Taylor Swift’s net worth doubled to $2 billion by March 2026, according to Forbes‘ new “Iconoclast 50” list, making her the richest female musician in history. The milestone stems from her record-breaking “Eras Tour,” which generated $2.2 billion in revenue as the highest-grossing concert tour ever, plus earnings from recent albums including Tortured Poets Department and Life Of A Showgirl. Swift used tour proceeds to purchase her original masters for an estimated $360 million. Forbes also credits her 2020 decision to re-record her discography, which allowed royalties to flow directly to her while inspiring other artists to reclaim their music ownership. Despite this achievement, Jay-Z remains the wealthiest living musician with a $2.8 billion net worth. Jay-Z remains the wealthiest musician overall with $2.8 billion, while Rihanna and Beyoncé each hold $1 billion valuations. Story URL
Ace Frehley’s legendary 1975 Les Paul guitar sold for $512,000 through Julien’s Auction House as part of their Music Icon series. The instrument served as KISS’s primary guitar from 1975 to 1979, appearing in studio recordings and live performances including the famous 1977 Nippon Budokan shows. Additional Frehley memorabilia sold included his 1997 Les Paul Custom from Super Bowl XXXIII’s pre-game ceremony for $76,800, a light show Les Paul from the 1996 KISS reunion tour for $57,600, and a stage-worn Destroyer costume mannequin with signed sheet music for $51,200. Other items included an acoustic guitar from KISS’s 1995 MTV Unplugged appearance ($28,800), a jumpsuit gifted by New York Dolls’ Arthur Kane ($11,520), and a Rock and Roll Over-era bomber jacket ($8,960). The late KISS guitarist passed away in October 2025 at age 74 following a fall at his home studio. Story URL
Alice Cooper guitarist and solo artist Nita Strauss has given birth to her first child with husband Josh Villalta. The couple welcomed son Maxwell James Villalta on May 28th, weighing 7 pounds, 6 ounces, and measuring 20 inches long. Strauss shared her joy with People magazine, saying: “We’re in the full on newborn trenches: exhausted, running on fumes and figuring new parenthood out as we go, and it’s still been the most fulfilling and incredible time of our lives.” The couple listened to Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters” during labor preparation. Villalta explained: “As we prepared to meet our son, the song seemed to capture exactly how we felt that day, nothing else mattered except the love we shared and the new life we were about to welcome into the world.” Strauss is taking maternity leave from Alice Cooper’s band, with guitarist Anna Cara substituting on the 2026 tour. Story URL
The Prince Estate will release Timeless, a 10-track collection featuring previously unreleased recordings spanning from 1977 to 2016, arriving August 28th. The album showcases material from Prince’s legendary vault across his entire career. A new single “Stone,” recorded in spring 1995, accompanied the announcement. The estate previously released “With This Tear” in April, a complete Prince solo performance recorded at Paisley Park in November 1991. The announcement coincides with Prince Celebration 2026, taking place June 3-7 across Paisley Park and Minneapolis, featuring exclusive listening sessions and appearances from NPG and The Revolution members. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey proclaimed June 1-7 as “Prince Celebration Week,” with the city skyline illuminated purple on June 6th. Story URL
Soul Asylum revealed tour dates alongside their upcoming live album MPLS Unplugged, documenting their 2023 MTV Unplugged performance. The band begins with UK and European shows through June, then returns to North America for July and August dates in Milwaukee, Worcester, Las Vegas, Calgary, and Winnipeg. Fall brings Central and South American performances. Tickets go on sale today. MPLS Unplugged releases August 28th, recorded at Minneapolis’ State Theatre in April 2023 with keyboardist Ivan Neville, STRINGenius string quartet, and Robert Robinson Gospel Singers. The album features previously stage-only tracks “What Will Become of Me” and “Farmer John,” plus hits “Runaway Train,” “Black Gold,” “Somebody to Shove,” and “Misery.” Their latest studio effort Slowly But Shirley came out in 2024. Story URL