‘90s Country Legend Could Become One of the Richest Singers in the World
Garth Brooks has broken just about every record in country music. Now he might be coming for one more - and this one has a comma and a lot of zeros.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Brooks is reportedly considering selling his music catalog, with a price tag somewhere in the neighborhood of $2 billion.
If the deal comes together, it would not just make him the richest artist in country music. It could put him toe-to-toe with Jay-Z for the title of wealthiest singer in the world.
To put that number in perspective, Sony purchased Queen's entire publishing catalog for $1 billion in 2024 and acquired half of Michael Jackson's for over $1 billion.
When you look at what Brooks has actually accomplished, his asking price starts to make a lot more sense.
He has sold more than 200 million albums in the U.S., making him the bestselling solo artist in American history. He also surpassed the Beatles in U.S. album sales and is the only artist to earn Diamond certification for 10 albums.
Any catalog deal would come with some of the biggest songs in country music history. "The Dance," "Friends in Low Places" and "Shameless" alone would justify the asking price. His record-breaking success has also earned him two Grammy Awards and an induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2012.
On top of all that, Brooks has spent the last several years selling out the Encore Theatre in Las Vegas as part of a five-year residency.
His current estimated net worth sits at $400 million, and that is before any deal. Of course, to reach billionaire status, Brooks would first have to move past some pretty heavy hitters.
Sitting at the top of the country music net worth list is Beyoncé. Her album Cowboy Carter won Best Country Album at the Grammys last year, and between her R&B career and various business ventures, Forbes confirmed her net worth crossed $1 billion earlier this year.
Even so, $1 billion puts her near the bottom of that exclusive tier. Jay-Z leads the list at an estimated $2.53 billion, followed by Taylor Swift at $2.1 billion, Paul McCartney at $1.3 billion, Bruce Springsteen at $1.17 billion and Rihanna at $1.03 billion.
Within country music specifically, Dolly Parton sits just behind Beyoncé with an estimated net worth of $650 million. Brooks comes in third at $400 million, with Shania Twain close behind at somewhere between $350 million and $410 million.
Related: Country Music Icon Garth Brooks Once Called This His Most 'Controversial' Song
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This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 9:35 AM.