Surprise Millionaires: Musicians with Astonishing Net Worths
Show business is one of the hardest arenas to break into, and an even harder one to make money from. Even before the barrier of entry to making music became lower than ever, most musicians struggle to make ends meet as they pursue their passions.
Despite what some may think, this doesn't necessarily change if they're signed to a major label because their records deals can often be predatory and leave them deeper in debt when all is said and done. Still, some do make it. While mega-stars like Taylor Swift and Rihanna couldn't hide their wealth if they wanted to, some have managed to keep it low-key.
Sammy Hagar - $150 Million
Although one might expect that a long-term key membership of Van Halen — which was one of the biggest bands in the world throughout the '80s — would lead a man like Sammy Hagar to do fairly well. However, Hagar was not only successful in his own right before he joined the band, but he kept that success going after he left.
According to Yahoo! Finance, Hagar's current $150 net worth came from more than his music. His Cabo Wabo Cantina restaurant opened a lot of doors for him, as its success provided the right launching point for a tequila brand, a string of other restaurants, and a liquor collaboration with Rick Springfield.
Gloria Estefan -$500 Million
As Parade noted, Gloria Estefan has every reason to be regarded as a deeply influential and respected musician. Not only did she bring Latin pop to the mainstream ten years before the world caught up in the '90s, but the Cuban-born musician had long been successful in Latin markets by that time. Still, even a decades-spanning career that began in the '70s isn't always enough to amass $500 million.
However, Estefan has long diversified her efforts and found success at each turn. She's a children's author who has found herself on the New York Times bestseller list, an actress who has seen even more roles in recent years than she did before 2020, the co-producer of the Broadway musical On Your Feet!, and the co-owner of six Florida restaurants and two hotels. That staggering net worth makes more sense now.
Herb Alpert - $850 Million
As a trumpeter, singer, and band leader of the Tijuana Brass, Herb Alpert enjoyed a reliable run of hits during the '60s and scored two number-one hits in 1968 and 1979. Yet, while that can certainly explain a level of success that reaches the millions, that doesn't make Celebrity Net Worth's estimate of his $850 million fortune any less staggering.
As the website explained, however, the biggest source of his riches is the fact that he is the co-founder of A&M Records, a label successful enough that it sold to Polygram for $500 Million. However, it seems even this wasn't a fair valuation of the label's worth, as he won an additional $200 million from a lawsuit.
Chamillionaire - $50 Million
Although he made significant waves with the success of his catchy yet righteously defiant song "Ridin'" in 2005, those who aren't familiar with the Texas rapper's story after his big hit may consider the name Chamillionaire sadly ironic. However, even those who assumed he was smart enough to save the money he earned will be surprised to learn that he's richer than he's ever been.
As Forbes reported, Chamillionaire has long proven himself to be a shrewd and visionary investor because he saw the potential of Maker Studios, Lyft, Ring, and Cruise before those brands became household names. Thanks to his angel investing in these ambitious ideas, Celebrity Net Worth credits the rapper for amassing a $50 million fortune.
Tim Armstrong - $13 Million
Although Tim Armstrong has undertaken many creative pursuits and written songs for other artists, it's likely that the bulk of his estimated $13 million net worth have come from his longtime contributions to California's punk scene.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Armstrong was battling addiction and homelessness when Rancid—his flagship band—began. However, their innovative brand of grimy, street-wise hardcore punk propelled the band to such a status that they sold four million records worldwide. Further revenues came from another successful band he helped launch in the 2000s called The Transplants, which blended elements of hip-hop into their punk foundation.
Ian MacKaye - $5 Million
Although Ian MacKaye's net worth is far from the largest listed here, it's nonetheless sure to be surprising to fans who know what he's all about. As the frontman of Minor Threat and Fugazi and the co-founder of Washington D.C. punk label Dischord Records, MacKaye has long been established as a legendary figure in the hardcore punk scene.
He's also known for his strong anti-capitalist bent and has kept the prices of his music intentionally low. Nonetheless, he's still a long-time record label executive who owns a catalog of music that people still buy and listen to today. That puts someone like MacKaye in the position where they can make $5 million — as Celebrity Net Worth estimated — whether they want to or not.
Celine Dion - $800 Million
Considering her long career as a respected singer — especially in her native Canada — the past successes of her long-term Las Vegas residency, and the undeniable juggernaut success of "My Heart Will Go On," it doesn't come as the biggest surprise to learn that Celine Dion is a multi-millionaire.
Nonetheless, that doesn't mean that most people are likely to assume she's as close to billionaire status as she is. According to Global News, even the prestige and lucre of a music career that saw her record 27 albums in multiple languages doesn't quite account for all of her wealth. Dion also has a diverse portfolio of other business ventures, including a perfume line and a restaurant chain called Nickels.
Johnny Mathis - $400 Million
Most of the time, a musician who makes hundreds of millions of dollars has a reason behind that incredible wealth besides their music. However, Celebrity Net Worth's $400 million estimate for Johnny Mathis's wealth suggests that he's the exception that proves the rule.
Although he filmed 12 TV specials and made 300 TV appearances throughout his career, Mathis's impressive fortune seems to have been powered by his sheer popularity and longevity. Of the 70 studio albums he has made, 12 of them reached the top ten in Billboard's album charts, and he's sold at least 350 million records.
Kandi Burruss - $30 Million
Although much of Kandi Burruss's modern prominence and revenue can be attributed to the popularity she attracted as a cast member of The Real Housewives Of Atlanta, the truth is that she's had her hand in many projects in the past that continue to pay dividends to this day.
As The South China Morning Post noted, Burruss first rose to fame as a member of the long-running R&B group Xscape, but her greatest accolades came from the songs she wrote for others. Some of the most famous among her compositions were Destiny Child's "Bills, Bills, Bills" and TLC's "No Scrubs," for which she won a Grammy. The newspaper estimates her net worth at $30 million.
Macklemore - $25 Million
While Macklemore and Ryan Lewis's album The Heist was deeply successful, and the pair got to keep the majority of their proceeds due to their efforts to maintain their independence, Celebrity Net Worth estimate of the rapper's net worth at $25 million may still be a little surprising.
After all, Macklemore struggled to find further hits after the lead single from his sophomore effort, "Downtown," and his further releases have seen spotty critical reception. However, it's worth remembering that he and Lewis were a successful touring act before The Heist, and Macklemore has been able to engage in high-profile tours even after he and Lewis stopped working together in 2017.
Victoria Beckham - $70 Million
Although Victoria Beckham certainly saw some major success as a member of the Spice Girls, it's also clear that the fortune she's amassed since has easily dwarfed those of her former bandmates. As is often the case, that's not because of music.
Although The Economic Times noted that her prominent marriage to David Beckham had a significant effect in raising her profile, the actual bulk of her estimated $70 million fortune came from her incredibly successful fashion enterprise. Interestingly, it seems her fashion label has become bigger than ever in recent years, as revenues jumped 42% by the end of 2022.
Lars Frederiksen - $13 Million
Although it's true that many punk musicians will never receive (nor want, for that matter) millions of dollars throughout their careers, Lars Frederiksen is one of the lucky few who managed to parlay the originality of his band's sound into prominence.
Since Rancid sold four million records, it's not hard to imagine that the $13 million fortune Celebrity Net Worth estimated largely stemmed from the band's success. However, his stakes in the NYHC Tattoo parlor in New York City and Skunx Tattoo in Tokyo are likely also significant revenue streams for Frederiksen.
Julio Iglesias - $600 Million
Although it stands to reason that a famous singer with a career spanning half a century would amass some serious money, it may nonetheless be surprising to learn that he's richer than his famous son, Enrique. While Celebrity Net Worth estimates his son's total fortune at $100 million, the elder Iglesias has a net worth as high as $600 million.
As the website explains, at least half of this fortune is attributable to Iglesias's considerable real estate holdings. In addition to multiple lots on Miami's Indian Creek Island valued at $150 million, he owns several hotels throughout the Dominican Republic and co-owns the major airport in the Dominican city of Punta Cana.
Enya - $150 Million
Starting with her single "Orinoco Flow" from 1988's Watermark, Enya became an international sensation until the early 2000s. According to Celebrity Net Worth, her 2001 album A Day Without Rain was both the best-selling new age album of all time and the fifth best selling album of that tragic year due to the success of the comforting single, "Only Time."
Although Enya has remained private and mysterious even at the height of her fame and hasn't seen much mainstream attention since, she's also scored multiple movies and TV shows. Based on her earlier success and her continued efforts, Celebrity Net Worth estimated her total fortune at a staggering $150 million.
Shania Twain - $400 Million
Considering the global fame Shania Twain achieved in the '90s with her album Come On Over and the expected royalties from that album's continued success to the present day, it's not exactly surprising to learn that she remains a millionaire. Still, if people had to guess at her net worth, it's still unlikely they'd guess as high as $400 million.
Nonetheless, that is what Global News reported as her estimated net worth. Although a long hiatus resulted in a slim discography of eight albums across 30 years, the two albums that immediately followed her success contributed to a momentum that earned her multiple Grammys and 13 Juno awards. Although much of her success likely came from the Canadian market, she nonetheless had two high-profile residencies in Las Vegas.
Bhad Bhabie - $25 Million
Also known by her birth name Danielle Bregoli, this Florida rapper shot to viral fame in 2016 after a Dr. Phil appearance led her to coin a surprisingly massive meme by shouting, "Catch me outside, how 'bout that?" She worked quickly to capitalize on her odd celebrity and hatedom by launching a rap career as Bhad Bhabie.
Although Forbes described her rap career as "moderately successful," it served as another reason to garner her attention, which kept engagement on her social media profiles high. This led her to launch an incredibly high-profile account on OnlyFans, which reportedly made her $49 million in 2021 alone. Celebrity Net Worth has since estimated her fortune at $25 million.
Bill Kaulitz - $30 Million
Those who don't recognize Bill Kaulitz's name may remember him with a younger face and much wilder hair, as he's the founding frontman of the emo-styled rock band, Tokio Hotel. While they certainly enjoyed some fame in the United States in the late 2000s and early 2010's, it's not unreasonable to expect that window would be too small for Kaulitz to have $30 million to his name.
However, that was the valuation Celebrity Net Worth estimated. To explain it, an article in the German news outlet DW explained that by the time they had started to see overseas attention, Tokio Hotel had already sold six million records in their native Germany. Indeed, their success in Europe continues to this day.
Morten Harket - $60 Million
In 1984, the band A-ha released a massive and enduring hit that's known across the world called "Take On Me." For many Americans, the knowledge that the lead singer of a band that enjoyed only one hit in the nation can boast a $60 million fortune seems inconceivable.
However, it's not only true that even more Europeans recognize Morten Harket's name and face but they're also unlikely to be too surprised by Celebrity Net Worth's eight-figure valuation. As Rolling Stone explained, that's because A-ha continued to have a string of Top Ten hits for decades throughout Europe after their one American hit petered out. Even that one hit still sold out stadiums in the U.S. by the time of their final album, by the way.
Tech N9ne - $20 Million
Although he may not be a household name, it's worth noting that Kansas city rapper Tech N9ne is likely richer than many artists who are. Thanks to his extreme work ethic and consistently interesting music that matches his lightning-fast rap skills with challenging topics, he has amassed an incredibly dedicated fanbase.
Since his music is produced independently through his Strange Music label, that adoration and loyalty even in the face of his intense touring schedule and incredibly prolific catalogue have brought him to a millionaire status that outmatches his level of fame. As such, Celebrity Net Worth estimated his total fortune at $20 million.
Psy - $60 Million
While it's true that Psy's "Gangnam Style" was a world-conquering hit that shattered YouTube viewing records after its release in 2012, it didn't exactly escape the notice of Americans that neither of his follow-up singles "Gentleman" or "Hangover" faced diminishing returns. However, they still performed well enough to be Top 40 hits (top ten in the case of "Gentleman").
Even if they hadn't, it's easy forget that Psy was already very popular in South Korea before his unlikely crossover hit and continued to sell out stadiums there afterward. CNN also reported that Psy founded his own record label called P-Nation, which likely has its own significant contributions to Celebrity Net Worth's $60 million estimate of his fortune.
Tori Kelly - $3 Million
When a musician powers their career through a YouTube audience, it can put them at a strange level of fame. It's possible to get big enough on that platform to forge legitimate industry connections, to make some serious money, and for millions of fans to subscribe.
However, the platform is large enough that it's possible for most people to have never heard of even a deeply successful YouTuber. And while her profile was certainly risen by an American Idol appearance, Celebrity Net Worth largely credits Tori Kelly's gold and platinum singles to her ability to maintain her YouTube audience in its $3 million estimate of her wealth.
James Bay - $8 Million
Although James Bay's 2015 debut album, Chaos And Calm, earned him three Grammy nominations the following year and reached #15 on the Billboard album charts, it's not necessarily difficult to find people in The United States who have never heard of him.
So, why has Celebrity Net Worth seen fit to estimate his fortune at $8 million? Well, he not only charted much higher in his native U.K., but he enjoyed more consistent success both there and throughout Europe (as well as in Australia and New Zealand) with the records that followed.
Dhani Harrison - $275 Million
If Dhani Harrison's face and name seem familiar, they're both a clue to the biggest reason for his estimated $275 million fortune. Although Harrison is a musician in his own right, he's also the son of the late Beatle George Harrison.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, his father had a $400 million net worth at the time of his passing, and the estate was split evenly between Harrison and his father's widow, Olivia. If the website's valuation is accurate, that means he can at least say he earned that additional $75 million on his own.
Yo Gotti - $100 Million
While hip-hop moguls like Jay-Z and Dr.Dre are as known for their impressive business acumen as they are for their craft, some are a little quieter about how rich they really are. In the case of Yo Gotti, this is an ironic position to be in because his brief success as a rapper during the mid-2010s featured a great deal of braggadocio about his wealth.
As Celebrity Net Worth explained, however, his rap career hasn't been the most significant driving force behind his estimated $100 million net worth. Instead, the fact that he founded the Collective Music Group record label is vital to his wealth, as he also profits from the successes of Moneybagg Yo, Blac Youngsta, EST Gee, and most recently, GloRilla.
Ray-J - $14 Million
Although Ray-J's acting and his career as an R&B singer made him a prominent name during the '90s, he's often been dogged by accusations that his career was only possible thanks to the support of his sister, Brandi. After all, he most regularly acted on her show Moesha and and one of his most successful singles was a collaboration with her.
However, Celebrity Net Worth noted that his estimated $14 million net worth has also been strongly stimulated by his hotly demanded Raycon earbuds, as they're often promoted by various YouTubers. Interestingly, he also earned an average of $360,000 a year in royalties from the racy tape he filmed with Kim Kardashian in 2007.
French Montana - $35 Million
Throughout the 2010s, it seemed that almost every major artist featured Moroccan-born rapper French Montana on at least one of their songs. According to Celebrity Net Worth, his own singles through Bad Boy Records and Rick Ross's Maybach Music Group brought enough attention to his music that his music has amassed 13 billion streams.
While the days of French Montana's ubiquity seem to be largely behind him, he nonetheless sustained enough success and brokered enough real estate deals from the proceeds of that success to amass an estimated $35 million fortune.
Plácido Domingo - $230 Million
Although Plácido Domingo may not be a familiar name to some music fans, he's considered a bona fide legend in the world of opera. Praised for his talent and versatility, the tenor is also an accomplished conductor who has sung in Spanish, Italian, English, French, German, and Russian in some of the world's biggest opera houses.
As Hans Abbing wrote in The Economies of Serious and Popular Art: How They Diverged and Reunited, Domingo's international appeal and respect in such a prestigious institution has also proved incredibly lucrative for him. It doesn't hurt that he achieved considerable mainstream success as a member of the Three Tenors. So much so that his fortune is estimated at $230 million.
Faye Wong - $150 Million
Even with the understanding that it's very possible to be famous in international markets without making a peep stateside, it's easy to be taken aback by Celebrity Net Worth's $150 million estimate of Chinese singer and actress Faye Wong's fortune.
As the website explained, she's released 15 albums since finding her footing in Hong Kong and several of them have set sales records throughout Asia. Her acting career has also seen her appear in popular international films like Chungking Express and Chinese Odyssey 2002. In Asian markets, that nine-figure estimate of her wealth likely doesn't seem so farfetched.
Anni-Frid Lyngstad - $300 Million
Anni-Frid Lyngstad is best known as a singer in the Swedish pop group ABBA, but that doesn't quite explain how she came into a position that left her with a fortune Celebrity Net Worth estimated at an incredible $300 million. After she left the band in 1982, things were just beginning for Lyngstad.
This is partially because she embarked on a solo career that brought her decades of success both throughout Europe and in her native Sweden. However, it's also worth noting that Lyngstad is the widow of Prince Heinrich Ruzzo de Reuss, which makes her both the Dowager Princess of the principality of Reuss and Countess of another area called Plauen.
Adam Clayton - $400 Million
Sometimes, a person's wealth doesn't come from them being a household name, but by being part of a band that has that status. And the fact that Adam Clayton has served as the bassist for the band U2 since 1976 has proved incredibly lucrative for the musician.
There are only a few bands in the world who can boast the kind of sustained, decades-spanning success that U2 has enjoyed and almost none of them can say they've never changed their original lineup. Although Celebrity Net Worth mentioned their $400 Million estimate of Clayton's wealth also includes his global real estate holdings, even a lesser-known member of a band can profit mightily under those rare circumstances.
Birdman - $150 Million
The level of surprise one may have at Birdman's $150 million net worth — as estimated by Celebrity Net Worth — depends entirely on how ardently they've followed hip-hop culture over the years. If they remember a few of his hits as part of the Big Tymers or have seen him rub his hands in Lil Wayne's videos, he may not seem like a big enough rapper to amass such a war chest.
However, his status as the founder and CEO of Cash Money Records makes his fortune a no-brainer to hardcore hip-hop fans. After all, some of the most successful rappers in the modern area — such as Lil Wayne, Drake, and Nicki Minaj — all experienced their meteoric rises while signed to Cash Money. Whenever they made millions back then, so did Birdman.
Jose Carreras - $250 Million
On the one hand, it's hard to think of an opera act that has ever achieved the level of success that the famous Three Tenors did. However, it's also easy to assume that most of the wealth and prestige from this supergroup would go to its most famous member, Luciano Pavarotti. Indeed, even those familiar with Plácido Domingo sometimes have a habit of referring to Jose Carreras as "the other guy."
However, he's still considered an international opera star in his own right, and the fact that the Three Tenors' debut at the 1990 FIFA World Cup Final is the best selling classical album of all time certainly wouldn't hurt his wealth and prestige.
Roger Taylor - $250 Million
Although Roger Taylor has hung in there as the founding drummer of Queen since 1969, Celebrity Net Worth noted that it wasn't just his longevity with an enduring, beloved band that factored into their $250 Million estimate of his fortune.
Indeed, it's worth remembering that Taylor also wrote songs for the band, with at least one of his compositions typically appearing on each album. Since his writing credits include hits like "Under Pressure," the continued success of these songs also means decades of royalties for him.
Ronnie Wood - $200 Million
When someone is able to stay with a famously volatile band for decades, they tend to be rewarded for if that band is able to maintain their fame over that period. And while such bands are few and far between, The Rolling Stones are definitely one of them.
Since Ronnie Wood has played lead guitar for the Stones since 1975, that makes him one of only three current members of one of the most successful rock bands in history since the passing of Charlie Watts in 2021. Although he also embarked on a successful solo career's Wood's longevity with the Rolling Stones is likely the most significant factor in Celebrity Net Worth's $200 Million estimate of Wood's fortune.
Daniel O'Donnell - $20 Million
Whether Irish singer Daniel O'Donnell's name is greeted with adoration or a blank stare depends a lot on where it's being uttered, as he's considered a national icon in Ireland. Yet, while his celebrity has extended throughout the rest of Europe to some extent, he's not exactly a household name in The United States.
Nonetheless, his popularity in Ireland can't be underestimated. Nor can his longevity, as he's maintained a respectable career since the 1980s. Celebrity Net Worth estimates the singer's total wealth at $20 million.
Paul 'Pauly D' DelVecchio - $20 Million
Some may balk at the idea of attributing Paul DelVecchio's fortune to his musical pursuits as he rose to fame as part of Jersey Shore's polarizing cast. However, Yahoo! Finance explained that throughout his tenure on the show, DelVecchio earned a total of $2.1 million.
For that reason, it's fair to say that a significant portion of the fortune he's amassed since then has come from his DJing. Indeed, this venture afforded him a lucrative deal with G Unit Records, a high-profile and recurring spot on Britney Spears's 2011 Femme Fatale Tour, and collaborations with Big Sean that began in 2012. These successes make it easier to see why Celebrity Net Worth estimates his total wealth at $20 million.
Robin Thicke - $10 Million
Although Robin Thicke was once a big enough star to make it easy to understand how he amassed millions of dollars, it's also true that the sudden and multi-faceted downturn of his career would wipe it away. After all, it wasn't long after his biggest hit, "Blurred Lines," reached number one that he was the subject of an expensive lawsuit.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, however, neither the disastrous failure of his follow-up album, Paula, nor the estimated $2.5 million he paid as a result of that lawsuit seemed to wipe out his fortune completely. Although he hasn't returned to prominence since the fallout, he appears to have at least $10 million to his name.
Ryan Peake - $65 Million
Even those who aren't familiar with Ryan Peake's name have undoubtedly heard of the band that rocketed him to prominence, as he's a founding member of Nickelback. Although it's true that frontman Chad Kroeger received most of the band's positive and negative attention, Global News emphasized that this doesn't mean the lead singer is the only beneficiary of the band's success.
Although it's unclear how Peake came out better than some of the band's other members, that may have to do with his bandmates remembering his initial investment. When the band was starting out, Peake provided significant funding for their efforts by taking out a $30,000 loan. If the outlet's $65 million valuation is accurate, he received a serious return on his investment.
Mylène Farmer - $50 million
Although her name is likely to attract confused shrugs in the English-speaking world, it's just as likely that there is nothing surprising about her wealth whatsoever among French communities. Global News noted that she was born in Pierrefonds, Quebec, but Farmer found her staggering success in France.
After releasing her debut album in 1986, she embarked on an international career that has regularly seen her sell out stadiums. Moreover, her career has also seen her break an impressive record in France, as she can boast 21 number-one singles on the nation's charts. This makes her estimated $50 million fortune much easier to imagine.
MC Jin - $8 Million
Hardcore hip-hop fans with long memories may recall MC Jin's rise to prominence through the underground rap battle scene, which led him to become a BET freestyle champion multiple times in a row. This was considered impressive enough that Jin — his stage name at the time — was signed to DMX's Ruff Ryders label.
Considering that his debut album underperformed and he was dropped soon after, one might expect his career to become decidedly more minor once he became independent. As NBC News reported, however, his decision to record an album in Cantonese led to an opportunity with Universal Music that reinvigorated his career in Hong Kong. As Celebrity Net Worth estimated, this new market helped him amass $8 million and allowed him to pivot further into acting as well..
