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Adele earned £40m last year, says Sunday Times Rich List

Written by on 7th May 2017

A global arena tour and a few million more album sales earned Adele £40m last year, according to the Sunday Times Rich List.

Her fortune rose from £85m to £125m – meaning she’s the richest solo female musician in the paper’s annual wealth survey. But she’s only joint 19th in the list of the UK and Ireland’s richest music acts, which is dominated by older men.

Sir Paul McCartney is in the top spot with £780m with wife Nancy Shevell.

They are followed by West End mogul Lord Lloyd-Webber, U2, Sir Elton John, Sir Mick Jagger and his Rolling Stones bandmate Keith Richards.

Adele is tied in 19th place on £125m with Queen guitarist Brian May.

The rise in her bank balance was put down to a 122-date global arena tour, which has earned an estimated £138m at box offices, and the continued success of her third album 25, which sold 2.4 million copies around the world in 2016.

She will play four sold-out shows at Wembley Stadium this summer – but has hinted that she may not tour again after that, which could limit her future earnings.

Britain’s richest musicians

1. Sir Paul McCartney and Nancy Shevell £780m Up £20m
2. Lord Lloyd-Webber £740m Up £25m
3. U2 £548m Up £48m
4. Sir Elton John £290m Up £10m
5. Sir Mick Jagger £250m Up £15m
6. Keith Richards £235m Up £15m
7. Olivia and Dhani Harrison £210m Down £10m
8= Michael Flatley £200m Up £2m
8= Ringo Starr £200m No change
10. Sting £185m No change
11= Eric Clapton £170m Up £10m
11= Sir Rod Stewart £170m Up £10m
13. Roger Waters £165m Up £5m
14. Sir Tom Jones £160m Up £5m
15. Sir Tim Rice £152m Up £2m
16. Robbie Williams £150m Up £5m
17. Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne £140m Up £5m
18. Charlie Watts £130m Up £10m
19= Adele £125m Up £40m
19= Brian May £125m Up £5m
(Source: BBC News)