Metal music has always been a genre of heavy riffs, powerful lyrics, thrashing drum beats, complex bass notes, and aggressive performances. The massive distorted heavy metal sound feeds raw energy to anyone who likes to savor the taste of metal into their soul. Artists have been creating such an eccentric form of music for a long time now. Today, we are learning about some of the richest metal musicians in the world.
While metal isn't exactly perceived as a rich person's game, some of the numbers in the list may surprise you. Stay with us until the end to learn about the top 7 richest metal musicians in the world.
Top 10 Richest Classical Musicians In The World
1. Gene Simmons Estimated Net Worth: $400 Million
Israeli-American rock and roll legend Gene Simmons, best known as the frontman of the famous band 'Kiss,' tops our list as the world's richest metal musician. Considered the pioneer of heavy metal music, Kiss was immensely successful in the 1980s through the 1990s, selling over 100 million records worldwide. Today, Gene and his fellow bandmate, Paul Stanley, keep adding to their wealth through Kiss licensing deals. It is estimated that the Kiss band has generated more than $1 billion in licensing fees since its inception in 1973. While Paul Stanley's fortune is estimated at $200 million, Gene Simmons's net worth is valued much more than that. So, how did Gene Simmons grabbed the top spot among the metal musicians?
Gene Simmons is one of the pioneer of heavy metal who created a legacy with Kiss. Photo Source: Gene Simmon's Instagram.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Gene Simmons' estimated fortune is $400 million. Gene has also stated that Kiss accumulates a gross collection of $100 million per year from touring and merchandise sales, with millions inflowing from his licensing deals. As per The Richest, Kiss earned around $17.7 million in royalties in 1978 alone, which was a colossal sum at that time. Gene, being the lead member of the band, has received his share of the revenue from the royalties, ticket sales, album sales, concerts, and many more.
Talking about Gene Simmons's assets, he bought a 16,500 square-foot mansion in Beverly Hills for $1,327,500, which, if calculated, happens to be about $3.1 million in today's market price after adjusting inflation. The property was built on 2-acres of one of the most valuable lands on earth. With the construction cost of around $12 million, the mansion is now one of the world's opulent homes. In October 2020, Gene and his wife, Shannon Lee Tweed Simmons, listed the mansion for sale for $22 million. Gene invested more than a six-figure sum for its renovation after being unable to sell the property due to pandemic causes. In March 2021, he re-listed the lavish mansion up for sale, but this time, with a hiked price of $25 million. It is reported that the couple is looking to move into their 24-acre estate near Mount Rainier to avoid California's high tax policy. Having such fortune, Gene Simmons's net worth is apparently one of the biggest numbers out there.
2. Lars Ulrich Estimated Net Worth: $350 Million
The drummer of Metallica sits second on our list of the richest metal musicians in the world. Being a co-founder of the legendary band, Lars has been featured in every successful album and band tour. According to Celebrity Net Worth, the drummer has a fortune of an astounding $350 million. So, let's look at what adds to Lars Ulrich's net worth.
Metallica, everyone knows the band's name for their heavy metal music and their thrilling live shows, but only a few know about its earnings. The band has been making heavy metal music since its inception in the 80s. Today, Metallica is one of the world's highest-earning bands, as when the band is on tour, it can easily gross more than $60 million from ticket sales, royalties, merchandise, and more. Whether it is from worldwide-hit albums or the biggest tours, the band has been racking up tons of cash from their contributions. Being the core member of the legendary band, Lars might have received his share from the band's total earnings throughout the years, which could be in millions if not billions.
Lars Ulrich is the drummer of legendary band 'Metallica'. Photo Source: Lars's Instagram.
Besides his successful career in Metallica, Lars has also achieved a fortune from his real estate investments. In 1993, he purchased a large mansion in Tiburon, California, for $6 Million. After some years, he acquired the home on the other side of the main house, which became a combined 2-acre property. After relishing a part of his life on the beautiful mansion, Lars listed the property for sale in October 2019 for $12 million.
Lars has also acquired a vast amount of land throughout the years. He owned a massive 140-acre of underdeveloped mountaintop land in different parts of Marin County, where he planned to build an enormous modern home. After a hectic dispute with the local officials, he listed the property for sale in 2015 for a staggering $39 million.
Furthermore, Ulrich's net worth has also been contributed through the selling of his paintings. Being an art enthusiast, Lars has collected several paintings of Jean Michel Basquiat. He sold one of the paintings for $5.5 million in 2002, followed by other paintings from his collection on an auction which, if added up, hauls a total of $12 million. In 2008, he sold another Basquiat art for $13.5 million.
While Lars Ulrich grabbed the top spot on the band, his fellow band members, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, and Robert Trujillo, are also on the rise in the money chart.
3. James Hetfield Estimated Net Worth: $300 Million
Metallica frontman, James Alan Hetfield, is just behind his bandmate, Lars, in our list of '7 richest metal musicians in the world'. The lead singer of Metallica has an estimated wealth of about $300 million. But, what adds to James Hetfield's net worth? Let's look at his earnings.
Aforementioned, Metallica earns a substantial amount from their ticket sales, merchandise business, tour revenues, royalties, and many more. Having a legendary reputation, Metallica undoubtedly secures a multi-millionaire turnover from their heavy metal ventures. James, much like his fellow Metallica founding member, Ulrich, might have cashed in huge paychecks from their band's biggest projects.
James Hetfield is the front-man of Metallica who has gathered millions through his music career. Photo Source: James Hetfield's Instagram.
Apart from music, Hetfield has also spent a significant time building his asset portfolio. Well, James bought 1,150 acres of rural property in Marin County. He later donated 330 acres of the land to the local community. Furthermore, the Hetfield family has donated 1,000 acres and 240 acres of their open land to the Marin Agricultural Land Trust and agricultural conservation in 2018 and 2017. Hetfield owns about 50 acres of his original 1,150 acres, having donated the rest of the land to several charities. Furthermore, He owns a lavish property in Maui, Hawaii, located just outside Marin County. Such lavish properties also have a huge contribution to James Hetfield's net worth.
4. Ozzy Osbourne Estimated Net Worth: $220 Million
Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Michael Osbourne, a.k.a Ozzy Osbourne, is a former vocalist of Black Sabbath who has also accumulated a massive amount of wealth to his name. Apart from music, Ozzy has also banked huge paychecks from his acting professions. He is married to Sharon Osbourne, a big TV personality who earns a salary of an estimated $5 million. The couple seems to be working together for a very long time, subsequently adding a grand fortune to their accounts. So, how much is Ozzy Osbourne's net worth on today's date?
Ozzy Osbourne is one of the pioneers of heavy metal music. Photo Source: Ozzy Osbourne's Instagram.
Well, Ozzy Osbourne's total net worth is estimated to be $220 million, that too combined with his wife's fortune. Most of his earnings were formulated by his musical endeavors, which came from over 100 million album sales. Black Sabbath, one of the early heavy metal bands, gained popularity in the 1970s, resulting in a vast number of sold-out shows and enormous album sales. Being the lead vocalist, Ozzy might have cashed in some of the profits from the band's sales revenue.
Ozzy and his wife are also the founder of Ozzfest, one of the biggest annual music festivals in the world. Since the fest's inception in 1996, it has seen over five million attendees on its premises and grossed over $100 million in revenue. These types of massive festival tours also provide the opportunity for merchandise sales. It is reported that Osbourne was the first heavy metal star to rack up $50 million in merchandise sales.
Furthermore, the Osbourne family created their own reality TV show, The Osbournes, which aired from 2002 to 2005 on MTV. Ozzy was also featured in 'Ozzy & Jack's World Detouron' with his son, Jack Osbourne. Besides, he has appeared in several commercials. To sum up, Ozzy's acting profession also had a massive impact on his financial gains over the years.
5. (Tie) Kirk Hammett Estimated Net Worth: $200 Million
Another member of Metallica, Kirk Hammet, also falls on our list of the world's richest metal musicians. Metallica is one of the highly successful heavy metal bands and has grossed millions of dollars. Just like his fellow bandmates Lars and James, Kirk Hammett has also banked an enormous amount of money from Metallica. Let's understand his share of wealth.
Kirk Hammett sits at third position among his band members as the most richest metal musician. Photo Source: Kirk Hammett's Instagram.
Kirk Hammett's net worth is estimated to be $200 million. The lead guitarist's income is mostly comprised of earnings from the band tours, royalties, album sales, live shows, and real estate.
Apart from earning millions through his music career, Kirk has also collected huge sums of money through his property sales over the years. After purchasing a gigantic mansion in San Fransico's wealthy neighborhood, he listed the property for $12.5 million for sale in 2006. He finally sold the lavish mansion in 2009 for $7.6 million, which was $4.9 million short of his initial asking price. He also spent a staggering $13.7 million for a dual home in San Fransisco's ultra-luxurious area. Eventually, he sold the assets for a combined $24.5 million in 2018 and 2019. In the deal, he amassed a profit of a staggering $10.8 million.
6. (Tie) Paul Stanley Estimated Net Worth: $200
Kiss's rhythm guitarist, Paul Stanley, is also among the richest metal musicians in the world. Having sold over 100 million records worldwide, Paul is considered a chief force alongside his heavy metal partner, Gene Simmons, for the band's immense success. With 11 Gold and Platinum albums, Paul has earned a colossal fortune from his music career.
Paul Stanley, Kiss's co-founder, is also among the richest in the heavy metal world. Photo Source: Paul Stanley's Instagram.
The talented musician Paul Stanley's net worth is estimated to be a total of $200 million. The guitarist has had a successful career selling millions of records and harvesting a fortune from it. The Richest states that Paul earned an estimated $2,050,000 from the compilation album 'Smashes, Thrashes & Hits' with the band Kiss in 1988. Having record sales generating millions of dollars over the years, Paul could have earned a colossal sum of fortune. So, how does he spend his money?
Stanley has invested his career earnings in a luxurious home. The massive 9,000 sq ft. estate located on Mulholland Drive was built in the Tuscan style, specifically constructed for Paul in 1996. The lavish home consists of luxury amenities like a vast swimming pool and an enormous outdoor fountain. With such exotic property, Paul Stanley's net worth might increase in the future due to inflation.
7. Bruce Dickinson Estimated Net Worth: $130 Million
Paul Bruce Dickinson, known as Iron Maiden's frontman, is an English musician, pilot, scriptwriter, and broadcaster who was also involved in bands like Samson, Tribe of Gypsies, and Sack Trick. His high-pitched vocals blended with heavy-metal harmonies and distorted tones fit perfectly together, decoding an intense musical experience for the audience. Apart from bands, Dickinson has also done wonders as a solo musician, which he frequently lists for sale on his official website. So, how much is the legendary singer's net value?
Bruce Dickinson, known as Iron Maiden's vocalist, stands as the seventh richest metal musician in the world. Photo Source: Bruce Dickinson's Instagram.
The prolific Bruce Dickinson's net worth is estimated to be around $130 million. After signing Dickinson as the band's lead vocalist, Iron Maiden rose to fame, selling millions of albums worldwide. His debut album with the band, The Number of the Beast, became an instant hit among the metal enthusiasts. The album grossed over $1,900,000 from its album sales collection in 1982, which also won 3x platinum titles by Music Canada, platinum by RIAA and BPI, and gold title BVMI IFPI-AUT and IFPI-SWI. Being the band's eccentric frontman over the years, Bruce might have fetched a multi-millionaire fortune from his contributions.
Bruce is also a focused solo artist who has treated his fans with his own heavy metal magic. He has even released his solo works on a vinyl edition that would normally cost more than digital or CD albums. Albums like Tattooed Millionaire, Skunkworks, Accident of Birth, The Chemical Wedding, Tyranny of Souls, and many more are some of his best-selling albums. Furthermore, his 'Scream for me Sarajevo' documentary is available for $17.67 on Amazon. He has undoubtedly collected mass revenue from his solo works as well.
Apart from musical ventures, Bruce is also involved in other businesses and professions. In aviation services, he is a licensed pilot who once served for Astraeus Airlines. In 2012, he founded his own aircraft maintenance and pilot training company called Cardiff Aviation. Dickinson also has his own beer company in collaboration with Robinsons Brewery, which has sold millions of pints worldwide, generating millions of dollars in revenue.
Besides, the legendary heavy metal singer is also a broadcaster who has hosted several TV and radio shows in his career. At last, he also owns a British fencing company named "Duellist." Bruce is undoubtedly one of the talented and dynamic heavy metal musicians out there, who has amassed a fortune from his music and earned a significant amount of wealth from his other business approaches.
So here are basically the 7 richest musicians of the metal genre. Let us know if your favorite metal musician on the list.
