What was David Bowie's Net Worth?
David Bowie was an iconic English musician, singer-songwriter, and actor with a net worth of $230 million at the time of his death in 2016. This included a $100 million estimate for his music catalog, which was later sold by his estate to Warner Chappell for $250 million in January 2022.
Bowie's career spanned nearly five decades, during which he wrote innovative and experimental music that achieved commercial and critical success. With more than 100 million records sold worldwide, Bowie is considered one of the most influential rock artists ever. He released 27 studio albums, 9 of which reached #1 in the UK. Known by a plethora of nicknames such as Ziggy Stardust and The Thin White Duke, Bowie had his first American hit in 1976 with the single "Fame" and the album "Young Americans." That same year, he starred in the film "The Man Who Fell to Earth."
Bowie produced numerous popular singles, including "Under Pressure" (with Queen), "Changes," "Rebel Rebel," "Space Oddity," and "Modern Love." He was honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. His distinctive voice and eclectic work have left a lasting impact on the world of popular music.
Early Life
David Robert Jones, known as David Bowie, was born on January 8, 1947, in London, England. His mother, Margaret, was a waitress, and his father, Haywood, worked as a promotions officer for a charity. David showed an early interest in music, playing the saxophone at 13 and later the ukulele, tea-chest bass, and piano. He attended Bromley Technical High School and formed the band the Konrads at 15. By age 16, Bowie left school to fully pursue his music career, joining the King Bees and acquiring his first manager, Leslie Conn.
Music Career
In the mid-1960s, David adopted the stage name David Bowie to avoid confusion with Davy Jones of The Monkees. His self-titled debut album was released on June 1, 1967. His 1969 album "Man of Words/Man of Music" saw success upon its re-release as "Space Oddity" in 1972. Bowie introduced his Ziggy Stardust persona with the 1972 album "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars," which spent two years on the charts.
Following that, Bowie released a string of successful albums, including three consecutive #1 albums: "Aladdin Sane" (1973), "Pin Ups" (1973), and "Diamond Dogs" (1974). In the 1980s, he achieved another series of #1 albums: "Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)" (1980), "Let's Dance" (1983), and "Tonight" (1984). In 1989, Bowie formed Tin Machine before returning to his solo career with 1993's "Black Tie White Noise" and 2013's "The Next Day," which topped charts internationally. His final album, "Blackstar," released two days before his death, also reached #1 globally.
Acting Career
Bowie appeared in over 30 films, television, and theater projects, winning a Saturn Award for "The Man Who Fell to Earth." He memorably portrayed Jareth the Goblin King in Jim Henson's "Labyrinth" (1986), among other notable roles such as Pontius Pilate in "The Last Temptation of Christ" (1988) and Andy Warhol in "Basquiat" (1996). He also played himself in the comedy "Zoolander" (2001) and appeared in the HBO/BBC series "Extras" (2006).
Bowie Bonds
Facing the rising tide of music piracy in the late 1990s, Bowie was concerned about the sustainability of future royalties. A friend suggested he could securitize his music royalties by issuing bonds backed by his catalog. Bowie successfully raised $55 million through Prudential Financial, using songs written prior to 1990 as collateral. The 10-year bonds paid an annual interest of 7.9%, after which Bowie repaid the loan and regained full royalty payments without relinquishing ownership of his catalog.
(Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images)
Personal Life
David married Mary Barnett on March 19, 1970, and they had a son, Duncan Jones, on May 30, 1971. The couple divorced in 1980, with Bowie gaining custody of Duncan. He later married Somali model Iman on April 24, 1992, and they had a daughter, Alexandria, in August 2000. Bowie also publicly discussed his sexuality, identifying as gay in a 1972 "Melody Maker" interview and later as bisexual in a 1976 "Playboy" interview. He had a deep interest in Buddhism and considered becoming a Buddhist monk.
Death and Estate
Bowie passed away on January 10, 2016, from liver cancer, just two days after turning 69 and releasing his album "Blackstar." He kept his illness private from the public. Following his death, fans honored him with memorials in various cities, including Brixton and New York. Bowie was cremated, and his ashes were dispersed in Bali during a Buddhist ceremony. His estate, valued at $230 million, was divided among his family, with his wife Iman receiving their SoHo penthouse and half of the fortune. His children, Duncan and Alexandria, received a portion of the estate, and he made provisions for his longtime assistant and his son's nanny.
Catalog Sale
In January 2022, Bowie's estate sold his publishing catalog to Warner Chappell for $250 million, including over six decades of music, 26 studio albums released during his lifetime, one posthumous album, and roughly 400 songs.
Awards and Honors
Bowie won numerous awards, including 11 NME Awards, 4 BRIT Awards, 4 Ivor Novello Awards, 4 MTV Video Music Awards, and 2 Outer Critics Circle Awards. He received 19 Grammy nominations and won 5, including four awards for his final album in 2017. Additionally, Bowie was featured on the Brixton Pound currency and was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1997.
Real Estate
In 1999, Bowie and Iman purchased two NYC penthouses, creating a 5,300 square foot loft. They also owned properties, including a 14-room estate in Lausanne, Switzerland, and a 5-bedroom Caribbean villa on the island of Mustique, which Bowie sold for $5 million in 1995. The Mustique property was available for rent in recent years for $40,000 to $70,000 per week.
