It’s been quite a year for Rihanna, who earned US$75 million in the past 12 months, bagging fourth place on the list and comfortably pushing 2014’s top earner Beyonce into fifth spot with $54 million. Photo: Internet Source

It’s been quite a year for Rihanna, who earned US$75 million in the past 12 months, bagging fourth place on the list and comfortably pushing 2014’s top earner Beyonce into fifth spot with $54 million.

Barbados’ superstar also easily overtook last year’s number one Katy Perry, who hauled-in $41 million to take sixth place.

Rihanna, who received a lifetime achievement award at the MTV Video Music Awards in August, was narrowly edged-out of third place by Madonna. The 58-year-old Material Girl, who was the highest-paid woman in music in 2013, earned $76.5 million in the past 12 months.

The 26-year-old singer/songwriter earned more than double her nearest rival Adele, who took home $80.5 million.

Swift’s takings were mainly due to her “1989” World Tour raking in a quarter of a billion dollars, 200 million of which was made in the US alone, beating the North American touring record previously held by the Rolling Stones.

She also has lucrative endorsement deals with brands including Diet Coke, Apple and Keds.

Rounding off the top 10 were Jennifer Lopez with $39.5m, Britney Spears with $30.5m, and Shania Twain and Celine Dion, who both clocked around $27m.

Forbes estimated the pre-tax income of personalities from June 1 2015 through to June 1 2016 from a variety of sources, including data from Pollstar, Nielsen and the Recording Industry Association of America, as well as interviews with managers, lawyers and some of the stars themselves.