Taylor Swift is the world’s fifth most powerful woman, outpacing Beyoncé and Rihanna on Forbes‘ annual ranking.
Making her highest ever position to date on the 2023 list, the “Anti-Hero” singer is the top-ranking musician on the tally. Overall, she’s only bested by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at No. 1, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde at No. 2, United States Vice President Kamala Harris at No. 3 and Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni at No. 4.
The publication noted Swift’s recently acquired billionaire status — estimating her current net worth at $1.1 billion, with $500 million from royalties and touring, $500 million from her music catalog and some $125 million in real estate — as well as her Taylor’s Version rerecords and record Eras Tour ticket sales as reasons for her high placement. It also pointed out that the 33-year-old pop star is the first musician to “make the ranks solely based on her songs and performances.”
Beyoncé sits at No. 36 on the Most Powerful Women list, jumping up 44 spots from last year’s ranking of No. 80. The 42-year-old superstar’s historic Grammy wins in February — through which she became the most awarded artist in Recording Academy history — along with the success of her Renaissance Tour and collaborations with Balmain earned her the honors, according to Forbes.
Meanwhile, Ri comes in at No. 74, though her staggering net worth of $1.4 billion still trumps that of Swift and Bey ($540 million). Forbes commended the 35-year-old singer-mogul for her extremely lucrative Fenty Beauty and Savage x Fenty companies as well as her Super Bowl Halftime Show performance earlier this year.
In June, all three women were part of Forbes‘ list of America’s Richest Self-Made Women, placing Ri at No. 20, Swift at No. 34 and Bey at No. 48.
“As ever, the 2023 Power List was determined by four main metrics: money, media, impact and spheres of influence,” wrote the publication. “Media mentions and social reach were analyzed for all. The result: 100 women who are shaping the policies, products and political fights that define our world.”
