Elvis Presley's Net Worth Is Impressive—See How the Singer Amassed His Fortune
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Elvis Presley's net worth is thanks to his prodigious talent and hard work (and, many would argue, from the backs of Black artists). Born in a two-room house in Tupelo, Mississippi, in 1935, he grew up "within a close-knit, working class family, consisting of his parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, who all live near one another in Tupelo," according to the official website of Presley's home, Graceland. "There is little money, but [Presley's parents] Vernon and Gladys do their best to provide for their son, who is the center of their lives."
Presley got a guitar in 1946 and honed his musical skills enough that soon after he graduated high school in 1953, he cut a demo as a birthday present for his mom. His official debut single arrived in 1954, and within a few years, he was the biggest rock 'n' roll star and a huge movie draw. Tragically, Presley died in 1977 at the age of just 42 from heart disease.
However, his legacy lives on via Graceland, which is open to the public for tours, as well as music reissues, licensing and high-profile pop culture items like Baz Luhrmann's Elvis, a 2022 biopic about Presley's life. In fact, Presley generates quite a bit of income per year. Here's a look at Elvis Presley's net worth both during his life and in the present day.
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How much did Elvis Presley make in his lifetime?
During his lifetime, Elvis Presley made—and spent—quite a bit of money. In December 1956, the Wall Street Journal reported he had sold a staggering $22 million in merchandise in the preceding months—that's $236.42 million in today's money. In 1973, Presley sold the royalties to more than 1,000 songs in his catalog for $5.4 million, worth $35.5 million today. What's more, the Los Angeles Times noted that he made a cool $250,000 in royalties for each album released.
However, Presley also opened his wallet freely. "Priscilla had never gotten involved with budgets during her six-year marriage to Elvis, but she knew that the only thing Elvis ever did with money was spend it," the Los Angeles Times reported in 1989, before noting that Presley "didn’t just buy things for himself. He also loved giving friends—and even strangers—Cadillacs and other things he knew they couldn’t afford." Presley bought himself cars and other fancy things, but also had an expensive drug habit and was contractually obligated to give a large chunk of his musical earnings to his manager, Col. Tom Parker.
Related: Happy Birthday, Elvis Presley! Eight Facts You May Not Know About the King of Rock 'N' Roll
How much did Elvis Presley make per concert?
Elvis Presley earned a good living being on the road. According to a 1989 Los Angeles Times article, his "average concert gross in the mid-'70s was $130,000 a night," which puts him in the $700,000 range or so in modern dollars.
How much did Elvis Presley make per movie?
In addition to being a music superstar, Presley easily crossed over into acting. The Los Angeles Times noted he commanded $1 million per movie role, and he made a staggering 31 movies between 1956 and 1969, including Love Me Tender, Jailhouse Rock and Blue Hawaii. In other words, he racked up multiple millions of dollars thanks to the silver screen.
Related: Everything We Know About Baz Luhrmann's Elvis
How much did Elvis Presley pay for Graceland?
Graceland was Elvis Presley's sanctuary and place to rest his head. In March 1957, he bought Graceland for $102,500 (roughly $1.061 million today). The 23-room mansion in Memphis became not just where he lived, but also the home of his parents and paternal grandmother. Graceland was expensive to keep up, reportedly $480,000 a year in the late 1970s (more than $2.11 million today), due to taxes, insurance and around-the-clock security for Presley's grave.
Over time, however, the property (and Presley's belongings) grew into a popular tourist attraction. The space was opened to the public in 1982, allowing people to see the house's first floor as well as Presley's sizable gun and car collection. Rolling Stone reported Graceland reportedly drew 3,000 people on the first day it was open and would attract 700,000 people annually.
What was Elvis Presley worth at the time of his death?
At the time of his death in 1977, Elvis Presley's net worth was around $5 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. (That's around $24 million today.) This figure was complicated by expenses related to Graceland and the fact that his record label was making money off his music, not Presley's estate or relatives. The star also had a less-than-optimal deal with his manager, Col. Tom Parker: The latter received a full 50% of concert and music income from Presley, much higher than the industry norm.
Who inherited Elvis Presley's money?
Elvis Presley left his money to his daughter Lisa Marie Presley, who was 9 years old at the time of his death, while his dad Vernon was the estate's executor. Sadly, Vernon passed away two years after Elvis, leaving Presley's ex-wife Priscilla and the Presley's family accountant, Joseph Hanks, to keep the estate going.
Its worth fluctuated over time. According to the Los Angeles Times, Presley's estate was only bringing in about $1 million in 1979. However, in 1989, the Elvis estate was worth more than $75 million—over $176 million today—and generated an estimated $15 million annually in gross income. In 2010, it amassed $60 million per year, or roughly $80 million in current dollars.
Still, the Los Angeles Times reported Authentic Brands Group spent $145 million "entering a deal" in 2013 with Elvis Presley Enterprises to oversee "all proceedings involving the Presley name and likeness." The business arrangement would prove to be lucrative: A 2020 Rolling Stone feature quoted an Elvis Presley executive as revealing the estate was "estimated to be worth between $400 million and $500 million."
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How much did Elvis Presley make in 2020?
Elvis Presley still makes a respectable amount of money. According to Rolling Stone, in 2020 he generated $40 million thanks to licensing, music and more. “Forty million a year for a guy who died over 40 years ago is f**king incredible,” an unnamed executive working for a big classic rock act told the magazine.
How much did Elvis Presley make in 2021?
Forbes estimates that Elvis Presley's estate brought in about $30 million in 2021.
How much did Elvis Presley make in 2022?
According to Forbes, Elvis Presley's estate raked in $110 million in 2022. This is likely at least in part due to the Elvis biopic that was released the same year. Not only would the film itself generate income, but it likely sparked a significant increase in interest in his music and other intellectual and copyrighted properties.
How much does Elvis Presley make selling perfume?
Although Elvis has been dead for 45 years, his estate is still making money off his name. In June 2022, Macy's launched an exclusive line of Elvis Presley LEGEND perfumes inspired by the King. It is not known how much the estate earned from perfume sales, but celebrity-branded fragrances have become big business in recent years with many stars attaching their names to signature scents.
Next, See and Read Elvis Presley's Handwritten Letter to President Richard Nixon
