[2005] who do you think is the richest singer(s)?
 

who do you think is the richest singer/group (counting album sales, single sales, endorsements) and why do you think so

you can list them if you cant decide between 2-3 singers

I think Ms. Hamasaki most likely commands the highest salary of all those listed. However, this may not be the case, because Avex is notorious for its poor management (though she's managed through AXEV and I don't know much about their record [they do most of the management for the front-liners.])

I would say that BoA probably makes an okay salary, but because she's based out of SM Entertainment and Korea's economy lags behind Japan, she likely cannot compare to a Japanese artist. She's probably making great money comparable to the other artists, but not if we just look at her yearly gross.

BoA, she's got all 3 markets. Admittedly Ayu has wide spread fame over asia aswell, but BoA concentrated on each market individually

hehe, Korean album's are only $10; no profit there :P

I think Ayu is the richest of all. Just alot of royalties. Damn.. #30 in japan, it won't get much better.

Its Hikki I mean come on she sells on Ayu

Well Ayu releases things with a good frequency and they sell decently, mixed with touring for a large part of the year, many tie-ins, her clothing label, and the (now kinda defunct) Ayupan & merchandising, I think she makes the most. Most other artists don't have all the extra stuff that she has her name connected with. When I was in Shibuya 109 the Material Girl store seemed pretty busy, and everything's is pretty high priced, so I figure she makes a nice amount from that.

This isn't something you need to guess about, at least for the Japanese singers. In a few months the Japanese income tax filings will be disclosed, and from that the geinou papers extrapolate each singer's income.

hmm, I voted hamasaki. probably wrong. at least she's not poor. ;)

Most probably Ayu... if it's not her it's Hikki

http://imdb.com/name/nm0357354/bio
"Is currently the highest earning entertainer in Japan (2002)".
Even though that was three years ago, I still thinks it's Ayu.

hehe there is no doubt about it, it is ayu!

Hikki is the richest ... She sold more than 2o Million Albums and over 1o Million Singles ... She was the top Selling Artist every year (not 2oo3) and she earned the most money in Year 2ooo, 2oo1 and 2oo4 for her NINTENDO and SONY Ads ...

She earned more than 1o Million $ last year, just for her Music ...

And i think she earned sooo much money for her Exodus Album! :-)

I'm not trying to be bias, but definitely AYU. Just look at her past records and her discography. She has released more than 40 CDs and all of them sold pretty well. Not to mention all her records hit the milllion marks.

I would say Utada too since she had released 4 albums and quite an amount of singles/DVDs/concerts and alot of commercials.

Her chinese really cant make it so just strike china off...
And even if she have 3 markets ayu have them too ^^
My story sells real good in singapore too considering a japanese singer to sell over 10,000 copies of CD in sg (yea...a very small country)

Me thinks it's ayu. Boa is going down a little esp after the NHK price tag thing. Kinki kids may stand a chance too so meyb they are 2nd?

definately ayumi hamasaki. she's the only one i know who can have like 4 different covers for one cd (her story)! doubt there are many others who can pull off such a stunt. she's v well known and even her wax figure is displayed at mdm tussard. she is v well marketed and she also appears in many advertisements!

all of her concerts have been in japan alone (ey,, right?). she doesn't need to go elsewhere and her fans are worldwide.

of course its ayumi hamasaki, why do you think shes the jpop queen