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    These are the richest musicians in the UK - no prizes for guessing who's top

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    By Marie Claire
    Published 21 April 2016 In News

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    Lend us a fiver, love

    In further proof that Adele really does rule all, she 27-year-old singer has been named the richest female musician in Britain. Nice one, Adkins.

    In a list put together by The Sunday Times, Adele’s fortunes are believed to have more than doubled in the past year, with earnings going from £35million to an astonishing £85million.

    And in case you’ve been living under a pop culture blocking rock, her skyrocketing bank balance isn’t down to nifty stock market game, the singer released her third, and highly anticipated album, 25, in November.

    Since then she has sold 20million copies of the album and embarked on her first tour since 2011, playing to millions of fans.

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    Before 25 was released, she had already made £17m in royalties from previous albums, 17 and 21.

    Adele also tops the list of musicians under 30 – and very comfortably. Singer and songwriter to some of the world’s biggest pop stars, Ed Sheeran comes in at second place, but £40m below her, pocketing £45m last year.

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    Ian Coxon, who has edited the Sunday Times Rich List for 20 years, says he expects Adele’s earnings to continue to grow substaintially.

    ‘Adele is only 27 so I would see her getting in the main list of the richest 1,000 in a couple of years - she is only £15 to £20 million away now,’ he said.

    Other notable appearances on the under 30 list include Sam Smith and Florence Welch who both earned £8m in the last 12 months taking their fortunes to £20m, and One Direction who have a combined earning on £132m.

    While Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne and Niall Horan made £8m each, taking their worth up to £33m; Zayn Malik’s bank account felt the brunt (well, not really but still…) of quitting the boy band, by earning £5m, making him worth £30m.

    Anyone else feeling like a total under-achiever?

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