The Richest Guitar Players of All Time
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Music is pretty subjective. Who are the best guitar players? The topic has been heatedly debated since rock and roll's auspicious beginnings.
What isn't subjective is how much money a legendary riff master can earn. Hint: It's a lot. Check out the straight facts on music's richest guitar players.
15. Robbie Robertson
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Net worth: $50 million
Bands: The Band
Bottom Line: Robbie Robertson
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If it wasn't for The Band, Americana, country rock, and a whole host of other genres may not exist, at least not in the way we know them today.
The Band was first known as The Hawks and toured with rockabilly singer Ronnie Hawkins around Canada and the U.S. in the early 1960s before becoming Bob Dylan's backing band when he went electric.
The Band split off to record on their own and in 1968 released "Music from Big Pink," which influenced everyone from Pink Floyd to the Beatles and Eric Clapton, who wanted to join the group so much that he left his own successful band, Cream.
Robertson earned full writing credit for many of The Band's songs, much to the consternation of drummer Levon Helm, who insisted it was a group effort throughout his life.
After The Band, Robertson became a moderately successful solo artist and producer and wrote film scores for Martin Scorsese — the upcoming "Killers of the Flower Moon" is his final collaboration with the director.
He passed away on August 9, 2023.
14. Slash
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Net worth: $90 million
Bands: Guns N' Roses, Velvet Revolver
Bottom Line: Slash
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As a founding member of Guns N' Roses, Slash (aka Saul Hudson) played guitar with the band until 1996 before taking a 20-year hiatus. During that time, he co-founded Velvet Revolver with Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots and ex-GNR bandmate, Duff McKagan.
Slash, who makes most of his money from playing and touring, returned to Guns N' Roses in 2016, and the band embarked on its biggest tour yet, which grossed over $584 million by its conclusion.
13. Mark Knopfler
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Net worth: $105 million
Bands: Dire Straits
Bottom Line: Mark Knopfler
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Mark Knopfler was the frontman and songwriter for Dire Straits and is number 27 on Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time," for his unique fingerpicking playing style.
Dire Straits sold more than 120 million records before disbanding in 1995.
Knopfler holds three honorary doctorates in music from U.K. universities. He has recorded moderately successful solo albums and has written scores for films such as "The Princess Bride" and "Wag the Dog."
12. Tony Iommi
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Net worth: $140 million
Bands: Black Sabbath
Bottom Line: Tony Iommi
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As the guitarist for Black Sabbath, Tomy Iommi helped create the heavy metal genre, but he almost lost the ability to play before he even began. While working in a factory at 17 years old, he lost the tips of his middle and ring finger in a press machine and had to adapt his playing style.
His gamble paid off. He and Black Sabbath released 20 studio albums which sold 70 million copies worldwide and toured to sold-out arenas well into the 2000s.
11. Pete Townshend
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Net worth: $150 million
Bands: The Who
Bottom Line: Pete Townshend
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With over 100 songs to his credit, Pete Townshend has written some of the most well-known rock anthems in history. As one of the co-founders of The Who, he still records and tours. His self-penned rock operas, "Tommy" and "Quadrophenia," have become both films and successful plays.
The Who has sold over 100 million albums since the 1960s. They are still big sellers today, as many of their songs have been licensed in films and television.
Townshend also has a pretty successful solo career and is a best-selling author. He and Roger Daltrey, The Who's two surviving members, still tour in 2022.
10. Angus Young
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Net worth: $160 million
Bands: AC/DC
Bottom Line: Angus Young
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Known for his schoolboy uniform and energetic stage performances, Angus Young co-founded the Australian hard rock band AC/DC with his brother in 1973. The band has sold 200 million units of its 16 studio albums over its lifetime.
AC/DC frontman Bon Scott died in 1980. The band continued on with singer Brian Johnson and released its most successful LP, "Back In Back," the same year. It is AC/DC's best-selling album to date with over 50 million units sold.
The band last released an album in 2020 and still tours. In 2010, it earned $226 million over 99 gigs.
9. David Gilmour
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Net worth: $180 million
Bands: Pink Floyd
Bottom Line: David Gilmour
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David Gilmour came to Pink Floyd in the late 1960s as a replacement for ailing band member Syd Barrett, whose mental state deteriorated to the point he could not return to the band.
By the early 1970s, Pink Floyd was a massive commercial and critical success with albums like "The Dark Side of the Moon," "Wish You Were Here," and "The Wall," among others, and Gilmour was a principal songwriter.
"The Dark Side of the Moon" sold 45 million copies alone and stayed on the U.S. charts for 917 weeks or about 14 years.
When he and co-founder Roger Waters began butting heads in the late 1980s, Waters left Pink Floyd and Gilmour carried on under the name. He also released successful solo albums into the 2000s.
6. Jimmy Page (Tied)
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Net worth: $200 million
Bands: Led Zeppelin
Bottom Line: Jimmy Page
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Jimmy Page is most famous for being in one of the greatest bands of all time, Led Zeppelin. Before that, he was prolific studio musician and member of The Yardbirds (Eric Clapton was also a member).
As one of the principal songwriters in Led Zeppelin, Page earned much of his money from album sales (300 million units sold worldwide) and touring. At its height, the band made $1.5 million per show in 1970s.
Zeppelin's days at the top ended in 1980 with the death of drummer John Bonham. Page has since done soundtrack work and has toured with singer Robert Plant doing Zeppelin songs. He still makes money from the band's albums and royalties to this day.
6. Kirk Hammett (Tied)
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Net worth: $200 million
Bands: Metallica
Bottom Line: Kirk Hammett
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Kirk Hammett joined Metallica in 1983, replacing co-founder Dave Mustaine who later formed Megadeth.
Metallica has sold 150 million albums around the world. Thanks to "Stranger Things," they've reached a whole new generation of fans with "Master of Puppets," a song that features heavily in Season 4.
Hammett has invested in homes in and around San Francisco and has a fondness for horror film memorabilia. His collection of early film art depicts Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster and the Mummy, among others.
Occasionally, he lends pieces out as part of a traveling art exhibition.
6. Ronnie Wood (Tied)
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Net worth: $200 million
Bands: The Rolling Stones, Faces
Bottom Line: Ronnie Wood (Tied)
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Ronnie Wood is the "new kid" in the Rolling Stones, having joined as a permanent member in 1990, although he had been touring with the band and contributing to albums since 1976 but as an employee of the Stonesorganization. As such, he was paid a monthly salary.
Before working with the band, he was member of the Faces with Rod Stewart. As he is not a songwriter, his riches are less than that of the other Stones, but he manages a net worth of about $200 million from touring and record sales.
Wood is also a celebrated visual artist, whose work has been in exhibitions around the world.
5. Brian May
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Net worth: $210 million
Bands: Queen
Bottom Line: Brian May
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Queen made its debut in 1973 and has sold more than 300 million albums. As of 2021, the band's net worth is $600 million.
When frontman Freddie Mercury died in 1991, it looked it like was over for Queen, but May, Roger Taylor, and former bandmate John Deacon, kept the band going with different guest singers. Deacon left for good in 1997, and May and Taylor enlisted "American Idol" alum Adam Lambert as frontman.
May consulted on the Freddie Mercury biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody," for which actor Rami Malik won a Best Actor Oscar.
Today, Queen is as popular as ever and still tours in 2022. May is also an astrophysicist who earned his Ph.D. in 2007.
4. James Hetfield
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Net worth: $300 million
Bands: Metallica
Bottom Line: James Hetfield
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As the co-founder and frontman of Metallica, James Hetfield is the second-wealthiest member of the band behind drummer and co-founder Lars Ulrich. Like the other members, he makes most of his fortune from touring and recording.
Hetfield (one of the bands principal songwriters) invests in a variety of things, including property and a car collection with 11 custom vehicles, which are currently on display at LeMay – America’s Car Museum in Tacoma, Washington.
3. Eric Clapton
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Net worth: $450 million
Bands: Solo artist, Yardbirds, Cream, Derek and the Dominos, Blind Faith, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers
Bottom Line: Eric Clapton
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Most of Eric Clapton’s wealth was generated during his monumental solo career, which began around 1974 and yielded such hits as "You Look Wonderful Tonight" (which sold 4 million copies alone), "I Shot the Sheriff" (a Bob Marley cover) and "Tears In Heaven" (about his 4-year-old son, Conor, who died in 1991).
Before his solo career, he was a songwriter and player on such classics as "Can't Find My Way Home" (with Blind Faith), "Layla" (with Derek and the Dominos, which he rerecorded years later as a solo artist), and "Sunshine of Your Love" (with Cream).
Clapton is one the best-selling musicians of all time. To date, he has sold over 280 million records and continues to tour.
2. The Edge
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Net worth: $400 million
Bands: U2
Bottom Line: The Edge
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In the 1980s and 1990s, you would hard-pressed to find many bands bigger than U2. The Edge, aka, David Evans, is a founding member of U2 (one of the few bands that still has all its original members).
U2's success is unmatched by most other bands. The band is the all-time second-highest grossing touring act just behind the Rolling Stones (earning nearly $2.3. billion in ticket sales) and has sold more than 175 million records to date.
Although all the members of U2 contribute to songwriting duties, the Edge and singer Bono are the band's principal songwriters.
U2 is headed for an even bigger payoff as it is beginning a months-long residency in Las Vegas in 2023.
1. Keith Richards
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Net worth: $500 million
Bands: The Rolling Stones
Bottom Line: Keith Richards
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As the oldest, still-touring band on this list, the Rolling Stones were formed in 1962 and has released 30 studio albums and dozens of singles, many of which were hits. The band has sold more than 200 million albums since releasing its self-titled debut in 1964.
As a co-founder, guitarist and principal songwriter (with writing partner Mick Jagger) of the band, Richards has amassed a sizable fortune.
Richards has also released solo albums (with the X-Pensive Winos), written a best-selling book about life as a Rolling Stone (aptly called "Life"), and starred as pirate Jack Sparrow's (Johnny Depp's) father in "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" in 2007.
The Stones even have an unfinished album scheduled for release in 2023. It will be their last with drummer Charlie Watts, who died in 2021 at 80 years old.
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