Taylor Swift tops pop's rich list of 2011

Despite having only scored one UK hit of note, Taylor Swift has been named the highest-earning pop artists of 2011.

The 22-year-old country music star earned $35,719,902 (22.7m) in 2011 from music sales, touring and royalties, putting her ahead of more prolific artists such as Adele and Lady Gaga.

U2 placed second with earnings of $32.1million, while Kenny Chesney placed at No.3, proving the US country music scene is one of the world's most lucrative music markets, Kenny Chesney placed second in the earnings league-table while Gaga, the biggest earner of 2010, was in third. Adele placed No.10 on the countdown published by America's Billboard magazine.

Taylor Swift has sold almost 20million albums since 2006, and scored a UK Top Ten hit in 2008 with her track, 'Love Story'.