The rock and roll lifestyle has always been about living large—from private planes to exotic trips across the globe. The richest rockstars in the world have been cranking out music and filling stadiums for years, sometimes decades. These are the 25 richest rockstars in the world:
1. Paul McCartney
Estimated Net Worth: $1.2 Billion
Sir Paul McCartney is a hugely successful British musician who was a founding member of The Beatles. Born in Liverpool in 1942 and a self-taught musician, he is among the most renowned composers in music history. His net worth of $1.2 billion reflects his success as a Beatle and a solo artist, which makes him the richest rockstar in the world.
Along with John Lennon, McCartney composed some of the most influential songs of all time—with sales that exceeds 100 million. Thirty-two tracks that he has written and co-written have topped the charts. He has been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice and has been appointed knighthood for his contribution to music.
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2. Bono
Estimated Net Worth: $700 Million
Paul David Hewson, better known by Bono, is a successful songwriter, singer, social activist, and philanthropist. Born in 1960 in Dublin, Ireland, his rise to fame was from his amazing vocals (and being a great lyricist) of the rock band U2. He and U2 have received nearly two dozen Grammy awards, and in 2005, he was honored with being named Time Magazine’s Person of the Year. He was knighted in 2007 by Queen Elizabeth II. His multi-decade musical journey has earned him a net worth of $700 million.
Fortunately, as a social activist, he donates his time and resources to many causes especially focused on aid to Africa. He has co-founded a number of organizations, including EDUN, Product Red, and ONE Campaign.
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3. Bruce Springsteen
Estimated Net Worth: $650 Million
Born in Long Branch, New Jersey, in 1949 (yes, that is the Jersey Shore), Bruce Springsteen is an American songwriter, musician, and social activist with an expansive career that spans more than six decades. His career started slowly but rose meteorically in 1975 with the release of his signature song and album, Born To Run. He has sold more than 135 million records globally, which has garnered him 20 Grammy awards, the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2016), and the Woody Guthrie Prize (2021).
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4. Jimmy Buffett
Estimated Net Worth: $600 Million
Jimmy Buffett was born on Christmas day in 1946. He is a multi-talented musician, businessman, and author who developed theme-based tropical escapism with his music and other ventures. Margaritaville is his signature song and ranked among the top-voted tracks of all time.
He also owns a restaurant chain known as the Margaritaville Café and is among the richest rockstars in the world. In 2015, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Miami wearing flip-flops and sunglasses.
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5. Keith Richards
Estimated Net Worth: $500 Million
Keith Richards, born in 1943, is a British songwriter and musician who was a founding member of the rock group The Rolling Stones. He has co-authored many music hits, including As Tears Go By and (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction. With more than six decades of musical success as a rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist, along with Mick Jagger, he now has an estimated net worth of $500 million and has five grandchildren.
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6. Elton John
Estimated Net Worth: $500 Million
Elton John, born in 1947 as Reginald Kenneth Dwight, is an English songwriter, pianist, and musician who has had huge commercial success as an artist since the 1970s. He and his lyricist Bernie Taupin have co-written some of the most familiar tracks in history. His first hit was Your Song, which was released in 1970—a top ten hit in more than one country. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and received a Hollywood Walk of Fame Star in 1975.
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7. Mick Jagger
Estimated Net Worth: $500 Million
Mick Jagger was born in 1943 in Dartford, England, and studied at the London School of Economics. He is best known as the funky lead singer of The Rolling Stones and has written many of their hits with band member Keith Richards. He is also known for his unique performance style and dynamic vocals that have brought wealth and fame. Jagger is a huge supporter of music in schools and sponsors programs throughout the Dartford area. He is also an avid fan of cricket.
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8. Bob Dylan
Estimated Net Worth: $500 Million
Bob Dylan, who was born Robert Zimmerman in 1941 in Minnesota, is considered among the most prolific songwriters ever. His influential career covers more than six decades and includes songs that have been covered by hundreds of artists. Many of his tracks have become anthems for civil and social activism causes. He has won numerous awards and has even been honored with a Nobel Prize in Literature for his poetic song expressions.
9. Eric Clapton
Estimated Net Worth: $450 Million
Born in Surrey, England, in 1945, Eric Clapton is one of the richest rockstars in the world and among the most influential guitarists in all of rock history. Many experts rank him among the best guitarists of all time. He began his career in 1963, playing with the Yardbirds, Derek And The Dominos, Blind Faith, and Cream. His most memorable songs include Layla, I Shot The Sheriff, and Tears In Heaven. He has considered himself an avid car enthusiast since the 1970s.
10. Jon Bon Jovi
Estimated Net Worth: $410 Million
Jon Bon Jovi, who was born in 1962 in New Jersey as John Bongiovi, Jr., is an American musician who is ranked among the richest rockstars in the world. He was inducted into the 2009 Songwriters Hall of Fame class. In 2000, the magazine People ranked him as the Sexiest Rockstar. He is also among the primary owners of an arena football league—the Philadelphia Soul.
11. Gene Simmons
Estimated Net Worth: $400 Million
Gene Simmons is a founding member of the rock group Kiss and among the richest rockstars across the globe. Born in 1949 in Israel, he was inducted as a member of the rock band into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2014. He has more than 100 children he sponsors in Zambia through the ChildFund network. His autographed bass guitar was accepted by the Smithsonian National Museum of American History.
12. Ringo Starr
Estimated Net Worth: $350 Million
Ringo Starr was born in 1940 in Liverpool, England. His musical career included being the drummer of The Beatles after their first one dropped out. He occasionally sang backup vocals and penned these Beatles classics: It Don’t Come Easy and Photograph, among others. The drummer, a vegetarian who lives by the motto peace and love, was appointed Knight Bachelor in 2018 and knighted by Prince William in 2018.
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13. Dave Grohl
Estimated Net Worth: $320 Million
Dave Grohl is an American songwriter, producer, and musician who was born in Ohio in 1969. He is a founding member of the Foo Fighters, where he was a singer, guitarist, and songwriter; he also played drums for Nirvana in the early 1990s. He is among the richest rockstars in the world, and one of the most influential rock musicians over the past two decades. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame when playing with Nirvana and as a member of Foo Fighters.
14. Roger Waters
Estimated Net Worth: $310 Million
Roger Waters, who is a founding member of the rock group Pink Floyd, was born in England in 1943. The musician, as the band’s primary bass player, participated in one of the largest single rock concerts ever, The Wall, in front of 45,000 people. He has been a controversial music figure, who has also helped after the 2004 earthquake in the Indian Ocean and supported an effort to end poverty and malaria in the world.
15. Rod Stewart
Estimated Net Worth: $300 Million
Born in London in 1945, Rod Stewart is among and part of the best-selling solo artists and bands of all time and the richest rockstars on the planet. He has sold more than 250 million records across the world, including sixteen that reached top-ten status. His signature chart-topper was Maggie May, which was released on the album Every Picture Tells A Story in 1971. He was knighted and received a star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood in 2005. He was also inducted as a solo artist and band member into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
16. Dave Matthews
Estimated Net Worth: $300 Million
Dave Matthews is an American singer and songwriter who was born in South Africa in 1967. This musician, who has won two Grammy Awards, has also enjoyed several acting roles. He has been honored as the recipient of the Gibson Best Acoustic Guitarist award, and he received an honorary doctorate from Haverford College in 2005. He has also collaborated with other artists like Santana, Kenny Chesney, Herbie Hancock, Liz Phair, Sarah White, and Jack Johnson, among others.
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17. Phil Collins
Estimated Net Worth: $300 Million
Phil Collins was born in London, England, in 1951. His musical career began in 1970 as the lead singer and drummer for the rock group, Genesis. He has received professional drama training, first on stage, at 13. After Genesis, he launched a hugely successful solo career that included working in film and television. He is an avid animal rights activist and launched a nonprofit for children called the Little Dreams Foundation. He has won numerous Grammy Awards, winning an Academy Award for You’ll Be In My Heart.
18. James Hetfield
Estimated Net Worth: $300 Million
James Hetfield is an American musician and also a founding member of the heavy metal band, Metallica. He was born in California in 1963 and was the band’s rhythm guitarist, primary songwriter, and lead vocalist. As a member of the band, he garnered nine Grammy awards from the 13 albums it released. He has collaborated with other artists playing guitars or lending vocals. He is so famous in pop culture that he has a playable character from the video game Pro Skater by Tony Hawk.
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19. Don Henley
Estimated Net Worth: $250 Million
Don Henley, who was born in Texas in 1947, is one of the founding members of the hugely successful American rock band, the Eagles, who shot to fame in the 1970s. His lead vocals were heard on many of the top-selling the band’s hits, including Desperado, Hotel California, and Best Of My Love, to name a few. He has also had a successful solo career, selling more than 10 million albums globally that produced eight songs that hit the Top 40 categories. He is an environmental activist who backs many causes, including the Walden Woods Project.
20. Charlie Watts
Estimated Net Worth: $250 Million For Estate
Charlie Watts was a hugely successful English musician and drummer who was a founding member of The Rolling Stones. He was born in 1941 in London and has a Mick Jagger-derived nickname, The Wembley Whammer. He first worked as a graphic designer before playing drums full-time with The Rolling Stones and contributing artwork to the early albums released by the band. He, along with Keith Richards and Mick Jagger, was the only member to play on each of The Rolling Stones’ albums.
21. David Bowie
Estimated Net Worth: $230 Million For Estate
David Bowie was a musical icon who was born in London in 1947. He is considered one of the most influential musical figures of the 20th century, with a career that was often marked by reinvention. The musician, who died in 2016, won an astounding 49 awards, including six Grammy and four MTV Video awards. He also had an acting career that spanned several decades. His Space Oddity release was a critical and commercial success and won him the Novello Originality Award. His ashes were scattered in a Buddhist ceremony in Bali at his request.
22. Billy Joel
Estimated Net Worth: $225 Million
Billy Joel is a native New Yorker, having been born in the city in 1949. He grew up in nearby Long Island and is most often known as the Piano Man, a tribute to one of his most famous songs and greatest hits. He is among the best-selling musical artists of all time, with more than 160 million records sold across the globe. Other tracks by him include Just The Way You Are and Only The Good Die Young. He has received numerous honorary doctorates from Berklee College of Music, Stony Brook, Manhattan School of Music, Syracuse University, and Hofstra University, among others.
23. Ozzy Osbourne
Estimated Net Worth: $220 Million
Ozzy Osbourne was born in Warwickshire, England, in 1948. He is among the most famous and richest rockstars in the world. His career began as the lead vocalist for the 1970s rock group, Black Sabbath. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a band member and even had a successful reality TV series with his wife and children, The Osbournes. He was presented with the Classic Rock Roll of Honor Awards’ Living Legacy, with previous winners such as Slash and Alice Cooper.
24. Brian May
Estimated Net Worth: $210 Million
Brian May is among the richest rockstars who are of English heritage. The musician, who studies both math and physics at Imperial College London, was a founding member and lead guitar for Queen and contributed some of the most profound songwriting contributions to the band. His creative style of play is considered layered and original. He wrote We Will Rock You and The Show Must Go On. In 2007, he was appointed to lead Liverpool John Moores University as its chancellor.
25. Robert Plant
Estimated Net Worth: $200 Million
Robert Plant is a successful lyricist and the lead singer of the English rock band, Led Zeppelin. They released the anthem of the 1970s, Stairway To Heaven. He and the band were inducted in the mid-1990s into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He has won multiple awards for his musical style and contribution, including being named by NPR among the 50 Great Voices in the World.
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As the Head Editor and Writer at Music Grotto, Liam helps write and edit content produced from professional music/media journalists and other contributing writers. He works closely with journalists and other staff to format and publish music content for the Music Grotto website. Liam is also the founding member of Music Grotto and is passionate in disseminating editorial content to its readers.
Liam’s lifelong love for music makes his role at Music Grotto such a rewarding one. He loves researching, writing and editing music content for Music Grotto.