Katy Perry Makes More Money Than Beyoncé and Taylor Swift Combined

Katy Perry and Taylor Swift wearing silver dresses

(Image credit: Getty)

published 7 July 2015

Forbes recently released its annual "World's Highest-Paid Celebrities" list, which essentially tells us famous people make unimaginable amounts of money—even Sofia Vergara, who, at 95th place, still earned $28.5 million in 2015. (Here's how.)

But aside from Vin Diesel and Judge Judy's tie (at $47 million), the biggest upset has to be how accidental phone-number giver Katy Perry beat out Beyoncé and Taylor Swift combined. As in together! The math: Tay Tay brought in $80 million after she decamped from Spotify for Apple Music, while Tidal loyalist Bey made $54.5 million. That comes out to $134.5 million, $500,000 short of Katy's yield.

There's a whole article on all the shows she's played and albums she's sold, but honestly, I think Left Shark deserves a bit more credit.

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Chelsea Peng is a writer and editor who was formerly the assistant editor at Marie Claire. She's also worked for The Strategist and Refinery29, and is a graduate of Northwestern University. On her tombstone, she would like a GIF of herself that's better than the one that already exists on the Internet and a free fro-yo machine. Besides frozen dairy products, she's into pirates, carbs, Balzac, and snacking so hard she has to go lie down.

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