Dr Dre tops the highest-paid musicians list with $620m... more than double what second placed Beyonce made

Dr Dre topped an annual list of highest-paid musicians released on Wednesday with estimated 2014 earnings of $620 million.

The 49-year-old rapper, producer and entrepreneur profited handsomely in May from the sale of the Beats headphone company he co-founded to Apple for $3 billion.

The deal not only made him the world's top-earning musician of 2014 but also marked the largest single-year haul ever of any musician, according to list compiler Forbes in its annual roundup.

Number one: Dr Dre, shown in October in West Hollywood, California, was named the highest-paid musician of 2014 with earnings of $620 million

Dr Dre, real name Andre Romelle Young, also had the widest margin in history between the first and second spots in the financial magazine's top-earning musicians list.

About half a billion dollars separated him from number two Beyonce, 33, who pulled in $155 million thanks to her Mrs. Carter Show tour, a surprise album and numerous endorsements.

The Eagles finished third and were the only other act to reach the nine-figure mark with earnings of $100 million due largely to their History Of The Eagles tour.

2010: Co-Founder reveals how Beats by Dre was born

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Distand secnd: Beyonce, shown performing in September in France, finished in second place about half a billion dollars behind Dr Dre

Bon Jovi marked the 30th anniversary of their first eponymous album with 2014 earnings of $82 million.

Perennial rocker Bruce Springsteen, 65, rounded out the top five with $81 million.

The Eagles, Bon Jovi and Springsteen all benefited from successful arena tours with relatively simple, and inexpensive, staging that helped keep costs down.

Going strong: Glenn Frey, left, and Don Henley are shown performing in May in Amsterdam

Each of the three legacy acts earned twice as much as younger musicians on the list, including Katy Perry with $40 million; Miley Cyrus with $36 million and Lady Gaga with $33 million.

The only acts under age 30 to make the top 10 were Justin Bieber, 20, with $80 million and boy-band One Direction with $75 million.

Madonna was the highest-paid musician in the world in 2013 with earnings of $125 million.

Dr Dre previously finished in the top spot for musicians in 2012 when Forbes estimated his earnings at $110 million.

Fourth place: Jon Bon Jovi, shown performing in August in New York, saw his band finish fourth