Paul McCartney's net worth is estimated to be approximately $1.2 billion.
How did Paul McCartney build his net worth?
Since the Rich List began in 1989, McCartney has consistently been named the UK's wealthiest musician.
So how did this talented musician, songwriter, and entrepreneur reach such lofty monetary heights?
McCartney was only 16 when John Lennon invited him to join the Quarrymen in 1958. And in 1960, they changed the band's name to probably the most recognizable name in musical history, and the Beatles was born. Brian Epstein became their manager in January 1962. In 1963 they had their first hit, "Love Me Do." McCartney, Lennon, Starr, and Harrison seemed like a team made in heaven with massive hits such as "She Loves You, "Can't Buy Me, Love," "I Wanna Hold Your Hand," and "I Saw Her Standing There" but sadly, this collaboration did not last.
McCartney was never one to let the grass grow under his feet, and after The Beatles disbanded in 1970, he formed the band "Wings," featuring several collaborations with his beloved wife, Linda. Their most famous was the highly acclaimed "Band on the Run" LP which was the first of seven Wings LPs to go platinum. It topped the charts in both the US and the UK and stayed on the UK charts for staggering 124 weeks. In 1973, Rolling Stone named it one of the "Best Albums of the Year" for 1973 and earned a spot in their 500 greatest albums of all time.
McCartney was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records in 1979 as the "most honored composer and performer in music" due to an impressive 43 gold discs awarded to the Beatles and 17 to Wings.
Altogether, he has, as a member of the Beatles, reaped sales of over 100million singles and 100million albums. He also wrote 43 jointly or solo songs, selling one million or more records between 1962 and 1978.
The accolades kept coming when in 2009, Guinness World Records again recognized McCartney as the "most successful songwriter," having written or co-written 188 charted records in the United Kingdom, of which 91 reached the top 10 and 33 made it to number one.
In addition, through MPL Communications, an umbrella company for his business interests, he owns an unbelievable music publishing catalog accessing over 25,000 copyrights, including the publishing rights to the musicals "Guys and Dolls," "A Chorus Line," "Annie" and "Grease."
He earned £40million in 2003, the highest income that year within media professions in the UK. This rose to £48.5million by 2005 this had risen to nearly 49 million. In 2012, the "On the Run" tour grossed £37 million.
He has either starred, was the subject of a documentary film, or executive produced 38 films and 24 TV shows. He did five Wings tours for a total of 144 appearances, and from 1989 to 2022, he did 17 solo tours appearing a staggering 660 times.
Is it any wonder that McCartney can boast such a stellar net worth with statistics like having more number ones in the UK than any other artist and participation in 24 chart-topping singles? He is the only artist to get to number one as a soloist, duo, trio, quartet, quintet, and as part of an ensemble.
McCartney has written or co-written a record of 32 songs that have topped the Billboard Hot 100 with a staggering 32 solo or co-written songs and sales of 25.5 million as of 2009 RIAA-certified units in the US.
He solo wrote "Yesterday," one of musical history's most covered songs — more than 2,200 recorded versions. It has been aired over 7 million times on US TV and radio and is a fantastic third in the list of all-time covered songs. "Hey, Jude" is the best-selling Beatles single, achieving sales of over fivemillion copies soon after its release. So every time anyone publically uses any of the Beatles' songs, the coffers go ka-ching.
His honors include two inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, both as a Beatle member and a solo artist, an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, 18 Grammy Awards, an appointment as a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1965 and a knighthood in 1997 for services to music.
How has Paul McCartney spent his wealth?
With over a $billion to spend, it's no surprise that over the years, Sir Paul has owned a fair few properties.
Back in 1965, Sir Paul bought his first home for himself in St John's Wood, London, for, back in the day, a not inconsiderable sum of £40,000; he still owns it. Reports of what neighboring properties are retailing for have this property selling for around £16.5million today.
Just ten years after his meteoric rise to fame, Paul bought his dad a home in Haswell, a swanky neighborhood in Wirral, UK.
McCartney owns 'Blossom Wood Farm, bought in 1973 in East Sussex. There is no purchase price on record.
With his wife, Linda, McCartney bought a 151-acre ranch in Tucson, Arizona, in 1979.
2001 saw McCartney shell out $4 million on a Beverly Hills home that once belonged to both Courtney Love and Ellen DeGeneres.
A $15.5 million penthouse on the Upper East Side of Manhattan was purchased in 2015 for $15.5 million but sold at a loss.
What would a rock star be without his stable of cars, and McCartney is no exception?
His first car was a Mini Cooper S DeVille, followed by the Aston Martin DB6 in 1966.
In 1967, having achieved meteoric heights with the Beatles, McCartney could afford to splash out on a luxury car — the Lamborghini 400GT.
McCartney also invested in an Austin Healey 3000, which he sadly crashed while allegedly under the influence of LSD. Reports of his death were exaggerated at the time.
Needing wheels to traverse the 200 acres of his and Linda's ranch, a Land Rover Series I 86 Station Wagon was purchased.
A 1973 Rolls-Royce Corniche was added to his collection, as was another Lamborghini — the 1972 Lamborghini S2 Espada.
FAQs
How rich is Paul McCartney?
Paul McCartney is incredibly wealthy, with multiple sources estimating his net worth to be around $1.2 billion.
Is Paul McCartney a billionaire?
Yes. Paul McCartney is a billionaire musician.
