James Taylor – $60 million
Greatest Hits: Paint It Black, Night Owl
James Taylor won five Grammys and was inducted by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He’s one of the best-selling singers to 100 million records sold worldwide. He made his breakout with the “Fire and Rain” soundtrack, preceded by the cover of You’ve Got a Buddy by Carole King.” He also covered several popular songs including How Sweet It Is,” “Handy Man” and “Sweet Baby James.” His first number-one U.S. album wasn’t issued until later with Before This World release in 2015.
James Taylor
Carole King – $70 million
Greatest Hits: It’s Too Late, Nightingale, Jazzman
From 1950-2000, Carole King was one of the most influential female songwriters ever. She wrote or co-wrote 118 Billboard Hot 100 tracks. That’s America alone. She published sixty-one hits that entered the UK charts, making her also the most successful female songwriter. She debuted many songs, including her breakout, Writer and Tapestry. Tapestry remained in America’s rankings for almost four months and stayed on the charts six years after. Her 2012 Hollywood Queen.
Carole King
