Because the rest of the Beatles’ talent—in the form of bandmates Paul McCartney, John Lennon and George Harrison.—was so massive, Starr’s star qualities have sometimes been overlooked or underestimated. However, the ageless, quirky beat-keeper has stayed relevant over the years, thanks in large part to his sense of humor: Starr doesn’t take himself too seriously, appearing in goofball comedies like Caveman and rocking the signature hat as The Conductor on Shining Time Station. He does, however, have a heck of a work ethic, releasing 20 albums and several movies and books since The Beatles broke up in 1970. (He was even the titular Summer’s favorite Beatle in 500 Days of Summer!) A combination of being true to himself and being a savvy investor (in addition to, you know, being a Beatle) has helped Ringo Starr’s net worth grow to astronomical levels. Keep reading to discover exactly what Starr is worth and how he did it.
How did Ringo Starr join The Beatles?
Starr, then known as Richard Starkey, played drums for Rory Storm and the Hurricanes in the late 1950s and early 1960s; he changed his stage name to Ringo Starr to reflect both his propensity for accessorizing and his love of country and western-style music. The band played a few shows with The Beatles in Hamburg, Germany—where The Beatles actually opened for them. Starr filled in for The Beatles’ then-drummer Pete Best for a few performances. In August 1962, Lennon invited Starr to join The Beatles permanently, and within days, he’d replaced Best. Though Lennon did the asking, it was Harrison who lobbied for Starr behind the scenes. “To me it was apparent [Starr was the one],” Harrison said in The Beatles: Anthology. “Pete kept being sick and not showing up for gigs so we would get Ringo to sit in with the band instead, and every time Ringo sat in, it seemed like, ‘This is it.’ Eventually, we realized, ‘We should get Ringo in the band full time.’” McCartney added, “We really started to think we needed ’the greatest drummer in Liverpool,’ and the greatest drummer in our eyes was a guy, Ringo Starr.”
What is Ringo Starr’s net worth in 2022?
Ringo Starr’s net worth is estimated to be roughly around $350 million in 2022.
Who is the wealthiest Beatle?
Paul McCartney is the richest Beatle by far with an estimated net worth of a whopping $1.2 billion.
Do the Beatles still get royalties?
The Beatles still make a killing five decades after their breakup. In 2019 alone, the band raked in more than $67 million. The songwriters for each Beatles’ tune receive the lion’s share of the royalties for any particular song, with McCartney and Lennon’s estate taking the biggest pieces of that financial pie.
Why is Ringo Starr so rich?
Starr has Beatles money! In addition, he’s worked consistently since the band’s breakup, releasing numerous albums, both solo and with his band. Starr narrated Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends (and starred in its spinoff, Shining Time Station) and appeared in numerous films. He is also an author of several books, including one of his own photography (aptly titled Photograph), and teaches a drumming course for MasterClass.
Who is the richest drummer in the world?
According to a 2020 report, Ringo Starr is the richest drummer in the world, clocking in ahead of Phil Collins (estimated net worth of $300 million) and Dave Grohl ($320 million).
How much did Ringo Starr make from Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends?
Starr’s salary from narrating Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends, as well as playing Mr. Conductor on the spinoff Shining Time Station, isn’t publicly known—but we do know (via Express) that he negotiated a 5.1% share in Britt Allcroft Company, which produced the shows. In 2002, the company sold for $139 million—netting him more than $7 million for his shares alone. Starr recalled in an interview about the projects, “It’s great! I never thought it’d be so big. In fact, the first time Britt Allcroft, the producer of all this, came over, she said, ‘I’d like you to read these stories about this train,’ which I’d never heard… I said, ‘I’ll just read five of the stories on my own on tape, and you listen to them and see if you still want me.’ And she did!”
How many Beatles songs did Ringo Starr write?
Starr wrote “Don’t Pass Me By” from The White Album solo. He also penned “Octopus’s Garden” from Abbey Road on his own, inspired by learning about habits of the tentacled creatures while on actor Peter Sellers’ yacht. He said in a 1981 interview that the ship captain told him all about octopus habits, including how they create their own “gardens” in the sea. “He told me all about octopuses—how they go ‘round the sea bed and pick up stones and shiny objects and build gardens. I thought, ‘How fabulous!’ Because at the time I just wanted to be under the sea, too. I wanted to get out of it for a while.” Starr also has co-writing credits on several other Beatles tracks, including “What Goes On,” “Flying,” “Did It,” “Maggie May,” “Free As a Bird,” “Christmastime (Is Here Again),” “12-Bar Original,” and “Los Paranoias.” He joked of his contribution to “What Goes On,” “[It was] about five words, and I haven’t done a thing since!”
How many songs did Ringo Starr sing for The Beatles?
Starr sang lead on 11 Beatles songs, including “Matchbox,” “Honey Don’t,” “Yellow Submarine,” “I Wanna Be Your Man,” “Boys,” “Octopus’s Garden,” “Act Naturally,” “Good Night,” “Don’t Pass Me By,” “What Goes On,” and “With a Little Help From Friends.”
How many solo hits did Ringo Starr have?
Starr has had several post-Beatles tunes do well on the charts.
“It Don’t Come Easy” landed at No. 4 in June 1971.“Back Off Boogaloo” hit No. 9 in May 1972.“Photograph” hit No. 1 in November 1973.“You’re Sixteen” topped the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1974.“Oh My My” peaked at No. 5 in April 1974.“Only You” hit No. 6 in January 1975.“No No Song/Snookeroo” hit No. 3 in April 1975.“It’s All Down To Goodnight Vienna” peaked at No. 31 in July 1975.In November 1976, “A Dose of Rock ’n’ Roll” hit No. 26.“Wrack My Brain” peaked at No. 38 in December 1981.
How many albums did Ringo Starr make?
Since the breakup of The Beatles, Starr has released 20 full-length albums, some solo and others with his All-Starr Band. These include:
Sentimental Journey (1970)Beaucoups of Blues (1970)Ringo (1973)Goodnight Vienna (1974)Ringo’s Rotogravure (1976)Ringo the 4th (1977)Bad Boy (1978)Stop and Smell the Roses (1981)Old Wave (1983)Time Takes Time (1992)Vertical Man (1998)I Wanna Be Santa Claus (1999)Ringo Rama (2003)Choose Love (2005)Liverpool 8 (2008)Y Not (2010)Ringo 2012 (2012)Postcards from Paradise (2015)Give More Love (2017)What’s My Name (2019)
He has also released three EPs:
4-Starr Collection (1995)Zoom In (2021)Change the World (2021)
In addition, Starr boasts 11 live albums and six compilation albums to his name.
How many instruments did Ringo Starr play?
Starr only played drums—by choice. He recalled in The Beatles: Anthology, “My grandparents gave me a mandolin and a banjo, but I didn’t want them. My grandfather gave me a harmonica… we had a piano—nothing. Only the drums.”
How many records did Ringo Starr sell?
Starr has sold over 10 million records since leaving The Beatles. Next, find out Madonna’s net worth and how she earned it.
