Rick Astley’s Net Worth 2026 – $16 Million

How Did Rick Astley Make His Money & Wealth?

Rick Astley was born in Newton-le-Willows in Lancashire on February 6, 1966. He entered the music world at a young age as a choir boy with the local church, and then as a member of numerous local bands. It was with one such band, a soul band named FBI, that he was discovered at the age of 19 by the man who would change the rest of his life – record producer Pete Waterman.

Under Waterman’s guidance, Astley moved to London to work at the Pete Waterman Limited (PWL) recording studio. There, he trained for a year while serving as the company “tea boy” before releasing his first single, a duet with Lisa Carter called “When You Gonna”. It did not chart.

Most of us are probably very familiar with (possibly too familiar with, depending on how gullible you are) his next single and first solo song: the famous, or perhaps infamous “Never Gonna Give You Up”. Released in August 1987, the dance-pop hit was an immediate worldwide hit. It rocketed to the top of charts in 25 countries and became Britain’s highest-selling single that year.

Following “Never Gonna Give You Up”, his career flourished. He was the best selling artist in the world during this period. His debut album, Whenever You Need Somebody, was released in November 1987 and sold 15.2 million copies. It was certified 2x Platinum in the US and 4x Platinum in Canada and the UK. “Never Gonna Give You Up” remained the most successful single from the album. Nevertheless, the other four released were also chart-toppers and met with much fanfare.

In the next few years he released another platinum-certified album (Hold Me in Your Arms, 1989), and went on a world tour to 15 countries. His press, however, worsened noticeably during this period and his reputation as a serious musician took a large hit.

In 1990, he decided to part ways with both his management company and his dance-pop image. He released a soul album, Free, in 1991. It featured the single “Cry For Help” and collaborations with Elton John. Free was arguably the end of the most fruitful period of his career.

Rick Astley’s net worth was in the millions by the time he turned 23. He had made the majority of his life earnings from the ages of 21 to 24.

Disillusioned with the music industry and with a newborn daughter, Astley retired at the ripe old age of 27 to focus on raising his family.

He made a return to singing almost 10 years later with the release of his album Keep It Turned On (2002). His following albums and tours were met with varying, but overall unremarkable levels of success.

Then, in 2007, Rick Astley became living proof that lightning can indeed strike twice. His 1987 hit “Never Gonna Give You Up” became the subject of a meme called rickrolling. Initially, Astley himself was completely in the dark about the meme. He had no idea why everyone kept sending him links to his old song.

He figured it out soon enough – rickrolling led to the revival of his career. He participated in a performance during the 2008 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in which he live rickrolled the crowd. He also went on a world tour, Here and Now, and landed a position as a radio DJ during 2010.

Astley turned 50 this year and released his most recent album, 50, to mark the milestone. It contained the single “Keep Singing”. 50 was his most successful album since 1991, reaching No. 1 on the UK charts.

Rick Astley Personal Life & FAQ

What is “Rickrolling?”

Rickrolling is a phenomenon in which innocent, unsuspecting people click on a link expecting to find a glorious fount of knowledge that would no doubt enrich their lives greatly. Instead, they are greeted by the dulcet croon of this man.

What is Rick Astley’s opinion on rickrolling?

“Listen, I just think it’s bizarre and funny,” he’s stated. His only caveat? He doesn’t mind as long as his daughter doesn’t get embarrassed about it.

How much has Rick Astley made from rickrolling?

In today’s world, the most popular YouTubers are multi-millionaires and the rough estimated profit from every million views is in the thousands. One would expect Astley to have received quite the paycheck from YouTube. Not so, actually. His royalties actually have amounted to less than $12 in total.

Of course, that doesn’t mean he hasn’t profited from the publicity in many other ways. He has commented that “[he’s] made quite a bit of money from it.”

Is Rick Astley married?

Astley quietly tied the knot with Danish film producer Lene Bausager in 2013 after a 27-year relationship and a 15-year engagement. This was at the urging of their only child, then 20-year old daughter Emilie Astley.

Where does Rick Astley Live?

According to an interview from 2018, he lives with his wife in a suburban area in East Mosley, Surrey—on the edge of London, close to Hampton Court Palace. They previously lived in Richmond, London, when their daughter was still at home.

What Car Does Rick Astley drive?

While he’s always been grounded about his wealth, he’s also maintained an appreciation for nice cars. His first car was a sporty two-door BMW that cost £25,000. Factoring in inflation, that would be over $50,000 in USD today. Today, he drives a four-door black Audi sedan.

What Awards Has Rick Astley won?

The first major award that Astley won was the 1988 BRIT Award for British Single for “Never Gonna Give You Up”. In 1989, he received a nomination for a Grammy Award for Best New Artist. He was voted Best Act Ever at the MTV Europe Music Awards in 2008, after his rickrolling-induced career resurgence.

Rick Astley’s Charity Work and Philanthropy

He’s headlined and put on many charitable performances. This includes a gig that raised over £50,000 for a Surrey charity in 2013. In 1987, he participated in the recording of the Lennon-McCartney-composed charity single “Let It Be”. All proceeds were donated to the Herald of Free Enterprise ferry disaster. In 2016, he recorded another charity single, “I Hope”, as part of a campaign from the charity Missing People to reunite missing children with their families. He is also an ambassador for Music for All.

Astley became unwittingly involved in a charity effort in 2015 when choirmaster Jack White participated in a challenge that involved being locked in a room for 75 hours and listening to “Never Gonna Give You Up” non-stop. This was in hopes of raising £2,000 for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).

Rick Astley’s Money Management and Investments

While he doesn’t consider himself a seasoned investor, he hasn’t been unsuccessful in the stock market. He prefers to invest in British businesses that he is familiar with, with a focus on stable high-street ones such as Marks & Spencer and Mulberry.

With countless stories of lottery winners and athletes going broke, one would perhaps expect Rick Astley – millionaire by 24, retired by 27 – to have a similar tale of woe. But with a combination of modest living (for a millionaire, anyway), wise money management, and an income from music and investments, he’s managed to retain his fortune for more than two decades so far – and you’d better believe that he’s never gonna give it up.

The post Rick Astley’s Net Worth 2026 – How Rich is He? appeared first on Gazette Review.

The Top 10 Richest Olympic Athletes in Rio – 2018 Update

This list isn’t about the daily slog of a struggling athlete, however. It’s about those that indeed have managed to attain stardom and make fortunes out of playing sports. Here, out of everyone that will be participating in the 2018 Olympics this year, are the richest Olympic athletes of them all.

#10 – Andy Murray Net Worth 2018 – $70 million

Starting this list, we have ­­reigning Olympic champion in men’s singles tennis Andy Murray. He has also earned silver in mixed doubles playing alongside Laura Robson. He will again be part of Team Great Britain this upcoming Olympics, where he will defend his title in men’s singles and possibly compete in both doubles (with his brother Jamie Murray) and mixed doubles (presumably with Laura Robson).

Murray is ranked second in the world in tennis and has won both Wimbledon and the French Open. This, along with endorsements for Under Armour and other sponsors has earned him a net worth of $70 million. Interestingly enough, he’s turned down millions of dollars in endorsements because he doesn’t believe in the product.

#10 – Sergio Garcia Net Worth 2018 – $70 million

Sergio Garcia is technically tied with Andy Murray up there. I just went alphabetically. Or possibly by success. Garcia has the dubious honor of being the highest earning golfer on the PGA tour without a major championship win. To his credit, he has been runner-up four times and won over 20 international tournaments. He’ll represent Spain in Rio, where he’ll hope to replicate his international success.

With tournament earnings and endorsements, Garcia has a net worth of $70 million. His biggest endorsement is a $5.6 million-a-year contract with TaylorMade-Adidas. It appeared briefly in 2013 that he would lose this endorsement after a racist remark about serving Tiger Woods fried chicken. Garcia has since shown great remorse and apologized.

#8 – Venus Williams Net Worth 2018 – $75 million

Did you mean: Serena Williams

Nah, just kidding. Venus Williams is one of the world’s best tennis players in her own right. She’s won seven Grand Slam singles titles, more than any other active female players other than her younger sister. She’s also won Olympic gold four times, once in singles in the 2000 Sydney Olympics and thrice in women’s doubles.

She’ll be competing for Team USA in women’s singles this summer and partnering up with Serena in hopes of repeating their success in women’s doubles.

Venus Williams has a net worth of $75 million, which she’s earned through tournament winnings, endorsements, and her very own athletic fashion line, EleVen.

#7 – Rafael Nadal Net Worth 2018 – $100 million

Rafael Nadal has been nicknamed the King of Clay for his unparalleled mastery of clay tennis courts. He’s won 14 Grand Slam singles titles including nine French Open wins and the 2008 Olympic gold medal in singles. He is the second male player to achieve a career Golden Slam.

After a blistering first few rounds in the French Open this May, he was forced to withdraw early due to a wrist injury. The same injury will keep him sidelined for Wimbledon, but he is predicted to return in time to compete for Spain in the 2016 Olympics.

Nadal sits at a net worth of $100 million. He spends his money well – he is known for uniquely wearing an $800,000 custom-made Richard Mille watch while playing. He also may often be found yachting at one of his three luxury estates.

#6 –Kevin Durant Net Worth 2018 – $120 million

In some sports, Olympic gold is considered the pinnacle of achievement, the standard that all other prizes fall short of. Basketball is not one of them. Thus it’s not really a surprise that ahead of the Zika scare, the majority of the predicted all-star Team USA members have dropped out.

Oklahoma City Thunder player Kevin Durant is the rare exception. He’s repeatedly confirmed his desire to play in Rio, where he’ll be looking to earn his second gold medal.

As one of the NBA’s (National Basketball Association) top players, Durant has led his team to a Finals appearance and won numerous awards, including four scoring titles and the MVP Award. Correspondingly, he’s also one of the NBA’s top paid and endorsed players, with a net worth of $120 million. His next contract could top $200 million when he heads to free agency this summer.

#5 – Serena Williams Net Worth 2018 – $145 million

At 34, Serena Williams holds domination over the women’s tennis court. She is presently ranked No. 1 and considered by many to be the greatest female tennis player of all time. She holds 36 major titles in total, the most among all active players, and is the only person in history of have achieved a career Grand Slam in both singles and doubles. She has won four Olympic gold medals, one in singles (2012) and three in doubles.

She’s also earned the most prize money of any female athlete ever at $36 million. This year, for the first time in her career, Williams placed first on the list of highest paid female athletes with earnings of $28.9 million. This was added to her net worth of $145 million.

Williams will seek to add to her impressive arsenal of awards in Rio.

#4 – Novak Djokovic Net Worth 2018 – $160 million

Let’s be honest – with injuries besieging many of his competitors and in the prime of his career, Serbian-born Novak Djokovic is at present the strongest player in men’s tennis. He currently holds all four Grand Slam major titles, only the third man to do so at once. Unsurprisingly, he’s ranked no. 1 in the world.

His success rate at the Olympics is a bit less impressive – he’s won a grand total of one bronze medal in Beijing in 2008. He’ll be looking to improve his record this summer.

He sits at a net worth of $160 million, nearly all of which was obtained through his tennis career, although he does have several lucrative endorsement deals.

#3 – Maria Sharapova Net Worth 2018 – $195 million

Three months ago, Maria Sharapova was on top of the world. Her illustrious career had included Olympic silver, a career Grand Slam, countless endorsements, and let’s face it – an exceptional attractiveness that altogether had earned her a net worth of $195 million. She had been the world’s highest-paid female athlete for 11 years straight. Then it all came crashing down. In a press conference, Sharapova admitted to testing positive for Meldonium, a banned substance. Her legacy was tarnished, many of her endorsements were suspended, and Sharapova was banned from playing tennis for two years.

So it was a surprise to everyone when she was named to Russia’s 2016 Olympic tennis team. Sharapova has stated that she will appeal the ban and hopes to play in Rio. The success of her appeal remains to be seen.

#2 – Roger Federer Net Worth 2018 – $350 million

Roger Federer is a name that over the years has become more or less synonymous with tennis. Known for both his prodigious skills that have most regarding him as the best tennis player of all time and his perfect hair, it’s no wonder that his net worth is an astounding $350 million. In 2016, he’s ranked fourth on Forbes’ list of highest paid athletes worldwide. He’s extremely generous with his money and has contributed extensively to charity.

Over his 18-year professional career, Federer has won 17 Grand Slam singles titles. He is currently ranked No. 3, but held the No. 1 position for a record-breaking 302 weeks.

He’ll be joining the Swiss team and aiming for three medals in the upcoming Olympics: men’s singles (he placed second in 2012), mixed doubles with Martina Hingis, and men’s doubles with Stan Wawrinka (who he won gold in 2008 with.)

#1 – Rory McIlroy Net Worth 2018 – $422 million

Usually celebrities laugh and dismiss their purported internet net worth as ridiculously high. Turns out golfer Rory McIlroy was laughing in the other direction, all the way to the bank. Previously estimated to be worth $80-$90 million, documents filed by his management company Rory McIlroy Inc. revealed him to be worth a jaw-dropping $422 million. This is second in the golfing world to only his childhood hero Tiger Woods.McIlroy can attribute his wealth to a combination of on-course earnings, endorsement deals with Nike, Bose, and Omega, among others, and good investments.

How does his performance on the green match up? He’s currently ranked third on the Official World Golf Ranking, previously ranked first for 95 weeks, and is a four-time major champion.

He’s announced that he will play for Ireland in the 2016 Olympics despite wavering concerns over the Zika virus.

Bonus:

#11 –DeMarcus Cousins Net Worth 2018 –$62 million

After unwavering enthusiasm for the Olympics, the Sacramento Kings’ DeMarcus Cousins recently earned a spot on the Team USA basketball team. Congratulations Boogie! Cousins has an estimated net worth of $62 million.

#12 – Michael Phelps Net Worth 2018 – $55 million

Michael Phelps was actually the first name I wrote down. With a net worth of $55 million, he was moved down again and again before finally being kicked off entirely. The most decorated Olympian and swimmer of all time with 22 medals, Phelps came out of retirement to join the upcoming Olympics.

When I started this list, I expected it to be mostly made up of basketball and tennis stars with perhaps a few vaunted personages from other disciplines sneaking their way in. See: Phelps, Michael. See also: Bolt, Usain, who despite being the fastest human on the planet, can only lay claim to a measly $30 million.

Instead, the threat of the Zika virus devastated the ranks of the men’s basketball team. (LeBron James, by the way has not yet officially opted out, although his participation isn’t likely. He would have been third with a net worth of $267 million.)

Perhaps the tennis players deserve this. Several of them did express doubts, but their overall commitment to the Olympics and compete level appear unmatched. And so do, for the most part, their bank accounts.

The post Top 10 Richest Olympic Athletes – 2018 List appeared first on Gazette Review.