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How Singer John Legend Built His $100 Million Fortune

Singer/songwriter John Legend has had a busy career so far. The Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony winner (EGOT) is currently on a hit NBC show, “The Voice,” and just aired a special of his own earlier in December with chorus director David Brown called “Finding Harmony.”  

WASHINGTON, DC – DECEMBER 16: John Legend, multiplatinum artist, producer and EGOT winner shares his passion for music with Hilton Honors members during a live performance at Waldorf Astoria DC on December 16, 2022 in Washington, DC. The exclusive event highlights the one-of-kind packages available on the Hilton Honors Experiences platform. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for Hilton Honors)

All that work has paid off financially, as the “All of Me” singer has a net worth estimated to be $100 million.

Top-Selling Music

Since 2004 debut album “Get Lifted,” he has been releasing hit album after hit album: “Once Again,” 2006; “Evolver,” 2008; “Wake Up,” 2010; “Love in the Future,” 2013; “Darkness, and Light,” 2016. All were released under Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music label. Legend has also had a number of songs on original soundtracks such as “Despicable Me 2,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and “Django Unchained.” His debut remains his best-selling album, selling more than 2,432,500 copies. 

In January he sold a catalog of his music dating to his first album to an alliance of KKR & Co. and BMG. He also sold the copyrights as well as the rights to receive royalties from music he wrote from late 2004 through early last year, The Los Angeles Times reports. Financial terms of the agreement weren’t disclosed, but The Wall Street Journal estimated the catalog is worth around $50 million.

Touring by the Numbers

All of this music ensures Legend, 43, has plenty of material for touring. Legend averages ticket sales of 4,033 per show for a gross of $448,494 per concert, according to PollStar. Tickets for Legend’s upcoming 2023 shows in New York start at $115, with the average ticket seat being $171.

TV Numbers

Legend is also reported to be making between $13 million and $14 million per season on “The Voice.”

Then There’s Real Estate

Legend and his wife, Chrissy Teigen, are a real estate power couple. They bought and formerly lived in a Beverly Hills house previously owned by Rihanna, which was worth more than $14 million in 2016. After repairing the flooding-prone house, the couple listed the house for $22 million and accepted an offer of more than $16 million.

The couple also acquired two connecting luxury apartments in New York City between May 2018 and April 2020 for about $9 million and $8 million, respectively. In January 2022 they sold the two units together for $18 million.

The New York Post estimates the couple had a real estate portfolio worth $57 million in 2021 before selling off some of their holdings.

 

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