Rod with Sharon Osbourne.
The past year has seen them shoot from rock has-beens to television superstars. Now Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne have confirmed their ascendancy by entering rock ‘n’ roll’s latest wealth chart, beating Rod, the Rolling Stones The Beatles. According to research into the income of British rock and pop stars, Birmingham’s most devilish musical export and his spouse are now third in terms of earning power, their £40 million combined income only bettered by Sir Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones.
The rich-list, compiled for Heat magazine, is based on income last year – generated by record sales, live performance, songwriting and publishing, merchandising and sponsorship. The Stones benefited from the success of their greatest hits album Forty Licks which helped bring earn £75 million. Sir Elton too has done well out of a greatest hits package, and has targeted a younger market by collaborating with pop act Blue on a version of Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word. Royalties helped The Who to number five in the list, with an income of £22 million, ahead of the The Beatles estate at number six.
Rod’s hectic touring schedule, his albums ‘The Very Best Of’ and ‘The Great American Songbook’ boosted his coffers by £6 million placing him in position nine.
Many big names have fallen off the end of the chart, including Dido, David Gray, Sting, Damon Albarn, Jamiroquai, Gabrielle, Atomic Kitten and Hear’Say. But most significant of all is the fact that only two post 1980 acts are featured in the Top 15 – Robbie Williams and Coldplay.
UK MUSIC’S TOP EARNERS
1: Sir Paul McCartney £120m
2: Rolling Stones £75m
3: Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne £40m
4: Sir Elton John £38m
5: The Who £22m
6: The Beatles Ltd £17m
7: Robbie Williams £12m
8: Tom Jones £9m
9: Rod Stewart £6m
10: Coldplay £5.5m
(Courtesy of Heat)