Material girls: Madonna's cool £36m sees her top chart of high-earning women musicians

(Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

What do the following women have in common: Barbra Streisand and Christina Aguilera? Beyoncé and Mariah Carey? Celine Dion and Shakira?

Not their measurements, curiously enough. In fact, these are the eclectic bunch who make up some of the top 10 highest earning women musicians. Heading the list was Madonna, who, between June 2006 and June 2007, made £36.2m, despite taking time off to adopt orphans. Mariah Carey was the 10th highest earner, with £6.5m. Beyoncé and Christina Aguilera, who both claimed to have been inspired by Carey, were at five and seven. At six, eight and nine were Gwen Stefani, Faith Hill and the Dixie Chicks. So Carey misses the top four, pictured right, which just goes to show that writing your own music, as she does, is not always the way to win.

Madonna, £36.2m

Guinness World Records' 'world's most successful female musician' also signed a £60m deal with concert promoters Live Nation last year

Barbra Streisand, £30.1m

She's hardly your average pensioner – and Streisand came out of retirement last year for a £30m-grossing world tour

Celine Dion, £22.6m

The Canadian singer's heart will go on, and so will her earnings – her Taking Chances world tour begins on 14 February

Shakira, £19.1m

Singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, philanthropist. Asked by Gabriel Garcia Marquez to write for the 'Love in the Time of Cholera' soundtrack