Paul McCartney is the third-richest musician in the world: with a fortune of $1.4bn
According to Forbes, the former Beatle is on the podium alongside Jay-Z and Taylor Swift. Here are his assets
Paul McCartney is the third-richest musician in the world according to Forbes: his net worth stands at $1.4 billion.
The magazine has bestowed this rather unusual ‘title’ upon Macca to mark the launch of the newsletter ‘The Billie’, listing the value of his musical catalogue, his financial investments, his tour earnings and his art collections. His assets, worth $1.4 billion, would thus make founding member of the Beatles the third richest musician in the world, behind Jay-Z, who tops the list at $2.8 billion, and Taylor Swift at 2 billion.
According to Forbes’ calculations, the bulk of McCartney’s wealth comes from Mpl Communications, the publishing company founded in 1969 that manages his catalogue and the copyright of other artists. In particular, McCartney’s acquisition of the catalogues of artists such as Buddy Holly – of whom Macca is a huge fan – as well as the soundtracks of Broadway musicals and Christmas classics, contributes significantly to his wealth, accounting for almost a quarter of a billion dollars.
Furthermore, as a member of the Beatles, McCartney receives 25 per cent of the profits from the holding company Apple Corps, which generates 44 million pounds a year thanks to agreements with streaming platforms (the most recent major deal being the re-release of Anthology with Disney+ a year ago) as well as from record sales and merchandising. Forbes estimates that this revenue stream is worth more than $150 million for each member or their respective heirs. McCartney also earns $10 million a year from his share of the copyright royalties on the Beatles’ songs, for which he has fought legal battles over the past two decades. This amounts to at least $200 million.
The total amount of his earnings includes world tours, amongst which is the most recent Got Back, comprising 79 concerts from 2022 to 2025, as well as property holdings around the world and an art collection that includes paintings by Magritte and Picasso.
