Paul McCartney becomes a billionaire and world’s third richest musician

Why This Matters

Key context: <p>According to a new analysis by Forbes, the former Beatle now has a net worth of $1.4bn, placing him behind Jay-Z and Taylor Swift</p><p>Paul McCartney has joined the ranks of the world’s billionaires. <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/the-billie/2026/11/09/the-14-billion-beatle-how-paul-mccartney-became-the-worlds-third-richest-musician/">Forbes has valued</a> the former Beatle’s net worth at $1.4bn (£1.04bn), making him the world’s third richest musician behind Jay-Z at $2.8bn (£2.01bn) and Taylor Swift at $2bn (£1.49bn).</p><p>The magazine attributed McCartney’s wealth to his musical catalog, legal maneuvers, tours and art collection. The 84-year-old derives the bulk of his fortune from MPL Communications, the publishing company he founded in 1969 that manages his own catalog and those of other artists.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/nov/09/paul-mccartney-billionaire">Continue reading...</a> This development from The Guardian highlights ongoing changes in the sector.