Adele’s net worth is $64 million. Our Adele net worth figure is based on a deep analysis of music sales, concerts and YouTube earnings. We also added calculations for investments, taxes and expenses.
Adele’s net worth is low compared to the net worth of almost every other major artist. The singer’s refusal to sign endorsement deals, her 45% British tax bracket and a shortened concert tour due to vocal hemorrhaging all factor into the relatively low Adele net worth total. This is despite most other sources online claiming her net worth to be a much higher $125 million. All these reports are based on Celebrity Net Worth’s article, which is basically a short bio that doesn’t show how they got their information.
The biggest reason the Adele net worth total isn’t higher is Adele’s refusal to take money from sponsors. Adele has said she feels product endorsements would cheapen the integrity of her music. As of 9/7/16, Adele’s integrity has cost her an estimated $60 million so far in sponsor money.
Adele Net Worth Facts
Adele Net Worth Facts | |
|---|---|
| Adele Net Worth: | $64,976,249 |
| Adele net worth vs Taylor Swift net worth: | 6 times smaller |
| Adele net worth vs Beyonce net worth: | 9 times smaller |
| Adele net worth vs Rihanna net worth: | 7 times smaller |
| Adele net worth vs Selena Gomez net worth: | 10% smaller |
| Adele net worth vs Nicki Minaj net worth: | 30% smaller |
| Adele net worth vs Jay Z net worth: | 12 times smaller |
| Adele net worth vs Dr. Dre net worth: | 18 times smaller |
| Adele net worth vs Barack Obama net worth: | 13 times larger |
| Adele net worth vs typical American household net worth: | 600 times larger |
Compared to other megastar singers, Adele’s net worth lags behind. Adele’s net worth of $64 million is 6 times smaller than Taylor Swift’s net worth of $251 million and 9 times smaller than Beyonce’s net worth of $372 million. Rihanna’s $281 million net worth is 7 times bigger than Adele’s net worth. Even Selena Gomez’s $45 million is 7% larger than Adele’s net worth. Nicki Minaj is worth about 30% more than Adele. Jay Z and Dr. Dre outshine Adele with $514 million and $756 million respectively. That’s 12 times bigger and 18 times bigger than Adele’s net worth.
Outside the music world, Adele does a little better. The singer is worth 13 times Barack Obama’s net worth of $3.2 million. She has 600 times the wealth of the typical American family at just $68,000.
Adele’s net worth will most likely continue to grow. As of 9/7/16, her hit single Hello has sold 7.5 million copies. Adele’s album 25 has sold 19 million copies worldwide. She’s got another tour lined up for the summer, which should pump millions more into the Adele net worth figures.
Adele Net Worth Over Time
Adele Net Worth Through Time | |
|---|---|
| Adele Net Worth 2008 | $9,865,134 |
| Adele Net Worth 2009 | $13,731,876 |
| Adele Net Worth 2010 | $16,630,863 |
| Adele Net Worth 2011 | $41,299,307 |
| Adele Net Worth 2012 | $44,484,294 |
| Adele Net Worth 2013 | $47,355,763 |
| Adele Net Worth 2014 | $50,303,038 |
| Adele Net Worth 2015 | $63,261,956 |
| Adele Net Worth 2016 | $64,976,249 |
Adele’s net worth has grown sporadically since 2008. Sales of the diva’s first hit album, 19 in 2008, topped 7 million copies. The dip in Adele’s net worth in 2009 reflects the ’08/’09 financial crisis. The big jump in 2011 from $6 million to $23 million comes from sales of her diamond certified album, 21. That album sold an unparalleled 30 million copies worldwide, earning the singer $37 million dollars. The accompanying Adele Live concert tour piled on another $13 million onto the Adele net worth sum the same year. Since then, the growth of Adele’s net worth has slowed, though hot sales of her new album 25 are quickly changing that that.
Also see: Taylor Swift Net Worth
Adele won the top prize for Best British Female Solo Artist at the Brit Awards on 2/24/16. Adele’s performance at the Grammys earlier this month was marred by an out of tune sound. As the singer explains in the tweet below, the problem was caused by a toppled microphone.
The piano mics fell on to the piano strings, that's what the guitar sound was. It made it sound out of tune. Shit happens. X
— Adele (@Adele) February 16, 2016
Adele Net Worth: Albums, Concerts and YouTube
Adele, or Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, is a British songwriter and singer who built her net worth largely on music sales and concert tours. The musician kicked off her professional singing career in 2007 with her Hometown Glory hit single, which sold 60,000 copies and earned her $13,000. Since then, Adele has sold 50 million albums and 37 million singles. She has earned $81 million from music sales and another $21 million from concert tours.
Other Adele Income
Aside from sales of albums, singles and concert tickets, Adele has earned $25 million from YouTube views. We also estimate $4 million in investment income has kicked into the Adele net worth pile. Subtracting from Adele’s net worth are an estimated $69 million in taxes and $18 million in expenses. Conspicuously absent from the Adele net worth story are endorsement deals. The singer has cited artistic integrity as her reason for refusing what would probably have amounted to another $60 million in earnings over the course of her career.
Adele Net Worth Sources | |
|---|---|
| Total Adele Music Sales Since 2008 | $80,798,066 |
| Adele Concert Tours | $21,250,000 |
| Adele YouTube Earnings | $33,941,669 |
| Probable Investment Income (6% of net worth per year) | $3,748,331 |
| Total Adele Earnings (2008-2016) | $139,738,066 |
| Estimated Adele Lifetime Taxes (56% tax bracket) | $74,251,442 |
| Estimated Total Expenses (10% of income) | $20,156,592 |
| Total Adele Payouts (2008-2015) | $94,408,034 |
| Adele Net Worth | $64,976,249 |
| Average Adele Annual Salary | $8,122,031 |
Also see: Rihanna Net Worth
Music Sales and Adele Net Worth
With most high profile singers, the majority of their wealth comes from concert tours and endorsements. That’s not how the Adele net worth story shakes out. Fully 58% of Adele’s net worth comes from music sales. Another 22% comes from concerts and 15% from YouTube.
How Much Does Adele Make from Album Sales?
The lion’s share of the Adele net worth sum comes from Album sales. The singer has earned $72 million from sales of albums in her lifetime. Her first album, 2008’s 19, sold 7 million copies and earned her $8 million dollars. Her second album, 21 in 2011, sold 30 million copies and paid her $37 million.
Adele’s new album 25 has sold 19 million copies as of 3/2/16 and earned her $23 million.
Album Sales and Adele Net Worth | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adele Album Title | Year | Adele Unit Sales | Unit Cost | Total Revenue | Adele % | Adele Earnings |
| 19 (Adele debut album) | 2008 | 7,000,000 | $10.99 | $76,930,000 | 11.10% | $8,539,230 |
| 21 (Top selling Adele album so far) | 2011 | 30,000,000 | $10.99 | $329,700,000 | 11.10% | $36,596,700 |
| 25 | 2015 | 19,000,000 | $10.99 | $208,810,000 | 11.10% | $23,177,910 |
| Live at the Royal Albert Hall | 2011 | 3,000,000 | $10.99 | $32,970,000 | 11.10% | $3,659,670 |
| Total Adele Net Worth from Album Sales | $71,973,510 |
Also see: Katy Perry Net Worth
Adele’s albums have brought in a grand total of $648 million in sales. According to industry experts, Adele earns about 6.6% of that for every song she sings. Since Adele writes all her own songs, she earns an additional 4.5% for a total cut of 11.1%. Multiplying $648 million by 11.1% gives us our $72 million.
How Much Does Adele Earn from Sales of Singles?
Adele has earned an estimated total of $9 million from sales of singles. Her smallest hit single was 2007’s Hometown Glory with 60,000 sales and $13,000 in Adele earnings. Before now her biggest hit single was 2010’s Rolling in the Deep with 9.5 million copies sold. It added $2 million to Adele’s net worth.
Adele’s single Hello from her new album 25 has already sold 7.5 million copies and added another $1.7 million to the Adele net worth figure.
Singles Sales and Adele Net Worth | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adele Single | Year | Unit Sales | Unit Cost | Total Revenue | Adele % | Adele Earnings |
| Hometown Glory (Adele debut single) | 2007 | 60,000 | $1.99 | $119,400 | 11.10% | $13,253 |
| Chasing Pavements | 2008 | 1,140,000 | $1.99 | $2,268,600 | 11.10% | $251,815 |
| Cold Shoulder | 2008 | 400,000 | $1.99 | $796,000 | 11.10% | $88,356 |
| Make You Feel My Love (3rd 2008 Adele single) | 2008 | 1,300,000 | $1.99 | $2,587,000 | 11.10% | $287,157 |
| Rolling in the Deep (Top selling Adele single) | 2010 | 9,500,000 | $1.99 | $18,905,000 | 11.10% | $2,098,455 |
| Someone Like You | 2011 | 7,000,000 | $1.99 | $13,930,000 | 11.10% | $1,546,230 |
| Set Fire to the Rain | 2011 | 5,000,000 | $1.99 | $9,950,000 | 11.10% | $1,104,450 |
| Rumour Has It | 2011 | 2,500,000 | $1.99 | $4,975,000 | 11.10% | $552,225 |
| Turning Tables (4th 2011 Adele single) | 2011 | 550,000 | $1.99 | $1,094,500 | 11.10% | $121,490 |
| Skyfall (Adele Bond movie soundtrack) | 2012 | 4,500,000 | $1.99 | $8,955,000 | 11.10% | $994,005 |
| Hello | 2015 | 7,500,000 | $1.99 | $14,925,000.00 | 11.10% | $1,656,675 |
| When We Were Young | 2016 | 500,000 | $1.99 | $995,000.00 | 11.10% | $110,445 |
| Total Adele Net Worth from Singles Sales | $8,824,556 |
As with albums, Adele earns an estimated 11.1% of revenue from singles. Since she’s sold 39 million singles for about $1.99 each, she’s made 11.1% of $79 million. That’s $9 million from sales of singles.
Concerts and Adele Net Worth
For most big name singers, income from concert tours is the biggest single driver of wealth. That’s not the case with Adele’s net worth. Adele has had only two concert tours. 2008’s An Evening With Adele brought in just $10 million dollars. While that’s low for a multi-nation concert tour with 78 shows, it’s not bad for a debut tour. 2011’s Adele Live brought in about $15 million. That’s very low considering her album 21 the same year sold a staggering 30 million copies. Compare that to Taylor Swift’s Speak Now and Red tours, which earned Swift over $100 million each.
Concerts and Adele Net Worth | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adele Concert Name | Year | Box Office | Adele % | Adele Earnings |
| An Evening With Adele | 2008 | $10,000,000 | 85% | $8,500,000 |
| Adele Live | 2011 | $15,000,000 | 85% | $12,750,000 |
| Total Adele Net Worth from Concert Tours | $21,250,000 |
Also see: Nicki Minaj Net Worth
Why does Adele’s net worth benefit so little from concert tours? One reason is, the star has had only two concert tours. Most high-earning divas churn out a world tour every two years. Second, Adele’s first tour was her debut tour. Debut tours don’t tend to earn big at the box office. Third, a vocal hemorrhage cut Adele’s second tour short.
Possibly the biggest reason concert tours aren’t a bigger part of the Adele net worth picture is her audience. Adele appeals to an older demographic than other stars her age. That older audience may be less likely to shell out $100 a pop for a seat.
YouTube and Adele Net Worth
Adele has earned an estimated $32 million from YouTube ad views. The star’s own YouTube channel, started in 2008, has amassed 150 million views. Her Vevo channel, kicked off in 2009, has nearly 4.8 billion views. Experts estimate 1,000 YouTube views earns about $7.60 in ad revenue. If Adele gets 100% of the money from her own channel and 85% from her Vevo channel, that amounts to $1 million and $31 million respectively.
YouTube and Adele Net Worth | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Channel | Views | $ Per 1,000 Views | Revenue | Adele % | Adele YouTube Earnings |
| Adele Vevo Channel | 5,077,730,448 | 0.0076 | $38,590,751 | 85% | $32,802,139 |
| Adele Channel | 154,791,221 | 0.0076 | $1,139,530 | 100% | $1,139,530 |
| Total Adele Net Worth from YouTube | $33,941,669 |
Endorsements and Adele Net Worth
Conspicuously absent from our Adele net worth calculations are endorsement deals. Adele has famously stated that she doesn’t like it when a singer “sells out” and doesn’t intend to do it herself. The decision has cost the star an estimated $50 million to $90 million in endorsement deals. She had turned down deals with L’Oreal, Dior and CoverGirl.
Endorsement deals normally account for 30% to 40% of a hit singer’s wealth. After months of negotiations, Adele backed out of a $30 million dollar deal with L’Oreal.
Does a high Adele net worth amount conflict with her artistic integrity? Adele seems to think so. In an time when other megastars don’t bat an eyelash at taking tens of millions in endorsement deals, Adele has stated doing that would cheapen her music.
Taxes, Expenses, Investments and Adele Net Worth
Music sales and YouTube earnings are only part of the Adele net worth story. We’ve also added in calculations for taxes, investments and expenses.
Since Adele lives in London and makes over $225,000 a year, she’s in a 56% tax bracket. We applied that amount to her estimated income each year except 2009, when she likely took a large hit to her net worth from the 2008 financial crisis.
We figured in expenses at 15% of income into our Adele net worth calculations. Adele almost certainly has to pay agents, staff, living costs and other expenses.
As far as investments go, we added 6% to Adele’s net worth each year except 2009. In that year, we figured in a 40% loss to match the cataclysmic drop in the S&P 500 in that year.
Adele Net Worth Calculations | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Adele Total Earnings | Adele Taxes (56% tax bracket) | Adele Expenses (est 10% of income) | Adele Investment Income (est. 6%) | Adele Net Worth |
| 2008 | $21,922,520 | $9,865,134 | $2,192,252 | $0 | $9,865,134 |
| 2009 | $4,242,709 | $0 | $636,406 | $260,440 | $13,731,876 |
| 2010 | $6,341,164 | $2,853,524 | $951,175 | $362,522 | $16,630,863 |
| 2011 | $60,573,473 | $27,258,063 | $9,086,021 | $439,055 | $41,299,307 |
| 2012 | $5,236,714 | $2,356,521 | $785,507 | $1,090,302 | $44,484,294 |
| 2013 | $4,242,709 | $1,909,219 | $636,406 | $1,174,385 | $47,355,763 |
| 2014 | $4,242,709 | $1,909,219 | $636,406 | $1,250,192 | $50,303,038 |
| 2015 | $29,077,294 | $13,084,782 | $4,361,594 | $1,328,000 | $63,261,956 |
| 2016 | $110,445 | $49,700 | $16,567 | $1,670,116 | $64,976,249 |
| Adele Net Worth Totals | $135,879,289 | $59,236,461 | $19,285,767 | $5,904,895 |
It seems everyone’s favorite British singer has a bit of a crush. On 2/29/16, Adele tweeted her best wishes to Leonardo DiCaprio just before he won his Oscar. See the tweet below, and check out our Leonardo DiCaprio net worth article here. With $217 million, DiCaprio more than triples the Adele net worth total.
Good luck Leo! Everyone loves you because you're the best. Meet me at the clock anytime bruv X pic.twitter.com/buPmIdhYyo
— Adele (@Adele) February 28, 2016
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