Rock star net worths.

[MuinXing]

Originally Posted by Peepaleep

Geezer wrote the lyrics, so I am sure he got a larger chunk of the publishing.

I'm also pretty sure ozzy was broke by the time he met sharon. What I find fascinating is that for all of ozzies time on the road being a money whore having his own tv show and tours brandings etc, he's made only 50 percent more money than a fellow band mate that only spent a few years as a working musician. When it's obvious his wife is good with money it only confuses things.


Being a cynic you'd think the bassplayer that no one has ever heard of would only have a fraction of his money.


Also I think geezer was able to demand an exceptional amount of money out of ozzy for the reuion tour.

[dhsierra1]

my understanding is that song-writing is the thing along with prudent licencing of those songs, manage to live w/in your means, and good investments/business opportunities are the way to go as a musician.

[sevdog]

Originally Posted by Misfit

Yeah, that kind of goes along with what I said in my post above. How is Trey Anastasio on this list? When was Phish ever even remotely big? I can't even fathom the idea that being in Phish made him $75 million. He must be a shrewed businessmen on the side or something. And how is Steven Adler on the list but not Matt Sorum? Whatever.

When I was in college Phish was that big, still makes me sick to my stomach to think about my roommate doing his douchey little hippie dance and telling everyone to shutup and listen to the "jam."

I wouldn't have guessed Sammy Hagar would be that rich except I just started working in San Antonio and there are 3 FM stations that still play "I can't drive 55" like it's the next big thing...also makes me sick to my stomach.

[sevdog]

I also just noticed that there are 2 women on that list. Not extremely surprising but pretty f----- up nonetheless.

[jbednarski]

Originally Posted by Peepaleep

Geezer wrote the lyrics, so I am sure he got a larger chunk of the publishing.

It's all about song writing royalties. Being just a musician pays the least (even Charlie Watts needs to tour to keep his income in the black as opposed to Mick and Keith who get all the royalties).

When I was in the music promotions business (70s-80s) every year Billboard magazine would publish a royalties issue with the ranking of who got the most that year for publishing. Elton, The Beatles (George at the time was making the most as Michael Jackson had bought the rights to most of the Lennon McCartney tunes), etc. were on the list but the one item that always stayed with me was the fact that Sting got $2,000. per day every year for royalities on one song (Every Breath You Take), so imagine what all the other Police songs were bringing in.

When I met Steve Boone, bassist for The Lovin' Spoonful, 15 years ago he said that he got roughly 100K at the end of every year since the late sixties for being co-writer of "Do You Believe in Magic" and "Summer in the City".

I keep telling my kids to be the song writer and/or singer in their bands. The writer gets most of the money and the singer always has a gig vs the other musicians. Case in point is Adam Levine form Maroon 5, now a judge on The Voice. What do the other guys do while he's doing his TV thing, play bar gigs?

[MuinXing]

Originally Posted by dhsierra1

my understanding is that song-writing is the thing along with prudent licencing of those songs, manage to live w/in your means, and good investments/business opportunities are the way to go as a musician.

While it's obvious that song writing credits will always make you the best payed member of the group, I think it's clear judging by the list of drummers presented that there are other factors involved.


For one bands typically get trapped in motown deals, in their early careers. Meaning a band that has a smash album may make nothing at all despite writing all the songs on the album.

While a band that produces an album on their own label is set for life.

Also reunion tours seem to be a huge factor.

Another factor is reprints of vinyl's to cd's seems to be a huge boost to a bands wealth.

It seems that the best way to be truly rich as a rockstar is the ability to have a second career, where one gets all the premimum options.

[Kmonk]

Originally Posted by MuinXing

Meh actually it's almost the opposite in some ways. My basic point is that the rock stars that are worth alot do it mainly through career moves, as rockstars make poor hedge fund managers.

Also this isn't about pinning for money or something.

It's about a musicians career, something that I think is highly relevant.

I think if you follow the link to making good career choices and good music, and a musicians net worth it's hard to think it's unimportant.

I'm not saying its unimportant but I honestly don't care how much money anyone else makes. We all have the opportunity to better ourselves. The problem is that too many people are so concerned with what their friends, neighbors, other family members and celebrities are doing that they never take the time to improve their own situation. If people would spend more time worrying about themselves instead of everyone else sites like Twitter wouldn't be so popular.

[MuinXing]

Originally Posted by Kmonk

I'm not saying its unimportant but I honestly don't care how much money anyone else makes. We all have the opportunity to better ourselves. The problem is that too many people are so concerned with what their friends, neighbors, other family members and celebrities are doing that they never take the time to improve their own situation. If people would spend more time worrying about themselves instead of everyone else sites like Twitter wouldn't be so popular.

You do understand what your saying goes way off topic.

I get that you don't care for the thread but what non musicians do with money is totally irrelevant.

[two fingers]

I didn't read every post so someone may have chimed in on this (cuz it's pretty obvious). The rock stars with the most money are the ones who WROTE hits, not just performed them. WRITING and OWNING songs is where the money is. So it matters lees how many albums different artists sold (although is does matter, just not as much) but whether or not you own it. If you own it, you get payed every time it plays on the radio, someone covers it, it's used in a movie, it's on a "Best of the 80s" CD of some other collection, and every single copy that sells be it a CD or iTunes. The same goes for all genres. I bet Brad Paisley is worth a lot more than some other famous country singers because he writes (at least part of) a lot of his songs.

Plus, as some already said, it's all about how you MANAGE your money. If you made it and blew it you don't have any more. If you made it and saved it, your net worth is still high (again pretty obvious).

[MuinXing]

Originally Posted by two fingers

I didn't read every post so someone may have chimed in on this (cuz it's pretty obvious). The rock stars with the most money are the ones who WROTE hits, not just performed them. WRITING and OWNING songs is where the money is. So it matters lees how many albums different artists sold (although is does matter, just not as much) but whether or not you own it. If you own it, you get payed every time it plays on the radio, someone covers it, it's used in a movie, it's on a "Best of the 80s" CD of some other collection, and every single copy that sells be it a CD or iTunes. The same goes for all genres. I bet Brad Paisley is worth a lot more than some other famous country singers because he writes (at least part of) a lot of his songs.

Plus, as some already said, it's all about how you MANAGE your money. If you made it and blew it you don't have any more. If you made it and saved it, your net worth is still high (again pretty obvious).

Well obiously if you spend every cent you have you'll never be rich.

However I think the idea that if you write your own songs your gonna be rich is overly exaggerated.

You can look at the number of drummers on the other list who do not write songs in the least, who seem to have more wealth, than guys who have written multimillion selling albums.

A writer might get 50 cents an album if the writing deal is not great, while a drummer in a sucessful band may get 2.00 dollars an album if properly situated.

[pnut166]

Originally Posted by sevdog

I wouldn't have guessed Sammy Hagar would be that rich except I just started working in San Antonio and there are 3 FM stations that still play "I can't drive 55" like it's the next big thing...also makes me sick to my stomach.

Hagar made the bulk of his dough on his Cabo Wabo brand. He sold his tequila venture a few years ago for somewhere around 80 million He`s since started a rum brand that is taking off, and a hotel / bar chain I think. He`s proving to be a better businessman / marketer than musician.

[pnut166]

Originally Posted by Kmonk

I honestly don't care how much money anyone else makes. If people would spend more time worrying about themselves instead of everyone else sites like Twitter wouldn't be so popular.

With all due respect, if you "don`t care"...why do you keep raining on the thread ? " Worry about yourself ", not us. I see nothing wrong with having a passing curiosity in this thread topic.

[Stewie26]

Wow, the big surprise for me is Jimmy Buffett's net worth
is near the top of the list at $400M. I know he had a few hits but I never would have called him a super star. He must have invested his money wisely.

[walkerci]

Originally Posted by Jared Lash

I do believe she was his manager long before they were married.

The guy who surprises me is Lionel Richie. I do believe he's worth somewhere north of $200 million.

He's a graduate of Tuskegee University, majored in Economics.

I believe some of the other Commodores were Business majors.

In any case, Mr. Richie is a very talented and very business savvy guy.

[::::BASSIST::::]

Originally Posted by Stewie26

Wow, the big surprise for me is Jimmy Buffett's net worth
is near the top of the list at $400M. I know he had a few hits but I never would have called him a super star. He must have invested his money wisely.

It doesn't make sense does it?

He has double the wealth of guys like Springsteen who has sold millions and millions of albums, tours etc.

I put Buffet more in the 'one hit wonder' category.

I don't get it.

[CnB77]

Originally Posted by Misfit

Yeah, that kind of goes along with what I said in my post above. How is Trey Anastasio on this list? When was Phish ever even remotely big? I can't even fathom the idea that being in Phish made him $75 million. He must be a shrewed businessmen on the side or something. And how is Steven Adler on the list but not Matt Sorum? Whatever.

Phish is huge. They were never a radio band, and they aren't churning out albums either. They literally grew through word of mouth and still pack giant venues today. That plus he's probably wisely invested.

[trevcda]

Originally Posted by ::::BASSIST::::

It doesn't make sense does it?

He has double the wealth of guys like Springsteen who has sold millions and millions of albums, tours etc.

I put Buffet more in the 'one hit wonder' category.

I don't get it.

Really?! It's lifestyle music. Same thing Hagar is doing but ten years earlier. There are Parrot-heads everywhere. When they go to a show they spend some serious coin, not just a sixer of PBR in the parking lot and a t-shirt. Add to that the Magaritaville brand name encompassing restaurants/bars, appliances, booze and other accessories and you've got a nice little empire going. I play in a Buffet-ish tribute band, not because I especially like the music, but because we play for a people in the 30 to 60 age bracket that have the expendable income to make it worth my while and allowing me to do other things that don't pay so well. Jimmy and/or his accountants are shrewd businessmen. No accident there.

[Stewie26]

Originally Posted by ::::BASSIST::::

It doesn't make sense does it?

He has double the wealth of guys like Springsteen who has sold millions and millions of albums, tours etc.

I put Buffet more in the 'one hit wonder' category.

I don't get it.

His hits were in the early 80's. Maybe he invested in some stock with some unknown companies at the time. Lets see, like Apple, Microsoft, Intel and so on.

[hdracer]

Originally Posted by Stewie26

His hits were in the early 80's. Maybe he invested in some stock with some unknown companies at the time. Lets see, like Apple, Microsoft, Intel and so on.

Or real estate in the Keys?

[guy n. cognito]

Originally Posted by ::::BASSIST::::

It doesn't make sense does it?

He has double the wealth of guys like Springsteen who has sold millions and millions of albums, tours etc.

I put Buffet more in the 'one hit wonder' category.

I don't get it.

Buffett is a touring and marketing machine. He has his name on a successful line of restaurants. He does product branding that Springsteen couldn't even dream of. He has built a loyal (albeit a bit creepy) fan base, some of which follow him around the country. He still packs outdoor festivals every time he plays. He's more than a musician.....he's a smart business man.

And that's coming from someone who's definitely not a fan!

Edit for those who are google impaired http://www.buffettworld.com/business-empire/