Here Are Some of Pop Culture’s Richest Songwriters Ranked

If you’ve kept up with petty celebrity fights and diss tracks, you’re probably well aware by now that there’s a fine line between being a singer and being a songwriter. However, just because this line exists doesn’t mean a singer can’t have a hand in creating lyrical masterpieces.

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There’s a reason why these songwriters are some of the richest out there. From Fleetwood Mac’s very famous Landslide to Taylor Swift’s Evermore, this list is comprised of pop culture favorites who have moved hearts with their lyrical masterpieces, heartwarming melodies, and gorgeous voices.

Neil Diamond – $175 million

Singer-songwriter, Neil Diamond, is considered one of the best-selling musicians of all time, having sold more than 100 million records worldwide. Diamond has had a very successful career. In 1984, he was inducted into the Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, and in 2011, into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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Some of Neil Diamond’s greatest hits include Sweet Caroline, I’m A Believer, and If You Know What I Mean. During his entire career, 38 of his songs were featured in the Top 10 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Charts, and 10 of his songs were also number 1 on the Hot 100 and Adult Contemporary Charts.

Johnny Cash – $60 million

Johnny Cash is a singer-songwriter who peaked in the late 60s until the early 70s and is considered one of the greatest, with over 90 million record sales globally. In 1980, Cash was inducted into the Country Music Hall of fame, and on the same day 12 years later, he was also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

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His music danced from genre to genre, touching on country, rock and roll, blues, folk, and gospel sounds. Some of his most famous songs are I Walk The Line, Folsom Prison Blues, and Ring of Fire.

Joni Mitchell – $50 million

Roberta Joan Mitchell, or better known as Joni Mitchell, is a poet, guitarist, and pianist. She was also active in advocacies and demonstrations during the Baby Boom counterculture. Over the years of her career, she changed her look and voice in order to become a prominent pop influence.

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Joni Mitchell is most recognized for her The Blue album, but she also has other hits that were big, such as Big Yellow Taxi and Woodstock. Her music is a mix of folk, pop, rock, classical, and jazz elements which made her become recognized for her versatility.

Jerry Garcia – $40 million

San Francisco-born Jerry Garcia was a principal songwriter, lead guitarist, and vocalist for rock band The Grateful Dead during their entire 30-year career, from 1965 to 1995. Aside from this, he was involved in other bands and released solo albums, too. In 2010, the Rolling Stone listed him as the 13th greatest guitarist in their “Greatest Guitarists” list.

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Jerry Garcia was best known for his style of psychedelic rock. His greatest hits include Truckin’—one that became the band’s highest-ranked singles thanks to Garcia’s guitar skills—and Sugaree.

Paul Simon – $75 million

Before Paul Simon went solo, he was part of the famous duo Simon & Garfunkel. In 1970, the duo went their separate ways and Simon went on to release Graceland, an album that was influenced by South Africa, a place Simon lived for some time. Simon was a screenwriter and also had a career writing Broadway musicals. Together with poet Derek Walcott, they wrote the musical The Capeman.

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While working as a duo, some of their greatest hits like Bridge Over Troubled Water and Mrs. Robinson were penned by Paul Simon. Though Graceland was considered a controversial album, it still sold 14 million copies and became Simon’s most successful solo work.

James Taylor – $60 million

In 2000, American singer-songwriter James Taylor was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Being a 5-time Grammy winner, he has sold more than 100 million albums globally is considered one of the best-selling artists.

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Taylor had his breakthrough in 1970 with the single Fire and Rain and his cover of Carole King’s You’ve Got A Friend. He also has covers of other famous songs, like How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) and HandyMan. He achieved his first U.S. number one album in 2015 with the studio album Before This World.

Carole King – $70 million

For the latter part of the 20th century, Carole King was one of the most famous and highest paid female songwriters. She was responsible for writing or co-writing 118 songs that charted the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. alone. She also wrote 61 songs that hit the UK charts, making her the most popular female songwriter in the UK as well.

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King’s studio album, Tapestry, became the reason for her big break. Tapestry stayed in the US charts for nearly 4 months. Some of her most memorable hits include (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman and It’s Too Late. In 2012, she was awarded a Hollywood Star.

Stevie Wonder – $110 million

To this day, Stevie Wonder remains one of the most popular singers out there, and rightfully so. Aside from his lyrical genius, he plays many instruments, such as the drums, keyboards, and harmonica. He has earned 25 Grammy awards and one Academy award.

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Aside from his awards, Stevie Wonder was also inducted into the Hall of Fame and the Hall of Songwriters of Rock & Roll. He had several songs that charted the Billboard Hot 100, 10 of them peaking at number 1. You may know his famous hits like I Just Called To Say I Love You, Superstition, and You Are The Sunshine Of My Life.

Billy Joel – $180 million

After Billy Joel’s first smash hit Piano Man, he was eventually dubbed the same. Since the 70s, he has already been working as a solo artist in the industry. He has sold more than 150 million albums all around the world and his Greatest Hits vol. 1 and 2 compilation albums is considered one of the most top-selling albums in America.

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Joel has had 23 Grammy nominations, 5 of those he won. In 1992, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992, and, finally, the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2006. Some of his well-known hits are We Didn’t Start The Fire, Piano Man, and Tell Her About It.

Burt Bacharach – $160 million

Burt Bacharach is a Missouri-born composer who is considered one of the most influential composers from the 20th century. He has made hundreds of songs from the late 50s until the 80s, many of those he collaborated with writer Hal David.

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Bacharach and David mostly worked with Dionne Warwick, but they also collaborated with other artists, like The Carpenters, Gene Pitney, and Dusty Springfield. Many of the songs he co-wrote became Billboard Hot 100 hits, like The Carpenters’ (They Long To Be) Close To You and Herb Alpert’s This Guy’s In Love With You.

Randy Newman – $50 million

Randy Newman is a singer, songwriter, composer, and arranger. He is best known for his work with film scores. Due to his work as a film composer, he was nominated for an Academy Award 22 times and won it twice: one in 2002 for Best Original Song (If I Didn’t Have You- Monster’s Inc.) and in 2011 for Best Original Song (We Belong Together- Toy Story 3). He has also won three Emmy awards and seven Grammy awards.

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Newman composed music for many animated and live-action movies, such as the Toy Story franchise, Monster’s Inc., Cars, Marriage Story, and Meet The Parents. He was inducted as a Disney legend in 2007 and into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.

Dolly Parton – $500 million

Dolly Parton claims success both in singing and songwriting. She has penned over 3,000 songs, one of those being the highly popular classic I Will Always Love You. She is one of the very few people in Hollywood who have been nominated for an EGOT: an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony.

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In 1999, she was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, country music’s highest honor. She was also awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2005. Some of her most popular songs are Jolene, 9 to 5, and Two Doors Down.

Tom Petty – $95 million

Musician Tom Petty is one of the most top-selling artists ever with more than 80 million record sales worldwide. His musical influences revolved around Elvis Presley, who he met when he was 10, and The Rolling Stones. He was the lead singer and guitarist of the band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

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Petty released hit songs both from the band and as a solo artist. The band’s second album, You’re Gonna Get It! was part of the Top 40. However, it was their third album, Damn The Torpedoes, that did numbers and went platinum and sold almost 2 million copies.

Loretta Lynn – $65 million

Kentucky-born Loretta Lynn is notably one of the most famous and influential country artists in all of country music history. She was nominated for a Grammy 18 times and won 3 times. A self-taught guitarist, she has had 11 number one albums and 24 number one singles.

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She is most recognized for her song Coal Miner’s Daughter and the biographical name of the same name. Some of her other famous songs include You Ain’t Woman Enough, Fist City, and You Ain’t Woman Enough (To Take My Man).

Lou Reed – $15 million

Lewis Allan Reed, better known as Lou Reed, was the singer, guitarist, and songwriter of the rock band The Velvet Underground. He also had a thriving career as a solo artist that spanned more than five decades. Though The Velvet Underground failed to be a commercially successful band back then, it is now considered one of the most influential bands in rock history.

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In 1970, Reed left The Velvet Underground and went on to release 20 solo studio albums. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 as a member of The Velvet Underground, and once more in 2015 as a solo act. Some of his most notable songs are Think It Over and Heavenly Arms.

Kris Kristofferson – $160 million

Kris Kristofferson is an eminent singer, songwriter, and actor. Most of his work is dedicated to songwriting, particularly in collaboration with other songwriters like Shel Silverstein. In 1985, country music group The Highwaymen, made up of Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson, was born.

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Aside from songwriting, he also acted in several films like A Star Is Born( one which earned him a Golden Globe for Best Actor), Heaven’s Gate, Blade, and Lone Star. In 1985, he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and in 2004, into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

Paul McCartney – $1.2 billion

It doesn’t come as a surprise that Paul McCartney is a part of this list. He was a co-founder of the Beatles, of course. Together with fellow Beatles member John Lennon, they wrote some of the greatest hits ever, one of that being Yesterday. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, the first one for his membership in the Beatles and the second one for his work as a solo artist.

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In 1965, he and the other Beatles members were appointed Members of the Order of the British Empire, and on March 11, 1997, Paul McCartney became the first Beatle to be knighted for his services to music, officially granting him the title “Sir”.

Van Morrison – $90 million

This musical legend began his career when he was still a teenager. He played for numerous bands in Ireland, until eventually joined rock group Them which helped propel him into the spotlight. In 1966, he left the band and continued to work as a thriving solo artist.

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Most of Harrison’s music revolved around soul music and R&B elements. His hit single Brown Eyed Girl spent sixteen weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at number 10. To this day, Morrison still occasionally performs in front of huge crowds.

Bob Dylan – $200 million

To this day, folk singer Bob Dylan is widely recognized as one of the greatest songwriters known to pop culture. In the early 60s, some of his songs became political messages for the civil rights and anti-war movements. However, his recognition doesn’t stop there. In 2016, he earned a Nobel Prize in Literature for his music and its lyrical impact .

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Throughout his music career, he received numerous prestigious awards. These include a Golden Globe, an Academy, ten Grammys, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He is also a visual artist and has eight published books of drawings and paintings.

Brian Wilson – $75 million

Brian Wilson is best recognized as the co-founder and leader of American rock group The Beach Boys. Together with his 3 brothers and cousin, The Beach Boys was formed. After being signed on to Capitol Records, Wilson wrote and co-wrote more than two dozen top 40 hits for the band.

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In 2008, the Rolling Stone ranked Wilson 52nd in the “100 Greatest Singers of All Time” list and in 2015, he was ranked 12th in the “100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time”. Some of his most notable songs are God Only Knows, Wouldn’t It Be Nice, and I Get Around.

John Fogerty – $70 million

Before John Fogerty had a successful career as a solo artist, he was a member of the band Creedence Clearwater Revival. The group was formed with the help of this brother Tom, Stu Cook, and Doug Clifford. He was the lead singer and guitarist plus principal songwriter for the group.

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In 1972, CCR disbanded and Fogerty moved on to his solo career. He wrote songs that went on to become hits, like Proud Mary and Bad Moon Rising. The Rolling Stone ranked him 40th in a 100 Greatest Songwriters list and 72nd in a 100 Greatest Singers list.

Willie Nelson – $25 million

Willie Nelson is a Texas-born singer, songwriter, and actor. Thanks to the success of his three albums, Shotgun Willie, Red Headed Stranger, and Stardust, he is regarded as one of the most recognized artists in country music.

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Aside from his work as a singer and songwriter, Nelson also starred in more than 30 movies, wrote and co-authored several books, and participated in activism regarding the legalization of marijuana and the use of biofuels.

Elton John – $500 million

Rock legend Elton John is one of the best-selling artists of all time with more than 300 million album sales and 58 Top 40 Hits both in the UK Singles Chart and the US Billboard Hot 100. Candle In The Wind, a song he wrote as a tribute for Princess Diana, has sold more than 33 million copies all over the world and is the top selling single in UK and US history.

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Aside from his many honors and awards, Elton John is also an LGBTQ+ activist. He holds many events such as his annual Academy Award Party and the White Tie & Tiara Ball to raise money for AIDS charities. Ever since its establishment in 1992, the Elton John AIDS foundation has raised over $360 million.

David Bowie – $100 million

David Bowie is considered to be one of the most influential artists of the 20th century. He has over 140 million album sales worldwide, with ten platinum, eleven gold, and eight silver album certifications in the UK. On the other hand, he earned five platinum and nine gold album certifications in the US.

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Bowie was best known for how he presented himself on stage. During his career, he played with creating on-stage personas. However, it’s the Ziggy Stardust alter ego that’s famously associated with Bowie. Some of his biggest hits include Changes, Space Oddity, and Modern Love.

Glenn Frey – $200 million

Glenn Frey was a singer-songwriter and founder, as well as guitarist and singer, of rock band The Eagles. While in the band, they won six Grammys and five American Music Awards. When the band broke up in 1980, Frey decided to go solo and released his debut album No Fun Aloud.

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While solo, Frey recorded numerous Top 40 hits, like True Love, Soul Searchin’, and Sexy Girl. Together with hit singles from when he was in the Eagles, he has had two dozen Top 40 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.

John Prine – $6 million

John Prine has been a successful singer, songwriter, and occasional actor ever since the 70s. He was a student of the Folk’s Old Town School in Chicago and learned how to play the guitar at the young age of 14. He served in West Germany with the U.S. Army and then returned to Chicago, which ultimately led to his rise to fame.

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Prine was most recognized for his humorous songs about life and current affairs. But aside from that, he also recorded serious songs about stories from his life. His greatest hits include Sam Stone, Illegal Smile, and Dear Abby.

Bono – $700 million

You probably know Bono due to his involvement with U2. Until now, he is one of the most well-known artists in Dublin, Ireland. A 22-time Grammy winner, he is responsible for writing most of U2’s songs and is the group’s lead vocalist.

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His songs involve a lot of social and political messages, partly due to the influence from his religious upbringing. Earlier on, his songs had a more rebellious sound, but as time progressed, he started writing more personal songs as he started drawing inspiration from his personal experiences.

George Harrison – $400 million

George Harrison is the second The Beatles member on this list. He is dubbed “the Quiet Beatle” because he is not as famous compared to his fellow members. Despite this nickname, he is responsible for writing some of The Beatles’ famous hits like Here Comes the Sun and Taxman.

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Harrison drew inspiration from George Formby, Carl Perkins, Chuck Berry, and Django Reinhardt. He also drew inspiration from the culture and music from India. He blended Indian sounds and spirituality into the music the group out.

Sam Cooke – $650,000

Sam Cooke was an entrepreneur, musician, and influential songwriter. He was dubbed the King Of Soul due to his remarkable voice and his contribution in pop music. Bruce Eder, biographer of AllMusic, named Cooke the inventor of the soul genre.

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Cooke started singing at a young age, and his involvement to soul music led to the rise of other artists like Aretha Franklin, Al Green, Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, and Bobby Womack. The work of James Brown and Otis Redding were made popular thanks to Sam Cooke.

Bert Berns – $20 million

Bert Berns was born in the Bronx in New York City and was a prominent producer and songwriter in the 60s. Earlier on in his life, he lived in Havana before the start of the Cuban Revolution that eventually brought him back to the U.S.

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Some of Berns’ songwriting credits include famous pieces like Twist and Shout, Hang On Sloopy, and Piece of My Heart. He also produced famous songs like Van Morrison’s Brown Eyed Girl, The Drifters’ Under The Boardwalk, and Big Joe Williams’ Baby Please Don’t Go.

Marvin Gaye – $5 million

Marvin Gaye was a singer, songwriter, and record producer that helped shape the Motown sound of the 1960s, earning him the “Prince of Motown” and “Prince of Soul” nicknames. He became one of the first Motown artists to start creating music independently.

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In 1982, he won two Grammy awards for his Midnight Love album. A year later, Marvin Gaye sang The Star-Spangled Appearance in his last appearance at the NBA All-Star Game. A day before his 45th birthday, he was shot dead by his father at their house in Los Angeles.

Chrissie Hynde – $12 million

Chrissie Hynde is one of the founding members of The Pretenders. She is the primary songwriter and only constant member since the group’s formation in 1978. Her inspiration came from the hippie counterculture, vegetarianism, and Eastern mysticism.

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Hynde made a demo tape in 1978, which she gave to Real Records owner Dave Hill, and there her career started advancing. During her music career, she also worked with other notable musicians like Frank Sinatra, Cher, and UB40.

Lucinda Willams – $15 million

Lucinda is a Louisiana-born rock, country, and folk singer. She began her career in 1978 but it wasn’t until she released her self-titled album that she finally garnered the attention she rightfully deserved. In 1994, her song Passionate Kisses won Williams her first Grammy award for Best Country Song.

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Some of Williams greatest hits include songs Can’t Let Go and Get Right With God, one earning her a Grammy nomination and the other earning her a win. In 2002, Time magazine hailed Williams as “America’s best songwriter”.

Harry Nilsson – $7 million

Harry Nilsson was one of the few lucky pop-rock musicians who never played major concerts or toured, but still enjoyed remarkable commercial success during the early part of the 1970s. He was a tenor with an impressive three-and-a-half octave range.

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The Rolling Stone ranked him number 62 in their 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time list in 2015. Some of his most famous hits include Without You, Everybody’s Talkin, and Coconut.

Curtis Mayfield – $10 million

Curtis Mayfield was an American singer-songwriter and record producer who was most recognized for his activism during the civil rights movement and the political tones in his music. Mayfield initially started his career as a member of the group The Impressions, but eventually continued as a solo artist.

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Mayfield wrote many songs that eventually gained recognition due to the political undertones it contained. One example is the hit song People Get Ready. The song went on to claim many awards, one of it being number 24 of the Rolling Stone’s 2003 list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time

Max Martin – $260 million

Aside from our iconic pop culture favorites from previous decades, we also have more contemporary people in the list and one of them is Swedish songwriter Max Martin. He shot to fame when he wrote Britney Spears’ …Baby One More Time, Backstreet Boys’ I Want It That Way, and NSYNC’s It’s Gonna Be Me.

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Martin wrote and co-wrote nearly two dozen Billboard Hot 100 number one hits. Right after Paul McCartney and John Lennon, he is the third songwriter with the most number one hits. He has written songs for many prominent artists like Maroon 5, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, and The Weeknd.

Allen Toussaint – $3 million

For the second half of the 20th century, Allan Toussaint served as an inspiration in New Orleans’ rhythm and blues. In 1998, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2009, and finally the Blues Hall of Fame in 2011. In 2013, he also received a National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama.

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Toussaint wrote many hit songs, like Java, Fortune Teller, and Working In The Coal Mine. Aside from writing hit songs, he also recorded some hit songs of his own, like Lady Marmalade and Right Place, Wrong Time.

Chuck Berry – $10 million

Chuck Berry was dubbed the Father of Rock and Roll because he was one of the founders of rock and roll music. Berry made rock and roll through a unique style of guitar solos by refining and readjusting the rhythm and the blues. Eventually, this unique style became the basis of the distinctive rock and roll sounds that we hear today.

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Around the early 1950, Berry began performing with the Johnny Johnson Trio, but it was whn he met Muddy Waters in 1955 that he had his big break. Under Chess Records, Berry recorded Maybellene, an adaptation of Ida Red, and the song sold over one million copies and hit number one on the charts.

Pete Townshend – $105 million

Pete Townshend is an English singer, songwriter and co-founder of The Who, one of the most prominent rock bands during the 60s and 70s. He has written over a hundred songs for the band, including concept albums for rock operas Tommy and Quadrophenia.

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Aside from his musical career, he was also an author. He wrote many essays, newspaper and magazine articles, book reviews, etc. He is also skilled at playing many instruments, like the banjo, harmonica, ukulele, mandolin, violin, guitar, and drums. Truly a man of talent!

George Clinton – $1.8 million

Regarded as a leading innovator of funk music together with James Brown and Sly Stone, George Clinton is known for writing and recording many songs for independent soul labels in Detroit. In the late 60s, Clinton formed funks bands Parliament and Funkadelic.

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Clinton’s remarkable psychedelic rock and electro-funk style became the inspiration for many hip-hop and rap artists. Some of the songs he made with Parliament-Funkadelic were also usually used by rap producers as a sample.

Isaac Hayes – $12 million

Isaac Hayes was one of the driving forces behind the music label Stax Records. He worked as  a musician for the label before he went on to become a singer and songwriter. The song he wrote together with David Porter, Soul Man, is considered one of the most influential soul songs.

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Aside from his notable contribution to pop music, he also composed film scores. In 1972, he won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for the song Theme from Shaft from the 1971 movie Shaft. He was the third black person to be awarded an Oscar from any competitive field covered by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Joe Strummer – $4 million

Joe Strummer was an influential punk rock musician who was best known as the co-founder of punk rock band The Clash. The band’s second album, Give ‘Em Enough Rope, peaked at the number 2 spot on the UK charts. Afterwards, they also had a taste of success in the US thanks to their albums London Calling and Combat Rock.

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Besides The Clash, he worked with other bands like Latino Rockabilly War, the Mescaleros, The 101ers. He also worked on solo music and did other projects, too, like writing music scores, acting, and hosting. In 2003, the group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Patti Smith – $16 million

Patti Smith is a singer-songwriter, author, and poet whose debut album, Horses, was the reason she became an influence during New York’s punk rock movement. Dubbed the punk poet laureate, she combined poetry and rock in her music.

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Her most famous song is one she co-wrote with Bruce Springsteen called Because The Night. It peaked at the number 13 spot in the Billboard Hot 100 and at the number 5 spot in the UK. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.

Madonna – $590 million

Madonna is known as the Queen of Pop, and there’s no question why. She is known for challenging boundaries in all her work, from her acting to her singing. Due to the social, political, sexual, religious themes of her work, she has garnered both controversy and critical acclaim.

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Since the late 70s, Madonna has been active in the music industry. She has had many number one hits over the years, including the iconic Like A Virgin, Like A Prayer, Vogue, and 4 Minutes. Other musicians have mentioned her as their musical influence.

Fats Domino – $8 million

As one of the founders of rock and roll music, Fats Domino sold over 65 million records. However, probably because of his shyness and humbleness, his impact on the genre is often left unnoticed. Between 1955 and 1960, he also managed to have eleven Top 10 hits.

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35 of Domino’s records made it to the U.S. Billboard Top 40, and five of the records he made before 1955 were certified gold. His first record, The Fat Man, is the first known rock and roll record to sell one million copies.

Kurt Cobain – $50 million

Kurt Cobain was the main songwriter and frontman of the rock band Nirvana. Aside from that, he is also their main guitarist. Cobain formed the band together with Aaron Burckhard and Krist Novoselic, and it’s considered one of the most influential bands coming from Generation X.

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The band was formed in Seattle and was part of the music scene that eventually became the grunge subculture that it is today. The group signed onto DGC Records and it was with that label where they experienced the unexpected success of the hit single Smells Like Teen Spirit.

Walter Becker – $20 million

Walter Becker was the founder and co-songwriter of jazz rock band Steely Dan. Together with co-founder Donald Fagen, the duo moved from New York to LA and formed Steely Dan. After a commercially successful decade-long career, the group dissolved. Becker moved to Hawaii and worked as a record producer.

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For a while during the mid-80s, Becker became a part of the English band China Crisis. But in 1993, Becker and Fagen brought back Steely Dan and stayed active, releasing the album Two Against Nature which won them four Grammy awards.

Tom Waits – $25 million

California-born Tom Waits is a singer-songwriter, actor, and composer. During the 70s, his work was mainly limited to jazz, but he began dabbling in the blues, rock, vaudeville and experimental music genres during the 80s.

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He signed a contract with record label Asylum Records in 1972 and, under that label, experienced commercial success with many of his albums, such as Closing Time, The Heart of Saturday Night, Small Change, etc. The Rolling Stone ranked him 55th on the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time in 2015.

Dan Penn – $1 million

Dan Penn is a singer-songwriter and record producer who was responsible for co-writing and producing some of the greatest soul hits of the 1960s, like The Dark End of The Street, Cry Like A Baby, and The Letter. Despite Penn’s talent, he preferred songwriting and producing over singing.

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Sometime around the mid-60s, Penn was introduced to Aretha Franklin. With the help of Chips Moman, he and Penn wrote Do Right Woman, Do Right Man for Franklin, which The Rolling Stone included in their 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list in 2004.

Stevie Nicks – $75 million

Stevie Nicks is a solo artist, but is more recognized for her role as the lead vocalist of the band Fleetwood Mac. Nicks became a part of Fleetwood Mac when she joined in 1975 along with her then-boyfriend Lindsay Buckingham.

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After Nicks joined in ’75, the band released the album Rumours, and it went on to become the best-selling record of the year. To date, Rumours has had more than 45 million sales globally, making it one of the best selling records in history.

Mick Jagger – $360 million

For more than half a century, Mick Jagger is regarded as one of the most prominent figures in rock and roll history. He is one of the founders of iconic English rock band, The Rolling Stones. He and fellow Rolling Stone co-founder Keith Richards are regarded as rock legends of this generation.

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Jagger and Richards wrote many of The Rolling Stones’ songs, either together or separately. Jagger was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1989, and in 2003 he was knighted because of his contribution to popular music.

Willie Dixon – $2 million

Willie Dixon was a blues singer who was noted for his influence in molding the post-second world war sounds of the Chicago blues alongside Muddy Waters. Dixon experimented in blues and rock roll sounds by collaborating with Chuck Berry and Bo Diddley during the late 50s.

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Dixon wrote and co-wrote more than 500 songs, some of them becoming hit singles. At the start of the 80s, Dixon was inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame, and right before the decade ended, he received a Grammy for his studio album Hidden Charms.

Morrissey – $50 million

Before Morrissey’s success with The Smiths, he was the frontman of punk rock band The Nosebleed, but the band did not experience commercial success. In 1982, he formed the rock band The Smiths with Johnny Marr, and the band rose to fame after the release of their self-titled debut album

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5 years after its formation, The Smiths parted ways, and Morrissey began his solo career by releasing his solo debut album Viva Hate. He released three other studio albums, all of them earning spots on the UK Albums Chart with many hit singles.

Smokey Robinson – $100 million

Smokey Robinson was the founder and leader of Motown group The Miracles. He was also the group’s primary songwriter and producer. He fronted the group from its creation in 1955 until 1972 when Robinson announced his plans of leaving so that he could focus on being Motown Records’ vice president.

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In 1973, Robinson returned to the music industry, but this time as a solo artist. For a few years, he struggled both in competing with musicians Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder and with his role as Motown’s vice president. Eventually, Robinson got back on his feet and started releasing hit singles once more.

Kenny Gamble – $8.5 million

Philadelphia-born Kenneth Gamble, or better known as Kenny Gamble, is often credited for shaping the Philly sound of the 1970s. He is often associated with songwriting partner Leon Huff. Together, the duo have written and produced a total of 175 records that received gold and platinum certifications.

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In 2005, the pair was inducted into the Dance Music HOF, and in 2008, the pair was inducted into the Rock and Roll HOF. Some of their best hits include I’m Gonna Make You Love Me and Expressway To Your Heart.

Jimmy Webb – $10 million

Jimmy Webb is a singer-songwriter and composer. He earned a spot at the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1986 and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1990. Between the years of 1940 and 1990, Webb’s song By The Time I Get To Phoenix was the third most performed song.

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Webb has written many platinum-certified songs, like By The Time I Get To Phoenix, Galveston, All I Know, and Worst That Could Happen. He is the sole artist to win a Grammy for music, lyrics, and orchestration.

Merle haggard – $40 million

Merle Haggard is hailed as one of the pioneers of the country genre and the Bakersfield sound. After the death of his father, he decided to consider a career in country music. Because a lot of his songs were about the working last and anti-war sentiments, he gained popular recognition.

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Haggard managed to get 38 of his singles onto the number one spot in the US country charts between the 60s and the 80s. Many of his songs also managed to make it onto the Billboard all-genre singles chart. At the start of the 21st century, Haggard continued to release critically-acclaimed albums.

Taylor Swift – $360 million

Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift is currently one of the world’s biggest artists. At the age of 14, Swift started a career in country music. Over the years, as she grew more and more successful, she started experimenting with other genres, particularly with pop.

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Throughout her career, Taylor Swift has earned many achievements. To date, she has sold more than 200 million records globally, making her one of the most top-selling musicians. Billboard named her Woman of The Decade of the 2010s and the American Music Awards named her Artist of the Decade of the 2010s.

Buddy Holly – $1 million

Buddy Holly was the main influence surrounding the rock and roll sound of the mid-50s. His music was influenced by gospel, country, and the rhythm and blues genres. After he opened for Elvis Presley in 1955, he decided to consider a career in the music industry.

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Holly formed rock and roll band The Crickets in the 50s. The band released their single That’ll Be The Day in 1957 and it achieved great success in both US and UK singles charts. They released another single entitled Peggy Sue shortly after that which also became a hit single.

The Bee Gees – $86 million

The Bee Gees were made up of brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. They received attention between the late 60s and early 70s, but it was during the disco era of the mid-to-late 70s that they became prominent figures.

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It was Robin’s vibrato that shaped their sound during the earlier years, and it was Barry’s falsetto that shaped their sound during the mid-to-late 70s and 80s. The trio wrote all of their songs, but also wrote and produced songs for other artists.

Ray Davies – $12 million

Ray Davies is a the front man, guitarist, and primary songwriter for English rock band The Kinks. Davies is dubbed the godfather of the Britpop genre. When the band split up during the end of the 90s, Davies pursued a career as a solo artist.

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In 2014, Davies was inducted into the American Songwriters Hall of Fame. He also received two honorary awards for his services to the arts. In 2004, he received the CBE, and during the 2017 New Year Honours, he was knighted for his contribution to the arts.

Paul Westerberg – $9 million

Westerberg was a member and songwriter of the alt-rock band The Replacements during the 80s. When the band broke up in 1991, Westerberg started a solo career and put out three albums under major record labels.

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Some of Westerberg’s greatest hits are Waiting for Somebody and Dyslexic Heart, a soundtrack to the 1992 movie Singles. Throughout the years, he continued to do various projects, from working on his solo career to collaborating with other famous musicians.

Robert Johnson – $500,000 (estate)

Due to a combination of Johnson’s singing, guitar skills and lyrical genius, he is considered a master of the blues, especially the Delta blues style. Very little was known about Johnson’s life outside of the Mississippi Delta other than the music he released.

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Johnson only joined two recording sessions, releasing 29 songs that only became famous posthumously when producer Don Law released these songs as singles. Some of these songs are Terraplane Blues and Come On In My Kitchen.

Eminem – $210 million

Eminem is one of the most famous rappers of this era. Rappers take pride in writing all of their own music, and Eminem is no exception to that. Eminem’s success caused white rappers to be welcomed into popular music. Many artists also give credit to Eminem for being a source of inspiration.

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He has sold more than 230 million albums, and has won 15 Grammy awards, 8 AMAS, 17 BMAs, one Oscar and so much more. Eminem is the only artist to have nine of his albums top the Billboard Top 200 charts.

John Lennon – $800 million

John Lennon is another Beatles member that is on this list and he is quite like no other. Aside from being the founder, songwriter, and rhythm guitarist of the Beatles, he was also a peace activist. When the Beatles split up in 1970, Lennon embarked on a solo career.

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Several of the songs Lennon wrote and co-wrote with Paul McCartney were some of the Beatles’ greatest hits, like Strawberry Fields Forever that Time magazine praised for its “astonishing inventiveness”, Help!, and All You Need Is Love

R.E.M. – $75 million

R.E.M. was one of the US’ first alt rock bands, made up of drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and vocalist Michael Stipe. Berry left the band in 1997, but the band continued on until 2011 when they mutually agreed to disband.

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The band enjoyed commercial success with their releases, from singles like Radio Free Europe and The One I Love, to albums like Murmur, Out Of Time, and Automatic For The People. Their album Out Of Time earned the 7 Grammy award nominations.

Jeff Barry – $1 million

Jeff Barry is an influential figure in the pop-rock genre. He co-wrote many chart-topping songs for various artists throughout his career, either with his then-wife Ellie Greenwich or with other notable songwriters in that generation.

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Several of Barry’s greatest written hits are Without Us, Be My Baby, River Deep – Mountain High, and Leader of The Pack. Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich were part of the recipients for the Ahmet Ertegün Award form the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2010.

Kanye West – $250 million

Kanye West had a hand in shaping mainstream hip hop and pop music of today. He was first known as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records before he released his debut album The College Dropout with the intention of embarking on a solo career.

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After Kanye rose to fame and success with his pursuits, he started the record label GOOD Music. Aside from his music, West has also received media attention due to controversies, such as the Taylor Swift incident during the 2009 MTV VMAs.

Prince – $300 million

Prince is a singer-songwriter, dancer, actor, and director. He is highly recognized as one of the greatest musicians of his era. His music challenged the boundaries of the funk, Latin, country, rock, classical, soul, jazz, and hip hop genres. He was the founder of the funk rock subgenre Minneapolis sound.

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He was signed onto Warner Bros. Records when he was 19 and shot to fame with his unconventional albums, some of those gaining platinum recognitions. His album Purple Rain stayed at the top of the Billboard 200 for six consecutive months.