After a Sellout Tour, Adele Said 'Hello' to $50 Million in 2016

Adele in Brisbane
Adele performs at The Gabba in Brisbane, Australia, March 4. The singer's fortune increased by $50 million in 2016. Glenn Hunt/Getty

Adele's sell out world tour and the continued success of her third album, 25, helped the singer add an estimated $51 million to her fortune in 2016.

The singer's wealth increased from $122 million in 2015 to $161 million last year, according to the U.K.'s annual Sunday Times Rich List, making her the richest female musician in Britain, as well as the richest British musician under 30.

Adele, 28, performed a 122-date world tour that began in February 2016 in Northern Ireland and ended in March 2017 in New Zealand. According to concert industry trade publication Pollstar, Adele Live 2016 was the fifth highest-grossing tour of 2016, attracting 1.5 million fans and earning $167.7 million. The star's tour ranked behind Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé, Coldplay and Guns N' Roses, but ahead of Justin Bieber and the Rolling Stones.

On the final date of her tour in Auckland, New Zealand, in March, the "Hello" singer revealed she might not tour again. "I don't know if I will ever tour again. The only reason I've toured is you. I'm not sure if touring is my bag," she told the audience.

Adele's album 25 also saw healthy sales in 2016, a year after it was initially released; it was the second best-selling LP of the year with sales of 2.4 million worldwide. That figure—which only accounts for physical sales and digital downloads—is just 100,000 copies behind the top album of the year, Beyoncé's Lemonade.

25, released in November 2015, sold 17.4 million copies in 2015, including 3.38 million in its first week of release in the U.S.

In February, 25 and its lead single "Hello" earned Adele five Grammy awards, including album of the year.

"What a year for Adele," said Robert Watts, compiler of the Sunday Times Rich List. "Still in her 20s, if Adele's career lasts as long as many of the other entries in our list, she has the potential to be the highest-earning British musician of all time."

Despite the sizeable increase in her fortune, Adele only ranks 19th on the list of the 40 richest musicians in Britain, which is dominated by older, male artists.

Paul McCartney comes first with an estimated wealth of $980 million. He is followed by musical theater producer Andrew Lloyd-Webber ($954 million), U2 ($706 million), Elton John ($374 million) and Mick Jagger ($322 million).

Keith Richards, Ringo Starr, Sting and Ozzy Osbourne also rank in the top 20.

The Sunday Times Rich List is published in full on Sunday, May 7

Uncommon Knowledge

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.

About the writer



To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.

Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek magazine delivered to your door
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go
Newsweek cover
  • Newsweek Voices: Diverse audio opinions
  • Enjoy ad-free browsing on Newsweek.com
  • Comment on articles
  • Newsweek app updates on-the-go