Kenny Chesney wins Entertainer of the Year at "The 42nd Annual CMA Awards," on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2008, live from the Sommet Center in Nashville on the ABC Television Network. Photo courtesy of the Country Music Association.
April 23, 2009 — Kenny Chesney, Rascal Flatts and Toby Keith: Those three artists stand out from the pack in the place where it matters most to their accountants. Kenny, Flatts and Toby ranked Nos. 1, 2 and 3 in a new Forbes list of country’s Top 10 moneymakers, and they’re so far ahead of everyone else that Toby’s haul at No. 3 almost tripled the revenues of No. 4 star Taylor Swift.
The Forbes estimates are built around numerous money streams: concert-ticket sales, album sales, merchandise and other deals, including licensing agreements and endorsements. The magazine makes no mention of songwriting revenues; if they were added, that might push acts such as Toby, Taylor and No. 7 Brad Paisley higher in the rankings, since they all or most of their own material.
Kenny’s estimated take was a cool $65 million, while Rascal Flatts generated $60 million and Toby bankrolled $52 million. Taylor brought in $18 million, while Brooks & Dunn tied Tim McGraw for No. 5 with a projected $16 million.
The Forbes Top 10:
• Kenny Chesney, $65 million
• Rascal Flatts, $60 million
• Toby Keith, $52 million
• Taylor Swift, $18 million
• Brooks & Dunn, $16 million
• Tim McGraw, $16 million
• Brad Paisley, $15 million
• Sugarland, $14 million
• Carrie Underwood, $14 million
• Alan Jackson, $12 million
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