R.E.M. – $75 million
Did you know that R.E.M. was one of the United States’ first rock bands? Mike Mills, Michael Stipe, Peter Bruck, and Bill Berry made it up. At that time, their guitar solos and revolutionary lyrics altered the music industry! Through an independent label called Hib-Tone, their first release was. Their early popularity was courtesy of a single called “Radio Free Europe.” They released an EP called “Chronic Town” and a “Murmur” full-length album. In 1987, their first mainstream hit was “The One I Love.”
Jeff Barry – $1 million
In 1938, in Brooklyn, Jeff Barry was born. In the pop-rock scene, he was the key player. By collaborating with Ellie Greenwich, he made a name for himself. The two went on to be one of the biggest songwriting duos of the 1960s. He wrote many popular songs, such as “Chapel of Love,” “River Deep-Mountain High,” and “Do Wah Diddy Diddy.” Let’s not forget that he also worked on tracks like “Sugar Sugar” and “Pack Leader” with Andy Kim and Shadow Morton.