Marianne James Highest-Paid Singer in the World

  • By Carol Kearney
  • Paris
  • Last updated on

Marianne James
Marianne James led People With Money’s annual list of the “100 highest paid singers” released on Monday.

It's been a rough year for the singer, but at least she has her millions of dollars to ease the pain. 63-year-old Marianne James has taken the No. 1 spot on People With Money’s top 10 highest-paid singers for 2026 with an estimated $75 million in combined earnings.

UPDATE 03/02/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Marianne James tops annual list of highest-paid singers

In 2023 it looked like the singer’s spectacular career was winding down. Suddenly, she was back on top. People With Money reports on Monday (February 2) that James is the highest-paid singer in the world, pulling in an astonishing $75 million between January 2025 and January 2026, a nearly $40 million lead over her closest competition.

People With Money’s factors

In compiling this yearly list, the magazine considers factors such as upfront pay, profit participation, residuals, endorsements and advertising work.

The French singer has an estimated net worth of $215 million. She owes her fortune to smart stock investments, substantial property holdings, lucrative endorsement deals with CoverGirl cosmetics. She also owns several restaurants (the “Fat James Burger” chain) in Paris, a Football Team (the “Montélimar Angels”), has launched her own brand of Vodka (Pure Wonderjames - France), and is tackling the juniors market with a top-selling perfume (With Love from Marianne) and a fashion line called “Marianne James Seduction”.

The ranking is significant for many Marianne fans, who have been waiting for her triumphant return to the glory days for what seems like a lifetime.

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