Taylor Swift has surpassed Beyoncé and Rihanna to become the world’s fifth most powerful woman, according to Forbes’ annual survey.
The “Anti-Hero” singer is the highest-ranking musician on the 2023 list, reaching her highest place to date. Overall, she is surpassed only by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde, United States Vice President Kamala Harris, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
Swift’s newly acquired billionaire status, estimated at $1.1 billion, with $500 million from royalties and touring, $500 million from her music catalog, and $125 million in real estate, as well as her Taylor’s Version rerecords and record Eras Tour ticket sales, were cited as reasons for her high placement. It went on to say that the 33-year-old pop artist is the first to “make the ranks solely based on her songs and performances.”
Beyoncé is ranked No. 36 on the list of the Most Powerful Women, up 44 ranks from last year’s placement of No. 80. According to Forbes, the 42-year-old superstar’s historic Grammy wins in February — which saw her become the most honored artist in Recording Academy history — as well as the success of her Renaissance Tour and collaborations with Balmain garnered her the honors.
Meanwhile, Ri comes in at No. 74, despite having a tremendous net worth of $1.4 billion, which surpasses Swift and Beyoncé ($540 million).Forbes praised the 35-year-old singer-mogul for her immensely profitable Fenty Beauty and Savage x Fenty brands, as well as her performance at the Super Bowl Halftime Show earlier this year.
In June, all three women were named on Forbes’ list of America’s Richest Self-Made Women, with Ri ranking No. 20, Swift ranking No. 34, and Bey ranking 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.”