Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

How long was it after they were signed until they were millionaires? We've seen how quickly their rise to fame took off, but their bank accounts were not exactly public knowledge-at least to me anyway. Did the money come as fast as the fame?

I'm not sure if anyone's taken a serious look at that. In early 1964, Capitol Records in the U.S. released the album The Beatles Story with interviews and narrative about the group. There is a section on that record called "Who's A Millionaire?" where they talk about them being in the money. There's also a filmed interview from that same time where a reporter tells George that he's a millionaire, and George responds with something like, "That's nice - Where's the money?"

My guess would be sometime around late 1963, with two albums, four singles and hundreds of live performances that year.

There's a new book out which I've finished (can't recall the title here at work) and it's all about their finances.
I don't recall when they became millionaires, but the book points out what they made then is equal to so much today.

I'ts fascinating.

They pioneered so much in rock, even money wise.

Did you know that pre-Beatlemania, when they were just gigging around England, they were earning better wages than tradesmen?


This tidbit: The Beatles sold more albums in 1996 with the release of Anthology than any other year of their career.

The name of the book is "Beatles For Sale: How Everything They Touched Turned To Gold" by John Blaney.

shamustwin wrote:
This tidbit: The Beatles sold more albums in 1996 with the release of Anthology than any other year of their career.

Did you know that The Beatles are the 2nd best seller (right behind Garth Brooks) of records in the US since the beginning of the bar code era.?

2. The Beatles, 56,683,000. The most impressive aspect of the Beatles' tally is that it doesn't count the group's first 27 years of sales. Even so, the Fab Four has sold more albums since 1991 than any other group and any other rock act. The group first charted in February 1964 with Meet The Beatles! They have one album in the top 200, their 2000 hits compilation 1, which ranks #8. The Beatles were the first rock act to win a Grammy for Album of the Year (for 1967's Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band) and the first to win an Oscar for Best Original Song Score (for 1970's Let It Be). They were voted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1988. Sadly, only two members of the group are still living. John Lennon was murdered in 1980. George Harrison died of cancer in 2001.

The bar code era? You are speaking geologically, right?

JOHN AND GEORGE 1964
(Sydney Press conference: regarding Beatle finances)


Q: "Are you individually millionaires yet?"

JOHN: "No, that's another lousy rumor. I wish we were."

(laughter)

Q: "Is Brian Epstein a millionaire?"

JOHN: "No, even he's not one, poor fellow."

Q: "Where does all the money go?"

JOHN: "Well, alot of it goes to Her Majesty!"

GEORGE: "SHE'S a millionaire!!"

"Did you know that The Beatles are the 2nd best seller (right behind Garth Brooks) of records in the US since the beginning of the bar code era.?"

Uh, that's real nice, I...wait a minute, did you say GARTH BROOKS??? That's appalling...how could a country full of supposedly educated people fall for a con man who pretends to be a cowboy? I'm just thankful this sort of national gullibility is confined to matters of musical taste...imagine the dire results if this kind of thing went on in more important spheres, like politics or baseball team ownership...

wayang wrote:... how could a country full of supposedly educated people fall for a con man who pretends to be a cowboy? ...

The record company's marketing staff worked harder than the musical staff.

brammy wrote:JOHN AND GEORGE 1964
(Sydney Press conference: regarding Beatle finances)


Q: "Are you individually millionaires yet?"

JOHN: "No, that's another lousy rumor. I wish we were."

(laughter)

Q: "Is Brian Epstein a millionaire?"

JOHN: "No, even he's not one, poor fellow."

Q: "Where does all the money go?"

JOHN: "Well, alot of it goes to Her Majesty!"

GEORGE: "SHE'S a millionaire!!"

In another 1964 press/TV interview:-
Q: "I hear that you're all going to be millionaires by the end of the year!"
GEORGE: "Oh, that's nice!"
Q: "What will you do with all that money?"
ALL 4 BEATLES: "What money?"

wayang wrote:"Did you know that The Beatles are the 2nd best seller (right behind Garth Brooks) of records in the US since the beginning of the bar code era.?"

Uh, that's real nice, I...wait a minute, did you say GARTH BROOKS??? That's appalling...how could a country full of supposedly educated people fall for a con man who pretends to be a cowboy? I'm just thankful this sort of national gullibility is confined to matters of musical taste...imagine the dire results if this kind of thing went on in more important spheres, like politics or baseball team ownership...

Another gem DPT! I'm laughing and agreeing all the way here!

there is alot of interesting information about beatle finances here
http://www.beatlemoney.com/
makes for great bored at work reading

Dane too late on the politics front!!!