Elton John Net Worth (Money & Salary)

What is Elton John’s Net Worth?

With a net worth of $650 million, Elton John stands out as a highly acclaimed and successful British singer, composer, pianist, and songwriter. He ranks among the most commercially successful artists ever, having sold over 300 million albums worldwide. This remarkable achievement secures his position as the fifth highest-selling musical artist in modern history, trailing only behind Madonna, Michael Jackson, Elvis, and The Beatles. He consistently ranks among the top earners in the celebrity world.

During a touring year, Elton’s earnings can easily exceed $80 million through various ventures. His “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour is noteworthy, being the second highest-grossing concert tour in history. From 2018 to 2023, over 330 performances of this tour generated a gross of $940 million. Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” later surpassed this record, although Taylor’s average gross of $14 million per concert is significantly higher compared to Elton’s average of $2.85 million.

Sir Elton John has received nearly every music award imaginable. His iconic song “Candle in the Wind” is the best-selling single in UK and US chart history. Elton boasts 50 songs in the Top 40, with nine reaching No. 1, and has celebrated seven consecutive #1 albums. On January 15, 2024, he achieved “EGOT” status by winning an Emmy for Outstanding Variety Special, having previously secured five Grammys, an Oscar, two Golden Globes, and a Tony Award. He became the 19th individual ever to reach EGOT status. Moreover, John is known as the most successful solo artist on the US Billboard charts and is the first solo artist to have UK Top 10 singles spanning six decades.

Early Life

Reginald Dwight, better known as Elton John, was born on March 25, 1947, in Middlesex, England. His musical journey began at the tender age of three when he started playing his grandmother’s piano. By seven, he had begun formal piano lessons and won a scholarship to London’s Royal Academy of Music by eleven. His father, serving in the military, attempted to guide him towards a conventional career in banking but without success. When Elton was 14, his parents divorced, and his mother later married Fred Farebrother, a local painter who became a supportive stepfather. Their family moved into an apartment where years later, despite having four Top 40 albums in the United States, Elton would continue to live. His stepfather played a crucial role by helping a 15-year-old Reginald secure a weekend piano gig at a local venue.

In 1966, he and a group of friends formed the band Bluesology. It was during this period that he adopted the stage name Elton John in tribute to blues legends Elton Dean and Long John Baldry.

It was also around this time that Elton crossed paths with songwriter Bernie Taupin, marking the beginning of an influential partnership.

collaborated on over 30 albums, which collectively sold more than 300 million copies.

Rise to Success

In 1969 and 1970, Elton John released his debut albums, Empty Sky and Elton John, respectively. Between 1972 and 1975, he achieved seven consecutive albums that topped the charts. In 1973, he established The Rocket Record Company, his own record label, which bore albums from Neil Sedaka. Notably, he chose not to release his music under this label, opting instead for an $8 million deal with MCA, equivalent to roughly $40 million when adjusted for inflation.

Throughout the 1980s, Elton produced a string of successful albums, and in 1992, he and Taupin entered into a twelve-year contract with Warner Bros. Records worth $39 million—at that time, the largest cash advance in the music industry. In 1994, he crafted the score for Disney’s animated film The Lion King, which won a Grammy Award for Best Song and was certified “diamond” in 1999 after selling fifteen million copies. Following Princess Diana of Wales’s passing in 1997, John re-released his iconic 1973 track “Candle in the Wind.” This version became the best-selling single in history and earned him his sole Grammy for Best Male Pop Recording. As of 2023, John remains active in touring, composing for stage productions, and releasing chart-topping albums.

Personal Life

From 1984 to 1988, he was married to German recording engineer Renata Blauel. Later, he publicly came out, and since 1993, he has been in a relationship with filmmaker David Furnish. The couple entered into a civil partnership in 2005, and after same-sex marriage was legalized in the United Kingdom, they wed in December 2014. They share two sons, Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John and Elijah Joseph Daniel Furnish-John, both born through the same surrogate, and Elton John has ten godchildren.

Highest-Paid Celebrities

Consistently ranked among the highest-paid entertainers globally, Elton garnered $45 million from June 2017 to June 2018. From 2011 to 2018, he held a residency in Las Vegas titled The Million Dollar Piano, negotiating a deal that granted him 88% of the door revenues for each performance—resulting in approximately $500,000 earned per show.

His farewell tour, Farewell Yellow Brick Road, set a record as the highest-grossing tour ever, amassing $853 million over the course of 293 shows.

Elton John Net Worth Milestones

In 2000, Elton’s net worth stood at “only” $100 million, during which time he was recognized for his extravagant spending habits. He later confessed to spending $2 million each month in the late 90s, totaling around $40 million over that time frame. For instance, in just one six-month span in 1996, he reportedly spent over $12 million on real estate and another half a million on flowers. He developed a museum-quality car collection, and in June 2001, he sold 20 vehicles that had never even been driven, including a $300,000 1993 Jaguar, Ferraris, Bentleys, and more.Rolls Royces.

In 2009, when Elton John was first featured on Celebrity Net Worth, his personal wealth was recorded at $265 million. By 2011, this amount decreased to over $240 million. Three years later, in 2013, we adjusted his net worth to $300 million. As of 2020, his assets had appreciated significantly, bringing his total worth to a remarkable half-billion dollars.

Art Collection

Regarded as one of the most astute celebrity art collectors globally, Elton possesses an art collection that could be valued at $200 million in an optimal market. His assortment features works by artists such as Mapplethorpe, Warhol, Basquiat, Haring, Damien Hirst, among others. In 2004, he auctioned 70 photographs from his collection for $900,000. Notably, his photography collection ranks as one of the largest worldwide.

Real Estate

Since 1974, Elton John’s main residence has been a spacious estate named Woodside, located in Old Windsor, Berkshire, England. This 37-acre estate originated in the 1750s, and Elton purchased it for 400 thousand pounds, which is roughly equivalent to around $5 million USD today, accounting for inflation and currency fluctuations. Before acquiring this property, he mainly resided with his mother and stepfather in a compact apartment. In 1988, he auctioned the entire contents of the house for $8 million and subsequently embarked on refurbishing the estate.

In addition to Woodside, Elton owns properties in Atlanta, Los Angeles, Nice, London, and Venice.

He purchased a Beverly Hills estate for $33 million in October 2015. This nearly 20-acre gated property was custom-built in 2001 for the previous owner, Armand Marciano, a co-founder of Guess. Prior to Elton’s acquisition, it had been listed for $63 million. The main residence spans 25,000 square feet and includes an 11-car subterranean garage, a screening room, a wine cellar, a gym, and several more luxurious features.

He also owns a nearby residence, bought for $7.2 million in 2012, and in September 2021, he acquired an adjacent half-acre property for $8.5 million.

In 1992, Elton bought a 2,500-square-foot penthouse in Atlanta, Georgia. Over the following twenty years, he added five more units in the building, eventually merging them into a 13,000-square-foot penthouse. He appreciated the convenience of flying in and out of Atlanta while on tour and developed a fondness for Georgia. In September 2023, he listed the penthouse for just under $5 million, ultimately selling it a month later for around $14 million. Below is a video tour of Elton’s former penthouse in Atlanta:

In 2022, he expanded his real estate portfolio by acquiring a penthouse in Toronto.

Ferrari Testarossa

In 1987, MCA Records decided to surprise the dedicated musician with a distinctive gift for his 40th birthday: a red 1987 Ferrari Testarossa. This model gained fame during its appearance on the original run of “Miami Vice” that same year, epitomizing coolness. Capable of reaching speeds of 180 miles per hour and accelerating from 0-60 in just 5.2 seconds, the Ferrari Testarossa was arguably the most iconic vehicle of the 1980s. Before being sold at auction in 2001, this birthday gift sat idle in Australia for years, and at that time, it had only recorded 12,427 miles.