Sir Paul McCartney, U2, Sir Elton John, and Simon Cowell are among the wealthiest people in music.
The Beatles legend has scored fourth place in The Sunday Times’ annual Rich List’s Musician’s list with a staggering £710 million fortune, with only record label bosses Len Balvantnik – who is worth £10 billion – and Clive Calder, and musicals supremo Sir Cameron Mackintosh placing higher.
Irish rockers U2 collectively placed sixth with a fortune of £428 million, considerably less than fifth-placed Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, who is worth a huge £640 million.
Seventh place goes to ‘American Idol’ creator Simon Fuller, with ‘X Factor’ boss Simon placing eighth thanks to assets of £300 million, a figure £50 million higher than his fortune last year.
He shares eighth place with power couple Mohammad and Kamaliya Zahoor, a record label boss and former Miss World.
‘Rocket Man’ star Sir Elton John rounds out the top 10 with his £260 million fortune.
Notable names filling out the top 20 include Sir Mick Jagger, who took 12th place with £215 million – two places higher and £15 million more than his Rolling Stones bandmate Keith Richards – and former Spice Girls singer-turned-fashion designer, whose joint empire with husband David sees them worth £210 million, putting them in 13th place.
Paul’s Beatles bandmate Ringo Star took 18th place with a relatively more modest fortune – £170 million, while Olivia and Dhani Harrison – the widow and son of their late bandmate George Harrison – were placed 16th with assets of £190 million.
The list is based on land, property and other assets such as stocks and shares, racehorses and art.
Sunday Times Rich List 2014: Music millionaires:
1. Len Blavatnik: £10bn
2. Clive Calder: £1.4bn
3. Sir Cameron Mackintosh: £1bn
4. Sir Paul McCartney: £710m
5. Lord Lloyd-Webber: £640m
6. U2: £428m
7. Simon Fuller: £382m
8= Simon Cowell: £300m
8= Mohammad and Kamaliya Zahoor: £300m
10. Sir Elton John: £260m
11. Baron Palumbo, arts supporter: £250m
12. Sir Mick Jagger: £215m
13. David and Victoria Beckham: £210m
14. Keith Richards: £200m
15. Michael Flatley: £193m
16. Olivia and Dhani Harrison: £190m
17: Sting: £180m
18: Ringo Starr: £170m
19 Roger Waters: £160m
20 Denis Desmond and Caroline Downey: £153m