So Beyoncé is a Billionaire Now and I Have Complicated Feelings About It

Okay so. Beyoncé is officially a billionaire according to Forbes and I guess we all knew this was coming eventually but still its like… alot to process?

I dont know. I have feelings.

The Cowboy Carter Tour grossed over 400 million in ticket sales. Four. Hundred. Million. Plus another 50 million in merch. Plus the Renaissance Tour from 2023 made almost 600 million. Plus Parkwood Entertainment which is her company that manages basically everything. Plus that Netflix Christmas halftime thing. Plus Levis commercials.

Its alot of pluses when you add them up like that.

She becomes the fifth musician ever to hit billionaire status. Jay-Z obviously. Taylor Swift. Bruce Springsteen. And Rihanna though most of Rihannas money came from Fenty not music.

Variety had this whole breakdown about how Beyoncés situation is different because her wealth comes almost entirely from her actual music career. Like she controls EVERYTHING through Parkwood. Produces her own concerts. Her own documentaries. Fronts production costs to capture more of the backend economics which I think means she gets paid last but gets paid more? Business stuff.

Smart obviously. Nobody works harder than Beyoncé thats basically a documented fact at this point.

But like. I remember being in line for concert tickets last year watching prices jump from 200 to 800 dollars in real time because of dynamic pricing. Alot of fans got completely priced out. Couldnt see her live even if they wanted to desperately.

And thats how you get to a billion dollars I guess. Which is fine. Its not illegal. She built something incredible on her own terms in an industry that chews people up constantly.

Its just. I dont know. Theres something weird about celebrating anyone becoming a billionaire when groceries cost what they cost now you know? When rents the way it is. When everything feels so tight for normal people.

Forbes says she made 148 million in 2025 before taxes. Third highest paid musician in the world. Cowboy Carter won Album of the Year at the Grammys which was her first time winning that category after FOUR previous nominations which honestly ridiculous but thats another rant.

And apparently theres a third album coming? Renaissance and Cowboy Carter are supposed to be part of a trilogy exploring different genres so the net worth could climb even higher.

Good for her. Genuinely. She created an empire while being a Black woman in an industry that historically hasnt made that easy. Thats remarkable and I dont want to diminish it.

I just wish the economics of music worked better for everyone else too. The backup dancers. The session musicians. The venue workers. All the people who make those tours happen and dont get to become billionaires from it.

But thats a systemic thing not a Beyoncé thing probably. She cant fix capitalism by herself no matter how many albums she drops.

Anyway. Beyoncé billionaire. Add it to the history books I guess.