XL/Columbia RecordsAdele, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Taylor Swift are global pop stars, but they’re also business leaders. That’s according to Variety, which included them on the Variety500, a list of the most influential business leaders in the entertainment industry.
In addition to those four women, the list also includes Justin Bieber, Justin Timberlake, Rihanna and, of course, Beyonce. All made the cut not just because of their success selling music and concert tickets, but also for their power and influence –whether it be via social media, their own production companies, or their brand extensions.
For example, Katy wields enormous influence as the most-followed person on Twitter, and she’s about take over even more of the spotlight as an American Idol judge. Justin Bieber has similar power online, with 100 million Twitter followers and 10 billion YouTube views for his videos.
Taylor was the highest-paid woman in music last year, and is so powerful that when she complained to Apple Music about its royalty structure for artists they played, the company immediately changed it.
Justin Timberlake is a successful actor, producer and restaurant owner. Rihanna has her own fashion and beauty lines, while Lady Gaga is an award-winning actress and social crusader in her spare time. Beyonce is, of course, a force unto herself.
About the only artist on the list who sticks to singing alone is Adele, who’s nonetheless included because her massively best-selling albums are credited with helping to save the flagging record industry.
Other influential stars on the list include Jennifer Lopez, Selena Gomez, Ryan Seacrest, Shakira, Simon Cowell, Kanye West, and Drake.
Copyright © 2017, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.
