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
Her best annual revenue figures came in 2009 and 2010, when she collectively brought in $87 million each year, according to Forbes.
"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
Individual tracks will become available for downloading on Dec. 20.
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