Over the course of their career, while most famous faces will gain heavy pockets and a healthy bank account, not many walk away with a billion dollars.
Sitting at the top of the rich list are The Rolling Stones, who are the first band in Britain to gross a billion dollars.
The iconic band have struck gold through electrifying live performances and shifting over 250 million album sales.
Their concerts have hauled in a jaw-dropping $2billion in ticket sales over the years, and in 2021, fans splurged $130.9million on just 14 gigs during the No Filter tour in the U.S.
Cliff Dane, the money whiz who ranked the rockers for The Sunday Times Rich List, applauded the Stones, alongside Led Zeppelin, for kickstarting mega stadium tours.
Kerching! The Rolling Stones are the first band in Britain to gross a billion dollars thanks to their live performances, album sales and savvy business partnerships
Even though the remaining members, made up of Ronnie Wood, 76, Mick Jagger, 80, and Keith Richards, 79, now play fewer shows, their devoted fans happily part with top dollar for tickets as they’re generally older with more disposable income and the Stones can now roll in more cash from the box office.
The person behind the Stones’ financial affairs today is Joyce Smyth, who rejigged the U.S, leg of the Stones’s tour after Mick’s heart surgery four years ago.
She’s been their secret financial weapon and was introduced to the rock stars by Prince Rupert, a private banker the band hired who later became known as ‘Rupie the Groupie’.
And despite Mick dropping out of his finance and accounting degree at the London School of Economics, he has consistently displayed a sharp entrepreneurial instinct.
He recently opened up saying: ‘I don’t actually really like business, I just have to do it. Because if you don’t do it, you get f***ed.’
Not one to shy away, the band have happily cashed in on partnerships with corporate giants like Budweiser, LVMH, Chase Manhattan, and more.
Microsoft even reportedly dished out millions to use ‘Start Me Up’ in a Windows 95 commercial and Mercedes shelled out $1.5 million to use ‘Sympathy for the Devil’ in a 2013 Super Bowl ad.
On Saturday, FC Barcelona debuted their limited edition match shirt which featured the infamous tongue and lips logo of the iconic band and retails at an eye watering $400.
