Adam Richard Wiles, most famously known as Calvin Harris was born in Scotland, and has become a world renown producer, DJ, singer and songwriter. He experienced success early in his career when he debuted with his album “I Created Disco” which quickly went Gold certified by the British Phonographic Industry. His second album, “Ready for the Weekend”, was also a huge success. He has won “The Music Producers Guild Award”, and won a NME award, MTV Video Music Award, and a Grammy for the Best Short Form Music Video “We Found Love”.
As a child Harris was a huge football fan, and he even aspired to be a football player. But luckily for us, he started experimenting with electronic music in his early teens. Harris started recording music in his small bedroom, and by 21, he got his first taste of success. He sure knows how to write a hit, as he’s penned songs for big names like Rihanna, Kylie Minogue, Sam Smith and Dizzee Rascal. With an estimated networth of $22 million he’s among the richest musician under 30 in the UK and Ireland.
$175 million
This English singer, songwriter, guitarist, and astrophysicist is best known as one of the members of the legendary rock band, Queen. He formed the band Smile in 1968 which lasted for two years. In 1970, he and a former Smile drummer, Roger Taylor joined Freddie Mercury and John Deacon to form Queen. He wrote and co wrote the majority of Queen's hit singles such as "We Will Rock You", "Under Pressure", and "The Show Must Go On".
May has enjoyed international acclaim, he was ranked at No. 26 on Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time", in 2001, he, as the other members of Queen, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2005 May was appointed a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Queen Elizabeth II herself for "services to the music industry and for charity work", and in 2018 the band received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in the category of "the most distinctive recordings in music history". May has an estimated net worth of $175 million, making him the wealthiest band member. Interesting to know, besides his musical career, May also has a PhD in astrophysics.
$90 Million
George Ivan "Van" Morrison, singer-songwriter, instrumentalist and record producer who conquered our ears and hearth all the way from Northern Ireland. His mother was a musician and dancer and his father was an avid music lover, known for having one of the largest music collections in their province. Exposing young Van to various artists from different genres like Muddy Waters, Mahalia Jackson, Charlie Parke, and Jimmie Rodgers.
Even before Van Morrison began writing songs he made a pretty penny as a singer thanks to his melodic voice. Soon he realized that he wanted to not just cover the lyrics of others, but feel the words from his heart, and thus became one of our generation’s most celebrated songwriters.
$20 million
While he is probably more famous these days for being the father of Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus certainly made a name for himself back in the day. And he's got the goods to prove it - the man's net worth does stand at $20 million dollars. In 1996, he released the critically acclaimed album 'Trail of Tears'. Just two years later, he dropped the album 'Shot Full of Love' with Mercury Records. This time however, the album completely tanked. It's safe to say that this loss resulted in heartbreak, as well as the departure from Mercury Records.
Shifting to Christian music, Billy Ray Cyrus bounced up and down the charts for the next few years. Unable to see real success, he decided to take a break. In 2008, the singer made a big comeback and went on to release six more albums. He even made a number one hit and earned a Grammy nomination for his collaboration with the rapper Lil Nas X, on the song "Old Town Road".
$140 Million
This Canadian born recording artist, lyricist and actor, Aubrey "Drake" Graham first hit our TV screens as Jimmy Brooks from the teen series Degrassi: The Next Generation. It wasn't until 2006 that he revealed us his rap and singing skills. His first mixtapes were received well and although he was unsigned, he landed features on countless remixes and mixtapes. He eventually caught the attention of some of the biggest names in the genre at that time,which included artist like Lil' Wayne, Kanye West and Jay-Z.
By the summer of 2009, his single "Best I Ever Had," had climbed to number 2 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Record labels were eager to sign him, and Drake eventually signed with Universal Motown in late summer for a reported $2 million. To date, his estimated new worth today is $140 million, making him the fourth richest rapper in the world, according to Forbes. Drake also owns his own line, called October’s Very Own, and also signed with Nike’s Jordan Brand. Other streams of revenue include the Virginia Black Whiskey company, and the Toronto Raptors NBA team, which make sense because Darke's a huge basketball fan.