There is no doubt that many 20th-century musicians continue to have a big impact on 21st-century society and that they would be reaping the monetary rewards of technological advances like streaming and social media. To put the matter in perspective, the website money.co.uk in the United Kingdom, which is owned and managed by Dot Zinc Limited, has compiled a list of the top 20 musicians who would be earning the most money from services like Instagram, YouTube, Spotify and social media today.
At the top of the list is Jamaica’s legendary reggae pioneer and social activist Bob Marley. According to the site’s analysis, Marley’s total earnings from Instagram, YouTube, and Spotify total more than $1.6 million, or £1.2million. While his greatest hits like “Redemption Song” and “No Woman No Cry” were released in the 1970s, Marley’s music is still hugely popular, and he receives nine million streams on Spotify every month. His Instagram account has more than six million followers and proves how great his influence has been on several generations of fans.
Second on the list is American rock-and-roll icon Elvis Presley. Presley is widely considered one of the most iconic performers of the 20th century, and today, he has over 610,000 YouTube subscribers and 13.5 Spotify streams every month. From just these two platforms, it is estimated that he could earn $1,604,033 or £1,176,150.
Next in line is British rocker David Bowie who made his mark on the music industry via his constantly changing styles and personas. His songs “Space Oddity” and “Life on Mars” continue to attract fans, and even 50 years after his first music was released he receives over 15.4 streams on Spotify each month. However, he trails Bob Marley in his Instagram totals, indicating that his societal influence is not as great as the Jamaican’s.
The American crooner Frank Sinatra would accrue the fourth-highest earnings from streaming and social media with a total of $1,360,528 or £999,173. His yearly earnings reach over $1 million, and his yearly Spotify streams for his swing and jazz track bring in $683,701 or £507,828. Over 100 years after his birth, Sinatra’s YouTube channel could bring him $660,338 or £490,392 a year.
Rounding out the top five earners is American country music legend Johnny Cash who would have earned $1,083,196 or £795,500 in modern-day social and streaming income per year. He would receive $830 or £616 per Instagram post, while his YouTube channel would provide almost $500,000 per year. Most of his income would come from Spotify streaming, however, as his songs “Ring of Fire” and “I Walk the Line” are streamed some 1,036,615 times every month.
Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin is the highest-ranking woman on the streaming and social media earners list. She ranks in 10th place with earnings estimated at £542,690 or $740,121. R&B artist Etta James and jazz icon Ella Fitzgerald are next in line, with earnings that place them in 16th and 20th positions, respectively.
The other artists in the top 20 earners include Prince, Marvin Gaye, John Lennon, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jimi Hendrix, Louis Armstrong, Sam Cooke, Nat King Cole, Dean Martin, Chuck Berry, and Ray Charles.
Source – Money
