Summary
- Fleetwood Mac, one of the most successful bands of all time, has experienced lineup changes, intense conflicts, and romantic entanglements throughout their career.
- Lindsey Buckingham tops the list with a net worth of $150 million, primarily due to his successful solo career and lucrative music catalog sales.
- Stevie Nicks falls just short with a net worth of $120 million, largely attributed to her solo success and the sale of a majority stake in her music catalog for $100 million.
Bands make money, this much is true, but some members tend to make more than others. After all, the members of a group all do things outside of the band, which can be profitable for some. Naturally, people are curious to know who has the most.
Whether it's the Beatle with the most money, which member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers is the richest, or which dude from Metallica has bank, people are always curious about the wealth of band members.
Given that Fleetwood Mac is one of the biggest and best bands of all time, there has been a lingering curiosity about which members has the highest net worth. There's only one winner here, but even those that fell short should be happy with how much money they have made during their time in the music industry.
Fleetwood Mac Is One Of The Most Successful Bands Of All Time
Formed in London in 1967, Fleetwood Mac experienced numerous lineup changes over the years. The band's core members included Mick Fleetwood on drums, John McVie on bass, Christine McVie on keyboards and vocals, Lindsey Buckingham on guitar and vocals, and Stevie Nicks on vocals.
Fleetwood Mac's success reached its zenith in the mid-1970s with the release of their eleventh studio album, Rumours (1977). The album, with hits like "Go Your Own Way," "Don't Stop," and "Dreams," turned the group into instant global superstars.
The band's immense success was accompanied by intense interpersonal conflicts, romantic entanglements, and profound emotional upheavals. Relationships within Fleetwood Mac were anything but stable, with couples forming and breaking apart within the band's tight-knit circle.
Perhaps the most tumultuous relationship was that of Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks. Despite their romantic connection crumbling, their creative partnership endured.
Through their ups and downs, the group's legacy is forever etched in rock history. Because of their success, the band members have all made a fortune, and one member can lay claim to out-earning the rest of the group.
Lindsey Buckingham Tops The List With $150 Million
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Lindsey Buckingham has the highest net worth of any member of Fleetwood Mac.
"That net worth has been reduced to reflect a presumably large settlement with his longtime wife Kristen, who filed for divorce in June 2021 after 21 years of marriage. At his peak Lindsey Buckingham's net worth was easily north of $250 million," the sire reports.
Outside of the group, Buckingham had a successful solo career, and he was able to flip his music royalties for incredible amounts of money.
"In 2012 Lindsey sold 25% of his music catalog to a company called Kobalt for an estimated $30 million. In September 2020 Kobalt was acquired by Hipgnosis Songs Fund for $323 million. In January 2021, Lindsey agreed to sell his remaining 75% stake in his catalog to Kobalt to Hipgnosis for an undisclosed amount that has been estimated at $60-80 million. The sale gave Hipgnosis 100% of Lindsey's rights to royalties and license fees earned from songs like "Go Your Own Way" and "The Chain," Celebrity Net Worth reports.
Buckingham is in the top spot, and he's about $30 million ahead of Stevie Nicks, who comes in second place.
Stevie Nicks Fell Just Short With $120 Million
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Stevie Nicks is worth a whopping $120 million. Sure, she is $30 million behind her ex, but no one is going to complain about having 9 figures in their account.
Much like Buckingham, Nicks also had solo success, and she also flipped her music for bank.
"On December 4, 2020 it was announced that Stevie had reached a deal to sell an 80% stake in her music catalog to music publisher Primary Wave at a value of $100 million, meaning she was paid $80 million while still holding a 20% stake. The catalog includes the copyright to songs like "Edge of Seventeen", "Landslide" and "Rhiannon," Celebrity Net Worth writes.
As far as the rest of the group goes, Christine McVie was worth $105 million, Mick Fleetwood is worth $30 million, and John McVie secured $50 million.
McVie had also sold her catalogue for a handsome sum, and she was thrilled with the purchase.
"I am so excited to belong to the Hipgnosis family, and thrilled that you all regard my songs worthy of merit. I’d like to thank you all for your faith in me, and I’ll do all I can to continue this new relationship and help in any way I can! Thank you so much!," she said, per Variety.
Lindsey Buckingham wins that battle of net worths, but really, each member of the group should be more than happy with their insane wealth.
