Richest African musicians 2021, by net worth

Youssou N'Dour was the richest African musician in 2021. The Senegalese musician is among Africa’s most famous singers with a net worth of around 145 million U.S. dollars. In the ranking of the richest African musicians, he was followed by Akon, the American-Senegalese celebrity with a net worth of roughly 80 million U.S. dollars. The South African DJ Black Coffee ranked third in Africa. His net worth amounts to 60 million U.S. dollars.

Youssou N'Dour: music and politics

Born in 1959 in Dakar, Youssou N'Dour started making music during his teenage. He was nominated for prominent music awards throughout his long career as a songwriter, composer, and singer. N'Dour won the Best Song title at the MTV Europe Music Award in 1994 with the song “7 Seconds”. In 2005, he won the Grammy Award for the best contemporary world music album with the album "Egypt." Besides his success in the music industry, N'Dour also actively participated in his country's politics as a Ministry of Tourism between 2012 and 2013. Moreover, he generally engaged in social issues as an activist.

Large growth potential for Africa's music industry

The African continent has gradually emerged as a relevant player in the global music industry. In 2020, Sub-Saharan Africa's recorded music market grew by 10 percent compared to the previous year. Nevertheless, the region accounted for a limited share of the worldwide revenue. Africa and the Middle East contributed only 0.6 percent to the global music publishing revenue in 2020. The sector remains dominated by the United States and Canada, which accounted for around 40 percent of the sales. Europe was another main recorded music market, generating 30 percent of the global revenue.