How Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez are both set to join the nine-digit club 16 years after meeting while dating Jonas brothers
The bond between Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez goes beyond mere friendship; it’s a fusion of trust, respect, and an astonishing combined net worth of over $1.9 billion. Their enduring companionship, which began 16 years ago during their Jonas Brothers era, has witnessed their meteoric rise to fame and fortune.
This month, Taylor, now 34, achieved the remarkable milestone of billionaire status, marking 17 years of her unparalleled ascent to becoming the reigning queen of the music industry.
On Tuesday, Forbes unveiled its 2024 billionaire list, and Taylor Swift soared to the fourteenth spot. The 34-year-old musical sensation emerged as the most notable newcomer on the prestigious list, boasting an estimated fortune of $1.1 billion. Her wealth stems from the immense success of her blockbuster Eras tour, the value of her extensive music catalog, and her lucrative real estate investments.
The best friendships are made of trust, respect – and in Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez ‘s case, more than $1.9 billion between them. Both pictured with Katy Perry in 2011
On top of her substantial earnings from her first six albums, Taylor Swift re-recorded her catalog as part of negotiations with streaming platforms on how her music is monetized. This achievement is particularly noteworthy as she joins a select few who’ve attained billionaire status “through music and performing alone.”
Meanwhile, Selena Gomez, aged 31, is estimated to possess a net worth of $800 million, with the majority stemming from her highly successful makeup brand, Rare Beauty. Established just four years ago, the company has enjoyed immense popularity. In October, Fast Company reported that Rare Beauty was projected to surpass $300 million in sales in 2023, tripling its earnings from 2022, which had already doubled from the previous year.
Recent rumors have sparked speculation about Selena potentially selling the brand. In January, Business of Fashion reported that sources claimed Rare Beauty was exploring options, although the company had not confirmed anything. The outlet estimated a price tag of “$2 billion plus,” which could promptly elevate Selena into the billionaire ranks alongside her close friend Taylor Swift.
Just this month Taylor, 34, officially reached billionaire status, 17 years into her illustrious career as music’s biggest superstar
Meanwhile Selena, 31, is estimated to have a net worth of $800 million, the majority of which, according to Parade.com , is thought to come from her successful make-up brand Rare Beauty
Selena Gomez is not only a prominent actress on the hit TV show “Only Murders in the Building,” but she also serves as a producer through her company July Moon Productions, known for successes like “13 Reasons Why.” With her thriving music career, her debut solo album propelled her net worth beyond $10 million in 2013. Her tours have been lucrative, with “Stars Dance Tonight” and “Revival” grossing millions. Endorsement deals with Coach and Puma, valued at $10 million and $30 million respectively, showcase her immense influence. Boasting 429 million Instagram followers, she ranks third on the 2023 Instagram Rich List, earning an estimated $2,557,825 per post. Her early roles in shows like “Wizards of Waverly Place,” “The Suite Life of Zack and Cody,” and “Hannah Montana” laid the foundation for her impressive fortune.
Taylor and Selena have been longtime friends since they met through the Jonas Brothers. Both pictured in January
Taylor and Selena’s enduring friendship began 16 years ago when they crossed paths through the Jonas Brothers. Their bond strengthened in 2008 during a double date with their respective partners at the time. Taylor’s support for Selena was evident when she attended the premiere of “Another Cinderella Story” shortly after. Over the years, they’ve shared numerous red carpet moments, attended award shows together, and celebrated birthdays side by side. Selena has even surprised fans by joining Taylor on stage during her concert tours. Despite a brief misunderstanding sparked by a comment Selena made in an interview, their friendship remains solid as ever.
Singers Taylor and Joe pictured together at the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards at Paramount Pictures Studios
Back in 2008, the pair kicked off their longstanding friendship when Taylor was dating Joe and Selena was dating Nick. Selena pictured in 2008
Back in 2008, the pair kicked off their longstanding friendship when Taylor was dating Joe and Selena was dating Nick. Selena and Nick pictured in 2015
Francia, who generously donated a kidney to Selena, initially seemed upset with Selena’s comment. However, Selena clarified that she was specifically referring to the music industry and emphasized that Francia remains a valued friend in film and television.
In November, Selena joined Taylor Swift for a girls’ night in New York City, along with Sophie Turner, Gigi Hadid, Cara Delevingne, and Brittany Mahomes.
On Taylor’s birthday in December, Selena shared a heartfelt tribute, referring to her as a ‘goddess.’
In January, Taylor and Selena sparked headlines when they were caught seemingly gossiping at the Golden Globes.
Taylor’s Eras Tour made history as the first tour to surpass the $1 billion mark, according to Pollstar’s 2023 year-end charts.
Since then, the duo have attended many red carpets, many award shows, and celebrated a number of birthdays together. Pictured in 2015
Selena and Taylor have maintained their strong friendship over the years, while building up their incredible careers
Not only was her landmark Eras Tour the number one tour both worldwide and in North America, but she also brought in a whopping $1.04 billion (£831.6 million) with 4.35 million tickets sold across 60 tour dates, the concert trade publication found.
Pollstar data is pulled from box office reports, venue capacity estimates, historical Pollstar venue ticket sales data and other undefined research, collected from November 17, 2022 to November 15, 2023.
Representatives for the publication did not immediately clarify if they adjusted past tour data to match 2023 inflation in naming Taylor the first to break the billion-dollar threshold.
Her tour kicked off in March in Arizona.
Pollstar also found that Taylor brought in approximately $200 million (£159.8 million) in merch sales.
And her blockbuster film adaptation of the tour, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, has reportedly earned approximately $250 million (£199 million) in sales.
And that’s not to dismiss the cushy fortune the star would have started earning at a young age, with appearances on Wizards of Waverly Place (pictured), the Suite Life of Zack and Cody and Hannah Montana
Selena also stars, as well as produces, in hit TV show Only Murders in the Building. According to Variety , her co-stars Martin Short and Steve Martin both got $600,000 per episode
The ex-Disney star set up the company only four years ago, and it has been hugely popular. Pictured in January
The Eras Tour stands as the highest-grossing concert film in history. Pollstar’s estimates project another significant year for Taylor Swift in 2024, with the tour anticipated to surpass $1 billion once again. This forecast suggests Taylor could accumulate over $2 billion throughout the tour’s duration. Globally, Taylor’s tour leads the pack, followed by Beyoncé, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Coldplay, Harry Styles, Morgan Wallen, Ed Sheeran, Pink, The Weeknd, and Drake.
Pictured: Taylor and Kanye ‘Ye’ West in 2009, during the infamous moment which saw the rapper jump on stage with her
Pictured: Taylor performing during the ‘Read Now with Taylor Swift’ event for New York City school students in 2010
The magazine projects the Eras Tour will once again reach $1 billion (£799 million) within their eligibility window
Taylor’s Eras Tour is the first tour to cross the $1 billion mark, according to Pollstar’s 2023 year-end charts. Pictured in Melbourne in February
In North America, the top 10 tours in 2023 were led by Taylor Swift, followed by Beyoncé, Morgan Wallen, Drake, P!nk, Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Ed Sheeran, George Strait, Karol G, and RBD.
Overall, 2023 marked a significant year for concert sales, with the top 100 tours worldwide experiencing a 46% increase compared to the previous year, totaling $9.17 billion compared to 2022’s $6.28 billion.
Taylor Swift was honored as Time Magazine’s Person of the Year and named Apple Music’s Artist of the Year. Additionally, Spotify revealed that she was the most-streamed artist globally in 2023, surpassing Bad Bunny’s three-year record with over 26.1 billion streams since January 1.
