/GC Images

That includes an 8,309-square-foot duplex penthouse and a four-story townhouse.

She used to rent an apartment on Cornelia Street β€” the famous inspiration behind her "Lover" track "Cornelia Street" β€” which was listed in 2023 with a $17.9 million price tag.

Swift needs a way to travel among all these homes. She reportedly owns a Dassault private jet.
taylor swift
Taylor Swift has not publicly addressed her private jet usage.

Andrew H. Walker/Getty

The Dassault 7X is registered to Island Jet Inc., a holding company listed under the same address as Taylor Swift Productions, Business Insider previously reported.

She used to have two private jets, but quietly sold one amid criticism of her carbon footprint. ("Taylor's jet is loaned out regularly to other individuals,"Β a rep for Swift said in a statement. "To attribute most or all of these trips to her is blatantly incorrect.")

There's no word on how much she paid for these vehicles, but a brand new Dassault 900 has a list price of $44 million, according to Business Jet Traveler. Elon Musk owns a similar model that cost about $26 million.

Swift often spends money dining out with her friends and romantic partners, especially when in New York City.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce leave Waverly Inn in New York City on Sunday.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce photographed after dining in New York City.

Gotham/Getty Images

In the past, she's been spotted at The Fat Radish, The Spotted Pig, Sarabeth's, L'Asso, Nobu, and Vita Carota.

But Swift has always been generous with her money, supporting causes and helping those in need.
taylor swift nashville symphony donation
Taylor Swift and Alan Valentine at the 2011 Nashville Symphony Ball.

Royce DeGrie/Getty Images

On her 24th birthday, she donated $100,000 to the Nashville Symphony, according to People.

Swift pledged $4 million to the Country Music Hall of Fame to fund an education center.
taylor swift education center
The Taylor Swift Education Center officially opened in 2013.

Royce DeGrie/TAS/Getty Images for TAS

Her commitment to education doesn't stop with music; Swift also donated $50,000 to NYC public schools, People reported.

She has donated millions to support victims of natural disasters.
taylor swift iheart radio awards 2016
Taylor Swift announced her donation to Louisiana flood victims in 2016.

David Buchan/Variety/Penske Media via Getty Images

In 2010, Swift donated $500,000 to Nashville flood reliefΒ and in 2016, she donated $1 million to the victims of Louisiana floods.

Swift also raised $750,000 through a Speak Now Help Now benefit concert for victims of tornadoes in the southern US in 2011, according to People.

Most recently, Swift donated $5 million to communities impacted by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.

In 2020, Swift gave $50,000 to a mother of five who lost her husband to COVID-19 days before Christmas.
Taylor Swift with fans in 2019.
Taylor Swift with fans at the 2019 premiere of "Cats."

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images

She and her mom Andrea Swift quietly made the donation, according to USA Today.

She also gifted $13,000 each to two moms who were also struggling financially because of the pandemic.

Swift has made several generous donations to LGBTQ+ organizations.
taylor swift stonewall inn
Taylor Swift performs at the Stonewall Inn during Pride Month in 2019.

Craig Barritt/Getty Images for AEG

Swift has long been an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, threading references to the fight for equal rights into songs like "Welcome to New York" and "You Need to Calm Down."

Back in 2016, Swift participated in a charity auction to help keep the historic Stonewall Inn operational. The New York City gay bar was the scene of a police raid in 1969, sparking a riot that helped launch the nationwide fight for LGBTQ+ rights.

In more recent years, Swift has made generous donations to the Tennessee Equality Project and GLAAD, in addition to her vocal support of The Equality Act.

And then there are the two famous checks she wrote for $1,989 β€” an ode to her best-selling album β€” sent to two fans to pay a student loan and to donate to a dance marathon benefit.
taylor swift fans
Taylor Swift greets fans at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival.

Wesley Lapointe/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

The checks were sent out in 2014, according to People.

More recently, she has donated huge amounts to food banks along her Eras Tour route.
Taylor Swift performs during her "Eras Tour."
The Eras Tour will return to the US in 2024.

AP Photo/George Walker IV

Throughout the first US leg of her Eras Tour, Swift habitually made large donations to local food pantries. She continued this tradition throughout the tour's European leg.

Swift has also been known to support victims of gun violence in recent years.

She also helps out her fellow pop stars. She gave Kesha $250,000 to help with legal fees during her lawsuit against Dr. Luke.
kesha
Kesha released hit songs like "Tik Tok" and "Praying."

Joseph Okpako/WireImage

For several years, Kesha was embroiled in a defamation lawsuit after she accused the music producer Dr. Luke, her former mentor, of "unrelenting abuse" and rape. (Dr. Luke denied the allegations, and they reached a settlement in 2023.)

The "Rainbow" singer revealed Swift's donation during an interview with Rolling Stone in 2017.

Kesha described Swift as "a fucking sweetheart. Very, very sweet, very, very genuine, extremely generous, picks up the phone every time I call her. My mom doesn't even always pick up the phone!"

Swift has proven herself to be incredibly savvy with investments.
Taylor Swift attends the 2022 MTV VMAs at Prudential Center on August 28, 2022 in Newark, New Jersey.
Taylor Swift is a musician and businesswoman.

Getty/Jamie McCarthy

In 2022, Swift pulled out of a $100 million sponsorship deal with Sam Bankman-Fried's FTX after she questioned the company if it was selling "unregistered securities."

AsΒ Business Insider reported, many other celebrities such as Tom Brady and Stephen Curry failed to do so and were subsequently sued for endorsing the now-bankrupt crypto exchange.

Read the original article on Business Insider

Warren Buffett: how the frugal billionaire spends his fortune, from McDonald's breakfasts to the occasional splurge

Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett.

Getty Images

  • Berkshire Hathaway CEO and chairman Warren Buffett's net worth is an estimated $146 billion.
  • He's the world's 10th-richest person, per Bloomberg, above Sergey Brin and the Walton siblings.
  • Buffett is known for living modestly and being one of the world's most generous philanthropists.

Warren Buffett is having a good year β€” his fortune has ballooned by around $26 billion.

With an estimated net worth of $146 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, the 94-year-old Berkshire Hathaway chairman and CEO is the 10th-wealthiest person in the world. He's almost $20 billion richer than Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and worth considerably more than Michael Dell and any of the three Walton heirs, for example.

Looking at Buffett's frugal ways, though, you might not know it.

Still living in the house he bought in the 1950s and driving an equally modest car, the "Oracle of Omaha" prefers to keep and grow his money rather than take it out of the bank. He often eats breakfast from McDonald's and borrowed furniture when his children were born.

See how Buffett spends β€” or doesn't spend β€” his billions.

Buffett's hobbies include bridge, golf, and playing the ukulele.
Warren Buffett Ukulele

Matt Schifrin/Youtube

Buffett loves playing bridge, sometimes playing for over 8 hours a week, the Washington Post reported. He also likes to hit the green for some golf, spends a great deal of his time reading, and loves to play the ukulele β€” he said in 2020 that he has a collection of 22 ukuleles. He's played the ukulele since he was young and used his skills to court his first wife Susan, their son Peter once told NPR.

Buffett once bought and donated 17 Hilo ukuleles to the North Omaha branch of the nonprofit Girls Inc, and showed up at the group's building to give a group lesson.

His fortune is largely tied to his investment company.
warren buffett
Buffett is the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway.

Steve Pope/Getty Images

The vast majority of Buffett's net worth is tied to Berkshire Hathaway, his publicly traded conglomerate that owns businesses like Geico and See's Candies and holds multibillion-dollar stakes in companies like Apple and Coca-Cola.

Buffett owns about 15% of Berkshire β€” a stake valued at over $130 billion.

Berkshire Hathaway itself has assets worth more than $1 trillion.

Buffett began investing at a young age.
Warren Buffet

Paul Morigi/Getty Images

The CEO of Berkshire Hathaway began building his wealth by investing in the stock market at age 11, according to Forbes, and first filed a tax return at the age of 13.

As a teenager, he was raking in about $175 a month by delivering The Washington Post β€” more than his teachers (and most adults). Berkshire Hathaway later owned nearly 30% of the newspaper for 40 years until shedding the stake in 2014.

He also sold calendars, used golf balls, and stamps. He had amassed the equivalent of $53,000 by the time he was just 16.

Most of Buffett's fortune was built later in life.
warren buffett berkshire hathaway. jpg

Daniel Zuchnik/Getty Images

The vast majority of Buffett's wealth was earned after his 50th birthday. His salary at Berkshire Hathaway last year was just $100,000, the same as it's been the last 40 years, and he reimbursed the company $50,000 in part to cover his personal calls and postage.

The company spent triple Buffett's yearly salary β€” $313,595 β€” on his personal and home security last year, according to the company's proxy statement.

Buffett's worst investment was a Sinclair gas station.
sinclair gas station

AP Images

Buffett's greatest investment mistake is said to be a Sinclair gas station that he bought in 1951 at the age of 21 β€” he bought a stake in the station with a friend, and the business was consistently outsold by the larger Texaco station opposite it.

He eventually lost the $2,000 he invested out of his total net wealth of $10,000 at the time, Yahoo Finance reported, referencing Glen Arnold's book "The Deals of Warren Buffett, Volume 1: The First $100M."Β 

Β 

Buffett has been married twice and has three children.
Warren Buffett kids children Howard Susie Peter
Howard, Susie and Peter Buffett.

Nati Harnik/AP

Buffett married his first wife, Susan Buffett, in 1952. Together they had three children: Susie, Howard, and Peter. Though he and Susan remained married until Susan's death in 2004, they had lived apart since the 1970s. He married his second wife and longtime companion, Astrid Menks, in 2006.

When Susie was born, Buffett apparently turned a dresser drawer into a bassinet for her to sleep in, according to Roger Lowenstein's 2008 biography of the billionaire. For his second child, Howard, he borrowed a crib.

Buffett lives a modest lifestyle.
warren Buffett
Warren Buffett

Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Despite his multibillionaire status, Buffett has long lived a relatively modest and frugal lifestyle. He previously told CNBC and Yahoo Finance's "Off the Cuff" that he's "never had any great desire to have multiple houses and all kinds of things and multiple cars."

Buffett lives in the same home he bought in the 1950s in Omaha, Nebraska.
warren buffett home

BI

Buffett lives in a modest home in Omaha, Nebraska, which he once called the "third-best investment" he's ever made in a letter to Berkshire shareholders.

He bought the home for $31,500 in 1958 β€” adjusted for inflation, that's about $342,000. It's now worth an estimated $1.4 million, according to Zillow, and spans 6,280 square feet with five bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms.

Buffett has made some security upgrades since buying it and it's now guarded by fences and security cameras.

Buffett used to own a vacation home in California.
warren buffett laguna

Villa Real Estate

In 1971, Buffett purchased a vacation home in Laguna Beach, California, for $150,000. Part of a gated community called Emerald Bay, the house has six bedrooms, is walking distance from the beach, and was renovated after Buffett bought it.Β 

He initially put it on the market in early 2017 for $11 million, then cut the price down to $3 million later that year. It sold in October 2018 for $7.5 million, after almost two years on the market.Β 

Buffett's choice of vehicle has also long been modest.
warren buffett car

Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Unlike many other ultra-wealthy individuals, Buffett has long driven a fairly modest set of wheels.

He previously drove a 2001 Lincoln Town Car with a license plate that read "THRIFTY" for about a decade, before auctioning it off for charity and replacing it with a 2006 Cadillac DTS. In 2014, he replaced the DTS with a Cadillac XTS, according to Forbes.

"The truth is, I only drive about 3,500 miles a year so I will buy a new car very infrequently," Buffett once told Forbes.

Buffett has splurged on a private jet.
private jet

Mikhail St / Shutterstock

One splurge Buffett has made is on a private jet. Buffett spent $850,000 on a used Falcon 20 jet in 1986, then sold the first jet and upgraded to a different used jet in 1989, spending $6.7 million.

He and his late business partner Charlie Munger nicknamed the second jet "The Indefensible," Buffett revealed in a letter to shareholders.

Buffett used a flip phone for years.
Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett shows former CNN host Piers Morgan his flip phone in 2013.

CNN

Despite the fact that Berkshire Hathaway is a major Apple shareholder, Buffett didn't upgrade to a smartphone until 2020.

Before that he preferred the Samsung SCH-U320, which can be bought on eBay for under $20.

Though Buffett did make the switch to an iPhone eventually, he told CNBC that he just uses it "as a phone."

Buffett's style includes suits from a Chinese designer and affordable haircuts.
warren buffett
Warren Buffett's style choices are also understated.

AP Images

Buffett has said he has about 20 suits, all made in China by designer Madame Li, according to CNBC.

He has a longstanding friendship with Li, an entrepreneur who worked her way up in the business. Buffett's gotten the same $18 hair cut for years from a barber shop in the same building as his office.

Buffett regularly eats at McDonald's and drinks a lot of Coke.
Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett sipping a Cherry Coke.

Reuters/Rick Wilking

Buffett once told Fortune that he eats "like a six-year-old." He gets his breakfast at McDonald's almost every morning on the way to work.

In 2017, he was spending no more than $3.17 on his order, paying with exact change, he said in the HBO documentary "Becoming Warren Buffett." He also drinks at least five Cokes a day.

Β 

Buffett is longtime friends with Bill Gates.
Bill Gates and Warren Buffett
Bill Gates and Warren Buffett in a candy shop.

Bill Gates/YouTube

Buffett once went to McDonald's in Hong Kong with longtime friend Bill Gates and paid with coupons, Gates reminisced in his 2017 annual letter.

The letter reads: "Remember the laugh we had when we traveled together to Hong Kong and decided to get lunch at McDonald's? You offered to pay, dug into your pocket, and pulled out …coupons!"

Gates has described Buffett as a "thoughtful and kind" friend, and has said that every time he visits Omaha, Buffett drives to the airport to pick him up.

Buffett is one of the world's most generous philanthropists.
Warren Buffett
Berkshire Hathaway chairman Warren Buffett gestures at the start of a 5km race.

REUTERS/Rick Wilking

Warren Buffett is considered one of the world's most generous philanthropists. He pledged in 2006 to donate about 85% of his Berkshire Class A shares to five foundations: the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation (named after his late wife), and three foundations run by his three children.

He teamed up with Bill and Melinda Gates in 2010 to form The Giving Pledge, an initiative that asks the world's wealthiest people to dedicate the majority of their wealth to philanthropy. Buffett himself has pledged that 99% of his wealth will go to philanthropy during his lifetime or upon his death.

As of 2023, the shares he's already given away were worth about $50 billion based on their value at the time of donation, or about $130 billion given Berkshire Hathaway's stock value at the time. If Buffett had kept those shares rather than donating them, he'd likely be the world's wealthiest person with a net worth of nearly $300 billion.

Buffett plans on leaving his kids $2 billion each, the Washington Post reported in 2014. He once said in a letter to shareholders that he recommends that super-wealthy families "leave the children enough so that they can do anything but not enough that they can do nothing."

Even for Buffett, there are things that money can't buy.
warren buffett

Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

"There are things money can't buy," Buffett once said at a shareholders' meeting. "I don't think standard of living equates with cost of living beyond a certain point. My life couldn't be happier. In fact, it'd be worse if I had six or eight houses. So, I have everything I need to have, and I don't need any more because it doesn't make a difference after a point."

Read the original article on Business Insider

Dubai is building thousands of villas to meet soaring demand for upmarket property

6 December 2024 at 04:20
Cranes are used at a construction site across from high-rise buildings in Dubai, on February 18, 2023.
Luxury properties are in high demand in Dubai.

KARIM SAHIB/AFP via Getty Images

  • Dubai is a haven for rich expats seeking business opportunities and low tax.
  • Its real estate market is struggling to keep up with demand for luxury housing.
  • Property prices keep rising as Dubai scrambles to build thousands more villas to meet demand.

Dubai is hot with the rich. The emirate has become an economic hub for entrepreneurship, business, and networking, while its lack of income tax is also a lure for many international ultra-high-net-worth individuals.

Geopolitical instability and tax policy changes in other hubs have only made Dubai more of a haven for the superrich. The influx of wealthy folk is causing a problem, however: there aren't enough houses to meet demand.

The Palm Jumeirah.
The Palm Jumeirah is one of the hottest neighborhoods for wealthy expats.

Stefan Tomic/Getty Images

In its latest Dubai Market Review, property company Knight Frank found listings of luxury properties valued at more than $10 million plummeted by about two-thirds to 460 this year.

To meet surging demand, Dubai is scrambling to build more homes. Almost 9,000 villas will be completed by the end of the year, and another 19,700 are expected to be built in 2025.

Developers will have to build even more upmarket properties to meet demand. Knight Frank suggests that Dubai will need between 37,600 and 87,700 houses by 2040 to help accommodate a population set to reach about 5.8 million by then.

At the same time, prices in Dubai prime neighborhoods such as the Palm Jumeirah and Emirates Hills have soared, rising by 20% in the most recent quarter compared to the same period last year.

"Last year, we had 37 homes available for over $50 million," Faisal Durrani, Knight Frank's head of research for the Middle East and North Africa, told Business Insider. "This year, it's dropped to nine."

"We're talking quite small numbers here, but it's helping to paint this picture of a shortage of homes at the top end of the market."

Urban skyline and modern skyscrapers in Dubai Marina
Dubai is popular with wealthy globetrotters.

Lu ShaoJi/Getty Images

Although Dubai's real estate market is buoyant, Durrani said the housing bubble could burst if the global economy slows or oil prices falter.

A global recession would mean "a very real risk of job losses, population reduction, and therefore reduction in demand for housing," he said.

Prices are expected to rise by 8% in 2025, yet luxury property in Dubai is still a relative bargain. Knight Frank found that $1 million buys 91 square meters of prime property there, compared with 33 square meters in London and 34 square meters in New York.

"When you put Dubai on the global stage and you're looking at relative affordability and affordable luxury, it's still reasonably priced compared to elsewhere in the world," Durrani said.

Read the original article on Business Insider

How Ariana Grande built her fortune, from Broadway and Nickelodeon to hit albums and movies

22 November 2024 at 10:49
Ariana Grande at the London premiere of "Wicked."
Ariana Grande at the London premiere of "Wicked."

Neil Mockford/WireImage

  • Ariana Grande got her start on Broadway and currently stars in the film adaptation of "Wicked."
  • She reportedly earned at least $72 million from 2019 to 2020, thanks to the Sweetener World Tour.
  • She's also earned revenue from album sales, brand ambassadorships, and her perfume and makeup lines.

Sixteen years after her professional debut, Ariana Grande is one of the richest pop stars in the music industry.

Grande's path to stardom started with her love of theater, which led her to a brief stint on Broadway before she broke into Hollywood. Now, the "Eternal Sunshine" singer regularly makes headlines as an actor, musician, and businesswoman.Β 

Grande, 31, always seems to be working on a new project, a work ethic that perhaps unsurprisingly has translated into a high net worth; she earned at least $72 million between 2019 and 2020 alone, per Forbes estimates.

Here's a breakdown of her reported net worth.

Grande made her Broadway debut in "13: The Musical."
Ariana Grande in the opening performance of "13: The Musical" in 2008.
Ariana Grande in the opening performance of "13: The Musical" in 2008.

Walter McBride/Corbis via Getty Images

Grande launched her music career as an adolescent performing in local community theatre and on cruise ships.

At 15, she auditioned for Jason Robert Brown's Broadway show, "13: The Musical," and was cast in the role of Charlotte.

The play ran for a few months in 2008, and while Grande's compensation isn't public knowledge, she did win a National Youth Theatre Association Award for her portrayal of the character.

In 2009, Grande was cast in Nickelodeon's "Victorious," which launched her into teen stardom.
Ariana Grande at Nickelodeon event
Ariana Grande at Nickelodeon's "iParty With Victorious" screening in 2011.

Jeffrey Mayer/WireImage/Getty Images

Following her stint on Broadway, Grande was cast in the hit Nickelodeon show "Victorious" as Cat Valentine, a red-haired and absent-minded theater kid. The show premiered in 2010 and earned 3.5 million viewers right off the bat, eventually wrapping after four seasons.

According to a contract obtained by TMZ, Grande made $9,000 per episode in the first season alone. She reportedly earned additional thousands for writing songs for the show.

During her time on Nickelodeon, Grande also appeared on "Winx Club," "Snowflake, the White Gorilla," and a music video with Greyson Chance.

Following "Victorious," Grande landed her own spin-off show with Jennette McCurdy, "Sam & Cat," which was canceled after 35 episodes. Though her earnings from "Sam & Cat" have not been reported, she wrote on Twitter in 2014 that she and McCurdy were paid equally.

Grande later made guest appearances on shows and films including "Family Guy," "Scream Queens," "Zoolander 2," and "Saturday Night Live." In 2016, she portrayed Penny Pingleton in NBC's "Hairspray Live!"

Grande's debut album, "Yours Truly," went platinum.
Ariana Grande
"Yours Truly" was released in 2013.

Jamie McCarthy/GettyImages

During her time on "Victorious," Grande began writing her own songs and collaborating with other songwriters and producers. She signed a recording contract with Republic Records in 2011 and her debut studio album, "Yours Truly," was released in 2013.

The album's lead single, "The Way" featuring Mac Miller, reached the No. 1 spot on iTunes less than eight hours after its release. "Yours Truly" debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and sold 138,000 copies in its release week. It has since been certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America, meaning it has sold at least 1 million copies in the US.

Grande also won best new artist at the American Music Awards in 2013.

Though it's unclear how much revenue "Yours Truly" brought in, TMZ reported that her Republic contract includes a $50,000 guarantee for the first album "and goes up from there."

Her music career took off from there.
Ariana Grande performs during the Dangerous Woman Tour in Amsterdam.
Ariana Grande performs during the Dangerous Woman Tour in Amsterdam.

Paul Bergen/Redferns

Since "Yours Truly," Grande has released six more studio albums (plus a holiday EP and a live album). They have all sold at least 1 million copies in the US, with Grande's 2014 sophomore album "My Everything" earning the highest certification from the RIAA (4x platinum).

To promote that album, Grande embarked on the eight-month Honeymoon Tour, for which she visited America, Europe, and Asia, logging sales in the $40 million range, according to Billboard.

In 2016, Grande released her third album, "Dangerous Woman," which spawned top-40 hits like "Into You," "Side to Side," and the title track.

The Dangerous Woman Tour, which wrapped up in September 2017, proved even more massive than Grande's previous outing. With 75 headlining performances worldwide, the tour sold over 875,000 tickets and grossed over $71 million, per Billboard.

By the end of the decade, Grande's music career had reached new heights with "Sweetener" and "Thank U, Next."
ariana grande sweetener world tour
Ariana Grande performs "7 Rings" during the Sweetener World Tour.

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Ariana Grande

Grande released her fourth studio album, "Sweetener," in 2018. It became her third debut atop the Billboard 200.Β 

Just a few months later, Grande earned her first-ever No. 1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Thank U, Next." The breakup anthem went on to dominate the chart for seven weeks.

Grande's follow-up single "7 Rings," which interpolates the melody of "My Favourite Things" from "The Sound of Music," was an even bigger hit. It also debuted at No. 1 and spent eight weeks atop the chart.

Although Grande's team gave away 90% of the song's royalties to the estate of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II (meaning she likely made very little money from the song's success), it still lifted Grande to new heights of commercial success. She now boasts seven songs that debuted at No. 1 on the Hot 100, tying Taylor Swift for the most among women and the second-most in history.

Both hit singles were included on Grande's 2019 blockbuster "Thank U, Next." The album sold 360,000 equivalent album units in its first week and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. It also set a record among pop albums for the biggest streaming week ever, per Billboard.

Later that year, Grande embarked on the Sweetener World Tour to promote the pair of releases. She performed over 100 shows throughout 2019, including headlining slots at Coachella and Lollapalooza.

According to Forbes, the arena tour grossed $146 million, Grande's biggest sum to date. The magazine also named Grande asΒ the highest-paid female musician on the 2020 Celebrity 100.

Grande has continued to rack up streaming numbers and sales with her two latest albums, "Positions" and "Eternal Sunshine."
Ariana Grande performed at the 2024 Met Gala.
Ariana Grande performed at the 2024 Met Gala.

Kevin Mazur/MG24/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

Grande's sixth album, "Positions," was released in 2020. All 14 of its tracks debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 simultaneously.

"Positions" sold 174,000 equivalent album units in its first week and became Grande's third No. 1 album in a little over two years.

According to a 2020 study of Spotify earnings, "Positions" earned $2 million from Spotify streams alone in just two weeks (though Grande would split those payments with other songwriters, producers, and copyright holders).

Grande's latest album, "Eternal Sunshine," arrived four years later. As expected, it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with 227,000 equivalent units earned in the US. The album also spawned two No. 1 hits on the Hot 100: "Yes, And?" and "We Can't Be Friends (Wait for Your Love)."

In addition to music, Grande has multiple successful partnerships and a popular line of perfumes.
Ariana Grande released a new fragrance called "God Is a Woman" in 2021.
Ariana Grande released a new fragrance called "God Is a Woman" in 2021.

Cindy Ord/Getty Images for iHeartRadio

Grande launched her own perfume line with "Ari" in 2015. She followed that with "Frankie," named after her brother, and "Sweet Like Candy" in 2016.

By 2017, according to Refinery29, Grande's perfume line had grossed over $150 million in retail sales worldwide.

At the 2019 Fragrance Foundation Awards, Grande was awarded fragrance of the year for her latest release,Β Cloud Eau de Parfum.

She has continued to release a steady stream of scents, including multiple products named after her own songs, like "Thank U, Next" in 2019, "R.E.M." in 2020, and "God Is a Woman" in 2021. Most recently, she partnered with Luxe Brands for the multi-fragrance collection, "Lovenotes."

Grande has plenty of experience partnering with brands. In 2016, she became the face of Lipsy's new campaign and released a 20-piece collection in collaboration with the British brand.

Later, in 2017, the singer expanded her portfolio and signed a yearlong partnership with shoe brand Reebok.

Grande launched her own makeup line, r.e.m. beauty, in 2021.
Ariana Grande in a teaser video for r.e.m. beauty.
Ariana Grande in a teaser video for r.e.m. beauty.

r.e.m. beauty/YouTube

Grande joined a long list of celebrities making money in the beauty industry and launched her own makeup line, r.e.m. beauty, named after a fan-favorite track on "Sweetener."

The first collection dropped in an online-only launch in November 2021 and quickly sold out of several lip glossesΒ and eye-shadow shades.

Through the brand's partnership with Ulta, r.e.m. Beauty has maintained high consumer demand.

According to Forbes, the big-box beauty retailer's 2022 Q1 sales were up 21% to $2.3 billion compared to 2021's earnings, citing the strong interest in prestige brands like r.e.m. beauty.

Citing data from Upbeat Agency, Marie Claire reported that r.e.m. beauty made $88.7 million in revenue in 2023, making it the fourth-wealthiest celebrity brand on their list.

Grande also earned a significant salary as a coach on NBC's "The Voice."
ariana grande the voice
Ariana Grande was a coach on season 21 of NBC's "The Voice."

Trae Patton/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images

Grande joined season 21 of NBC's "The Voice" as a coach, mentoring 16 singers in their hopes of scoring a recording contract with Republic and a $100,000 prize.

Although Grande was only featured on the show for one season, multiple sources report that she was the highest-paid coach by far. According to Forbes, Grande could've earned anywhere between $20 million to $25 million for the gig, which the outlet described as "one of the largest checks ever for a judge of a reality singing competition."

By comparison, longtime coaches John Legend and Blake Shelton reportedly earn $13 million apiece per season.

Grande has recently refocused on acting, scoring roles in blockbuster films like "Don't Look Up" and "Wicked."
cynthia erivo and ariana grande as elphaba and glinda in wicked. they're both smiling and looking toward something in awe, holding hands. erivo is painted green and wearing black, and grande is blonde wearing a pink dress
Cynthia Erivo as Elphaba and Ariana Grande as Glinda in "Wicked."

Giles Keyte/Universal Pictures

Grande starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, and TimothΓ©e Chalamet in Netflix's satirical film "Don't Look Up," which was released on the platform in December 2021.

Though it's not clear how much Grande was paid for the role, the film's budget was sizable; Variety reported that DiCaprio and Lawrence were paid a combined $30 million and $25 million, respectively.Β 

Around the same time, it was announced that Grande had landed her dream role as Glinda in "Wicked," the big-screen adaptation of the Broadway show.

John Chu's blockbuster musical is already generating box-office buzz and is likely headed for a huge opening weekend. According to Variety, the movie is tracking for an opening weekend in the low $100 million range, with some estimates as high as $130 million. It reportedly cost about $150 million to produce.

Grande will also star in the film's second installment, which is scheduled for release next year.

She recently revealed that she's planning to lean deeper into her Broadway roots and away from pop music.

"I love musical theater," Grande said. "I think reconnecting with this part of myself who started in musical theater and who loves comedy β€” it heals me to do that."

Read the original article on Business Insider
❌
❌