Early in their career, the Beatles famously covered Barrett Strong's "Money (That's What I Want)." It first appeared on their second U.K. album, With the Beatles, and later The Beatles' Second Album in the U.S.
Six decades later, the desires expressed in that song have been fully realized. Former Beatle Paul McCartney, 81, has become the U.K.'s first billionaire musician, with his net worth surging in recent months, according to The Sunday Times 2024 Rich List.
Though he may be the top musician, he's not even close to the richest person in the U.K., coming in at No. 165, between Russian businessman Vladimir Makhlai and British businessman Chris Sheppard and his family. McCartney is listed as having a net worth of a billion pounds, which is close to $1.3 billion.
McCartney's wealth has increased dramatically over the past year. Thanks to touring in 2023 and his valuable catalog, The Sunday Times reports the singer-bassist's wealth jumped by 50 million pounds.
Likely contributing to McCartney's surging wealth was the release of "Now and Then," billed as the "final" Beatles song to feature all four members, last November, as well as the recently released restored Let It Be documentary from 1970.
He also had an assist from Beyoncé, who famously covered the Beatles' "Blackbird," written by McCartney, on her chart-topping Cowboy Carter album.
Other musicians on this year's Rich List are Sir Elton John, who wrapped up his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour, which included a headline appearance at Glastonbury, former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham who made the list with her husband David, and composer Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Aside from a continuing stream of Beatles reissues, McCartney is also raiding the vaults to release material from his post-Beatles career. One Hand Clapping, a much bootlegged but never officially released album by McCartney and Wings, is due June 14.
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