Paul McCartney Becomes UK's First Billionaire Musician – 17 May 2024

Q: How did Paul McCartney make his money?

Through songwriting royalties, recording income, and touring. The £50 million increase in 2023–24 was driven by the Got Back Tour, 'Now and Then', and Beyoncé's cover of 'Blackbird'.

Q: What is Now and Then?

The Beatles' final song, released 2 November 2023, based on a John Lennon home demo from the late 1970s, completed by McCartney and Ringo Starr using AI audio technology. It reached number one in the UK.

Q: Why did Beyoncé's Blackbird cover earn McCartney royalties?

McCartney co-wrote 'Blackbird' with John Lennon in 1968. Beyoncé's version on Cowboy Carter (March 2024) generated significant streaming income and renewed interest in the original.

May 16, 2026

Paul McCartney Becomes UK's First Billionaire Musician – 17 May 2024

Friday 17 May 2024 | Paul McCartney

On 17 May 2024, the Sunday Times Rich List reported that Paul McCartney had become the United Kingdom's first billionaire musician. McCartney, 81, appeared on the list jointly with his wife Nancy, with a combined estimated wealth of £1 billion — up from £950 million in 2023. The increase of £50 million in a single year was attributed to touring income, songwriting and recording royalties, and the commercial success of The Beatles' final song 'Now and Then' and covers including Beyoncé's version of 'Blackbird'.

The Sunday Times Rich List

The Sunday Times Rich List is the UK's most prominent annual survey of personal wealth, published each spring. The 2024 list was topped overall by Gopi Hinduja and his family, with a combined wealth of £37.2 billion. Among musicians, McCartney's £1 billion placed him well ahead of Andrew Lloyd Webber (£515 million) and Mick Jagger (£415 million).

Nancy McCartney's individual estimated worth was given as £50 million by the newspaper. The joint listing reflected the couple's shared financial interests.

How McCartney Reached £1 Billion

McCartney's wealth has been built across more than six decades of songwriting, recording, and touring. The core of his fortune is his publishing catalogue — the songs he wrote as a solo artist and with Wings, which he owns outright. The Beatles catalogue, by contrast, is owned by Sony Music Publishing following Michael Jackson's purchase of ATV Music Publishing in 1985 and the subsequent merger with Sony.

The £50 million increase in 2023–24 was driven by several factors:

Touring: The Got Back Tour, which ran from April 2022 through 2023 and 2024, was one of the highest-grossing tours of the era. McCartney's Glastonbury headline in June 2022 — at the age of 80, the oldest solo headliner in the festival's history — generated significant additional income and profile.
'Now and Then': The Beatles' final song, released in November 2023, was a commercial and cultural event — reaching number one in the UK and generating substantial streaming and download income. It was completed using AI-assisted audio restoration to isolate John Lennon's vocal from a 1970s home demo.
Beyoncé's 'Blackbird': Beyoncé's cover of the 1968 Beatles song, released on her album Cowboy Carter in March 2024, generated significant royalty income for McCartney as the song's co-writer. The cover brought 'Blackbird' to a new generation of listeners and drove substantial streaming numbers for the original.

The Beatles' Final Song: Now and Then

'Now and Then' was released on 2 November 2023 — the last song to be released under The Beatles' name. It was based on a home demo recorded by John Lennon in the late 1970s, which Yoko Ono had given to the surviving Beatles in 1994 as part of the Anthology project. At the time, the audio quality of Lennon's vocal was too poor to use. Advances in AI audio technology — specifically the machine learning tools developed by Peter Jackson's team for the Get Back documentary — allowed the vocal to be cleanly separated from the piano accompaniment for the first time. McCartney and Ringo Starr completed the recording in 2023, adding new instrumentation and harmonies. George Harrison's guitar part, recorded during the 1990s sessions, was also included.

Key Facts: 17 May 2024

Publication: Sunday Times Rich List 2024
McCartney's estimated wealth: £1 billion (jointly with Nancy McCartney)
Nancy McCartney's individual estimate: £50 million
Increase from 2023: £50 million (up from £950 million)
Income sources cited: Touring; 'Now and Then' royalties; Beyoncé's 'Blackbird' cover royalties
Other musicians on the 2024 list: Andrew Lloyd Webber (£515m); Mick Jagger (£415m)
Overall Rich List topper: Gopi Hinduja and family (£37.2 billion)
McCartney's age: 81

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Paul McCartney become a billionaire?

According to the Sunday Times Rich List published on 17 May 2024, McCartney's combined wealth with his wife Nancy reached £1 billion, making him the UK's first billionaire musician.

How did Paul McCartney make his money?

Through songwriting royalties (primarily his solo and Wings catalogue), recording income, and touring. The £50 million increase in 2023–24 was driven by the Got Back Tour, The Beatles' final song 'Now and Then', and Beyoncé's cover of 'Blackbird' on her Cowboy Carter album.

Does Paul McCartney own the Beatles catalogue?

No. The Beatles' publishing catalogue is owned by Sony Music Publishing, following Michael Jackson's purchase of ATV Music Publishing in 1985. McCartney owns his solo and Wings songwriting catalogue outright.

What is 'Now and Then'?

The Beatles' final song, released on 2 November 2023. It was based on a home demo by John Lennon from the late 1970s, completed by McCartney and Ringo Starr using AI audio technology to isolate Lennon's vocal. It reached number one in the UK.

Why did Beyoncé's 'Blackbird' cover earn McCartney royalties?

McCartney co-wrote 'Blackbird' with John Lennon in 1968. As co-writer, he receives royalties whenever the song is covered, streamed, or sold. Beyoncé's version, released on Cowboy Carter in March 2024, generated significant streaming income and drove renewed interest in the original.