Lead vocalist and founding member of Black Sabbath, Ozzy Osbourne, is a walking metal music legend. As reported in Variety, he’s forged a successful and long-enduring solo career with the assistance of his wife and manager, Sharon Osbourne. After Lollapalooza balked at having Osbourne play, the couple took it to the next level launching an alternative, Ozzfest, in the 1990s. The multi-million-dollar-grossing event continues to breathe new life into the metal scene. 

For example, the Osbournes reinvigorated the fest in 2018 with the catchy promo, “Ozzfest Meets Knotfest.” The two-day event grossed $3.1 million by adding one new ingredient, Slipknot. Of course, the revenue-generating activities haven’t been limited to music and concerts for Ozzy. 

He’s also enjoyed plenty of attention with their reality show, “The Osbournes.” While reports vary widely, the HuffPost claims he and his crew earned $20,000 per episode for season one. The Osbournes’ salaries jumped to a whopping $5 million per family member for the show’s remaining three seasons. Of course, the program earned on average 7.8 million viewers at its height, which means those bucks were well-earned by Ozzy and the fam. 

It’s no wonder the net worth of the “Prince of Darkness” has long been the subject of speculation, as reported by the Express. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Ozzy boasts an estimated worth of $220 million. He also owns an ostentatious $10 million mansion in Beverly Hills, California.

Formed in Birmingham, England, in 1969, Judas Priest has long been a staple of metalheads, according to the Guardian. They quickly became one of the most influential metal bands in the 1970s, virtually inventing the heavy metal genre. Rob Halford, the band’s leather-and-stud-wearing lead singer, is a multi-millionaire, according to Showbiz Cheat Sheet. 

Besides belting out “Hell Bent for Leather,” band members have earned through other musical endeavors. According to Blabbermouth, Halford left Judas Priest in 1992 to form a handful of thrash bands, including Fight, 2wo, and the self-styled Halford. Loudwire also reminds us that he’s fronted for Black Sabbath. Adoring fans started referring to Halford as “metal god” (via Ultimate Classic Rock) after the release of Judas Priest’s iconic sixth album, “British Steel.” 

But make no mistake, Judas Priest still brings in the big bucks performing to sold-out shows. At one event in 2015, they played to a house just two seats shy of full, earning $256,320 in one night. As for Judas Priests’ net worth? Reports indicate that the band cleans house, bringing in more than $10 million per year. According to Money Inc., their net worth is estimated at $80 million. 

Originating in Bakersfield, California, Korn formed in 1993, quickly rising through the ranks of metal stardom, as reported by Reuters. The band has sold more than 40 million records, notes Blabbermouth, and sits at an estimated net worth of $100 million, as reported by Wealthy Genius. 

While that might sound like an astronomical figure to some, it’s a good thing considering the band’s penchant for drinking away tens of thousands in booze during recording sessions (via Alternative Press). 

Over the years, Korn has received countless award nominations and wins. They’ve earned MTV Video Music Awards and many Grammy nominations and two awards. With eight platinum and multi-platinum releases under their belt from the Recording Industry Association of America (via Loudwire), they continue to exert a heavy influence over music through their nu-metal style. As you can imagine, all of this attention has brought with it a massive mound of money. 

In 1981, the American thrash metal band Anthrax formed in Queens, New York, with rhythm guitarist Scott Ian. Surprisingly, iconic drummer Charlie Benante wouldn’t join the group until 1983, as reported by Loudwire. Despite Anthrax being named after an infectious disease found in sheep and cattle (via the CDC), its band members have done incredibly well over the past few decades.

They’ve also gone through multiple transformations, swapping out many vocalists and lead guitarists. Past bandmates have included John Bush, Neil Turbin, Rob Caggiano, and Dan Spitz. As of 2013, the lineup contains Ian, Benante, bassist Frank Bello, lead guitarist Jonathan Donais, and vocalist Joey Belladonna (via All Music). 

Interestingly, Ian and Benante remain the only members of Anthrax to appear on all of the thrash metal band’s albums. Despite a rotating list of members, performances didn’t suffer. Anthrax was declared one of the “Big Four” thrash bands in the 1980s, along with Slayer, Megadeth, and Metallica. 

Over the decades, Anthrax has sold 2.5 million records in the U.S. and 10 million worldwide from 1991 to 2004 (via Amino). The band also continues to tour, thrilling audiences with its fast, aggressive style. According to Net Worth Roll, Anthrax has an estimated net worth of $40 million.

According to Louder Sound, Slipknot started in 1995, in Des Moines, Iowa, with bassist Paul Gray, percussionist Shawn Crahan, and drummer Joey Jordison. Since that time, they’ve made a massive splash on the extreme metal scene. Despite their weird jumpsuits and B-rated horror-flick-worthy masks, fans worldwide continue to dole out money for Slipknot albums, merch, clothes, and concert tickets. 

Wealth Record argues that part of what keeps fans (a.k.a. maggots) coming back for more are Slipknot’s dynamic, groundbreaking performances. But the band offers fans more than just sensational costumes and off-the-hook performances. They clinched the 2005 Grammy Award for “Best Metal Performance” with their hit song “Before I Forget” (via Grammy Awards). The band also launched their Tattered and Torn clothing line in 2008, according to Brave Words, and they even sell a box set of whiskey via Slipknot Whiskey. 

Slipknot has sold more than 25 million records during their storied and colorful career, as reported by Metal Sucks. Ironically, the band’s guitarist, Jim Root, claims the band has never made “a penny” off record sales. But their net worth sits at an estimated $30 million despite Root’s statement. 

Motorhead formed in the United Kingdom in 1975 with Fraser Lemmy Kilmister as its lead singer and founding member (via Wealthy Genius). Kilmister typified the sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll scene, debuting in a rock band known as Hawkwind, according NME. But everything changed in a flash. 

As Rolling Stone reports, “In May 1975, Lemmy was busted at the Toronto border with a gram of amphetamine sulfate down his pants. He spent a night in jail and then received a combination of good and bad news. ‘The police charged me for cocaine, and I really had amphetamines,’ said Lemmy.” Following his arrest, Hawkwind decided Kilmister was too much trouble, and they dismissed him from the band. He decided to branch out, forming Motorhead. The rest is history, as they say.

The band that followed would prove a profound and prolific game changer. Fast forward and Motorhead’s achievements look all the more impressive with 23 studio albums under their belt. They’ve also released 12 compilation albums, five EPs, and 10 live recordings. With Lemmy’s death in 2015 from heart failure and prostate cancer, the Motorhead era concluded. 

Of course, the merch and albums continue to sell. According to Wealthy Genius, Motorhead has retained an impressive net worth of $65 million.