Billboard magazine has released their list of Music’s Top 40 Money Makers of 2013, and quite a few country artists made the cut. Kenny Chesney ranked highest among country stars at #5 thanks to an estimated $19 million payday thanks in large part to his Brothers of the Sun tour with Tim McGraw, who ranked 7th with an estimated $18 million coming in.

Jason Alden also made the top 10, coming in at #8 with $17.6 million from touring and music sales. Lady Antebellum‘s Own the Night World Tour helped them pocket an estimated $13 million for the 12th spot, while Brad Paisley took in $12.85 million for a #14 ranking. Taylor Swift was 15th with $12.7 million, but that number will be much higher next year once revenue from her upcoming Red tour is factored in.

Carrie Underwood ranked 16th with just under $12 million. Eric Church was 18th with $11 million coming in, and Rascal Flatts came in at #19 with a $10.8 million payday. Toby Keith took 23rd with $9.8 million, and Miranda Lambert‘s $8.8 million haul put her at #27. Zac Brown Band earned an estimated $6.7 million, and Blake Shelton was 40th with more than $5.9 million.

There are a few factors to note with these numbers. Billboard‘s rankings are calculated using estimated artist earnings based on touring stats, album and single sales and streaming data. The rankings don’t include money from sponsorship or merchandise deals due to lack of substantial data.

Madonna topped the list with $34.6 million from her blockbuster MDNA tour.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

 

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