Elton John Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is Elton John’s Net Worth?

With a net worth of $650 million, Elton John, a highly celebrated and accomplished British singer, composer, pianist, and songwriter, ranks among the most commercially successful artists ever. He has sold over 300 million albums globally, securing his position as the fifth best-selling musical artist in modern history, following Madonna, Michael Jackson, Elvis, and The Beatles. It’s common for him to be among the highest-paid celebrities worldwide.

During a touring year, Elton can easily solicit earnings exceeding $80 million through his various projects. His current “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour stands as the second highest-grossing concert tour ever, having grossed $940 million over 330 shows from 2018 to 2023. Although Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” surpassed his record, it’s noteworthy that her average concert gross of $14 million significantly overshadows Elton’s average of $2.85 million.

Sir Elton John has accumulated nearly every music award possible. His track “Candle in the Wind” holds the record as the best-selling single in both US and UK singles chart history. With 50 songs making it to the Top 40, including nine No. 1 hits, he’s also celebrated for seven consecutive #1 albums. On January 15, 2024, he achieved “EGOT” status after winning an Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special, adding to his five Grammy Awards, an Oscar, two Golden Globes, and a Tony Award. He is the 19th individual to receive EGOT status. John remains the most successful solo artist in US Billboard chart history and was the first solo artist to have UK Top 10 singles spanning six decades.

Early Life

Reginald Dwight, known as Elton John, was born on March 25, 1947, in Middlesex, England. He started playing the piano at the age of three on his grandmother’s instrument and began formal lessons when he was seven years old, winning a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music in London by eleven. His military father attempted, though unsuccessfully, to guide him toward a more conventional banking career. When he turned 14, his parents separated, and his mother later wed local painter Fred Farebrother, who became a supportive stepfather. Elton, along with his mother and stepfather, moved into an apartment where he continued to reside even when he achieved four Top 40 albums in the United States. His stepfather assisted 15-year-old Reginald in securing a weekend piano job locally.

In 1966, he and his friends established a band called Bluesology. It was during this period that he adopted the name Elton John, a tribute to blues legends Elton Dean and Long John Baldry.

It was around this time that Elton crossed paths with songwriter Bernie Taupin. They would go on to collaborate on numerous projects.

over 30 albums, leading to sales exceeding 300 million copies.

Rise to Success

In 1969 and 1970, Elton John debuted his first albums, Empty Sky and Elton John. From 1972 to 1975, he enjoyed the success of seven consecutive albums topping the charts. In 1973, he established his own record label, The Rocket Record Company, which was responsible for releasing albums by Neil Sedaka. Notably, instead of utilizing his label for his own music, he signed an $8 million contract with MCA, equivalent to around $40 million today when adjusted for inflation.

Throughout the 1980s, Elton released a string of successful albums, and in 1992, he and Taupin secured a $39 million, twelve-year deal with Warner Bros. Records, marking the largest cash advance in music history at the time. He composed the score for Disney’s animated feature, The Lion King, in 1994, which garnered a Grammy Award for Best Song and achieved “diamond” certification in 1999 for selling fifteen million copies. Following the passing of Princess Diana of Wales in 1997, Elton re-released his 1973 classic “Candle in the Wind.” This updated version became the best-selling single in recording history, earning him his sole Grammy for Best Male Pop Recording. As of 2023, Elton has remained active in touring, stage composing, and releasing chart-topping albums.

Personal Life

From 1984 to 1988, he was married to German recording engineer Renata Blauel. He later came out as gay and has been in a relationship with filmmaker David Furnish since 1993. The couple entered into a civil partnership in 2005 and tied the knot in December 2014, following the legalization of same-sex marriage in the United Kingdom. They are parents to two sons, Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John and Elijah Joseph Daniel Furnish-John, both born through the same surrogate. Additionally, Elton John is a godparent to ten children.

Highest-Paid Celebrities

Regarded as one of the highest-paid entertainers globally, Elton earned $45 million from June 2017 to June 2018. From 2011 to 2018, he held a Las Vegas residency entitled The Million Dollar Piano, in which he negotiated a deal granting him 88% of the door revenues for each performance, resulting in approximately $500,000 earned per show.

His farewell tour, Farewell Yellow Brick Road, achieved a record-breaking total of $853 million across 293 shows, making it the highest-grossing tour of all time.

Elton John Net Worth Milestones

In 2000, Elton’s net worth was “only” $100 million. At that time, he was recognized for his extravagant spending habits. He later confessed to spending $2 million monthly during the late 90s, accumulating approximately $40 million over that period. For instance, in a single six-month span in 1996, he spent over $12 million on properties and $500,000 on flowers. His extensive collection of cars reached museum-quality status. Notably, in June 2001, he sold 20 cars he had never driven, which included a $300,000 1993 Jaguar, along with Ferraris, Bentleys, andRolls Royces.

When we first featured Elton John on Celebrity Net Worth in 2009, his personal wealth was estimated at $265 million. By 2011, this figure had decreased to just over $240 million. In 2013, we adjusted his net worth upward to $300 million. Fast forward to 2020, and his assets had increased significantly, reaching an impressive half-billion dollars.

Art Collection

Regarded as one of the world’s most astute celebrity art collectors, Elton’s art collection is estimated to be worth around $200 million, depending on market conditions. His impressive assortment features works by renowned artists such as Mapplethorpe, Warhol, Basquiat, Haring, Damien Hirst, among others. In 2004, he auctioned off 70 photographs from his collection, fetching $900,000. Notably, his photography collection ranks among the largest in existence.

Real Estate

Elton John has called Woodside, a sprawling estate in Old Windsor, Berkshire, England, his primary residence since 1974. This estate spans 37 acres and dates back to the 1750s. Elton purchased the property for 400 thousand pounds in 1974, which equates to approximately $5 million USD today, adjusted for inflation and currency fluctuations. Up until then, he had been living mainly with his mother and stepfather in a modest apartment. In 1988, he sold all the furnishings from the house for $8 million at auction and subsequently renovated and redecorated the entire estate.

Additionally, Elton owns residences in cities such as Atlanta, Los Angeles, Nice, London, and Venice.

In October 2015, he acquired a Beverly Hills estate for $33 million. This nearly 20-acre gated property was custom-built in 2001 for the previous owner, Guess co-founder Armand Marciano, and was listed for $63 million before Elton’s purchase. The main residence features 25,000 square feet of living space, along with amenities like an 11-car underground garage, a screening room, a wine cellar, a gym, and much more.

He also owns a home in a nearby area, purchased for $7.2 million in 2012, and in September 2021, he bought a half-acre property next door for $8.5 million.

In 1992, Elton acquired a 2,500-square-foot penthouse in Atlanta, Georgia. Over two decades, he expanded by purchasing five additional units in the building, merging them into a luxurious 13,000-square-foot penthouse. Enjoying the convenience of traveling in and out of Atlanta while on tour, Elton eventually fell in love with the state of Georgia as a whole. He listed this unit for sale in September 2023 at just under $5 million, and one month later, it sold for just under $14 million. Below is a video tour of Elton’s former Atlanta penthouse:

In 2022, Elton expanded his real estate portfolio by adding a penthouse in Toronto.

Ferrari Testarossa

To celebrate Sir Elton’s 40th birthday in 1987, MCA Records presented him with a red Ferrari Testarossa, a model that had gained fame through its appearance on “Miami Vice.” This striking car reached speeds of 180 miles per hour and accelerated from 0 to 60 in just 5.2 seconds, making it an iconic symbol of the 1980s. However, Sir Elton’s birthday gift remained in Australia for several years before he sold it at auction in 2001, having accumulated only 12,427 miles on the odometer.