Beatles's Paul McCartney becomes 3rd-richest musician with $1B fortune
What's the story
Paul McCartney has officially joined the ranks of billionaires, with Forbes estimating his net worth at around $1.4 billion. The publication's new newsletter, The Billie, awarded him this title, attributing his wealth to his music catalogue, legal battles, tours, and art collection. He is now the third-richest musician in the world after Taylor Swift ($2 billion) and Jay-Z ($2.8 billion).
Wealth source
Major chunk of wealth comes from MPL Communications
A major chunk of McCartney's wealth comes from MPL Communications, a publishing company he founded in 1969.
The company manages his own music catalogue and also controls copyrights for thousands of other artists' works, including those by Buddy Holly.
Forbes estimates this part of his empire is worth $250 million.
Income streams
McCartney gets a cut of The Beatles's catalogue
McCartney also earns a significant income from The Beatles.
Their Apple Corps holding company rakes in over $50 million each year through streaming, vinyl sales, and merchandise.
As a member of the band, he receives 25% of these earnings, along with Ringo Starr and the estates of John Lennon and George Harrison.
Additional earnings
Legal battles for Beatles songwriting rights
Forbes also estimates that McCartney earns at least $10 million annually from Beatles songwriting copyrights, which are valued at around $200 million.
He fought legal battles for these rights over the years, particularly in the United States.
His fortune is further bolstered by concert tours like Got Back, which includes 79 shows between 2022 and 2025.
Asset portfolio
Real estate, art collection, and continued musical activity
In addition to his music-related income, McCartney's fortune also includes real estate in the UK and the Hamptons.
His art collection features works by Pablo Picasso and René Magritte.
Despite being in his mid-80s, McCartney remains active musically with the release of his latest album The Boys of Dungeon Lane in May 2026.