Beyonce’s surprise album drop constitutes an early holiday gift to fans, but it also figures to bolster her own bank account considerably, enough that it may combine with her other business ventures to deliver her most lucrative year yet, Forbes reports.
Whatever she gleans out of the $15.99 downloads of “Beyonce,” the new “visual album” that posted with zero fanfare early Friday on iTunes, will add to revenue from her “Mrs. Carter” world tour and her endorsement deals with Pepsi and H&M. Forbes projecting that “she should easily double the $53 million she made this year.”
Her best annual revenue figures came in 2009 and 2010, when she collectively brought in $87 million each year, according to Forbes.
PHOTOS: Celebrities by The Times
“She’ll also challenge for music’s earnings crown, which went to Madonna at $125 million for 2013,” Forbes predicts. The magazine calculates figures from June 2013 to June 2014, so Beyonce’s take will include the 83 shows she’s so far scheduled to play next year.
The new album initially is available only in its entirety for $15.99, high for a digital download, but reflective of the star-power involved in the project, which also includes appearances by her husband, Jay-Z, as well as Justin Timberlake, Pharrell Williams, Frank Ocean, Drake, Timbaland, Michelle Williams, Kelly Rowland and others.
Individual tracks will become available for downloading on Dec. 20.
ALSO:
Why isn't Britney Spears' latest album a hit?
Bruno Mars is Billbaord's 2013 Artist of the Year
Beyonce's game change: a surprise album release
Follow Randy Lewis on Twitter: @RandyLewis2
PHOTOS AND MORE
PHOTOS: Concerts by the Times
PHOTOS: Unexpected musical collaborations
PHOTOS: Musician feuds: The dirt & details