Net Worth Ranker
What Is John Legend’s Net Worth?
John Legend, a multifaceted American artist, boasts a substantial net worth of $100 million. This figure represents the combined net worth he shares with his wife, supermodel Chrissy Teigen, since their union in 2013. While both contribute to their shared wealth, John Legend is responsible for the vast majority of the couple’s wealth. Chrissy Teigen has earned at least $10 million per year every year since 2018 from modeling, endorsements, and television projects.
John Legend’s Career and Earnings
Legend’s musical journey began in the early 2000s, collaborating with established artists like Kanye West and Alicia Keys, which helped him gain initial recognition. His debut album, “Get Lifted,” released in 2004 on Kanye West’s GOOD Music label, marked a turning point in his career. The album debuted at number seven on the U.S. charts and sold over 500,000 copies within its first few months, earning him critical acclaim and commercial success. “Get Lifted” won the Grammy Award for Best R&B Album in 2006.
Throughout his career, John Legend has released several critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums. His second album, “Once Again,” was released in the fall of 2006. The album hit number three on the charts and debuted at the top of the R&B/Hip-Hop charts. He won the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance for his song “Heaven.” He also won a Grammy for his collaboration on the song “Family Affair.” His third album “Evolver” was released in October 2008. The single “Green Light” featuring Outkast’s Andre 3000, had the highest ranking on the song charts since his song “Ordinary People.” In 2010, Legend and the Roots released a collaborative album, “Wake Up!” In 2011, Legend won three Grammy Music Awards: Best R&B Song for “Shine,” as well Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance for “Hang On in There,” and Best R&B Album. In 2013, Legend released his album “Love in the Future,” which reached number two in the U.S. and the U.K. The third single from the album, “All of Me,” became an international hit. In 2014, “All of Me” was the third best-selling song in the U.S. and U.K. His album “Darkness and Light” was released in 2016. In 2018, he released the album “A Legendary Christmas.”
His most notable hit, “All of Me,” from the “Love in the Future” album, became a chart-topping success and a wedding anthem worldwide. The song sold over 13 million copies worldwide and generated substantial revenue through streaming platforms and licensing deals. Legend’s live performances also contribute significantly to his income. He has headlined numerous sold-out concerts and tours globally, commanding high performance fees. For example, his “Darkness and Light Tour” in 2017 grossed over $30 million worldwide. On May 21, 2019, Legend was the winning coach on “The Voice” with his artist Maelyn Jarmon. In 2020, Legend performed in a special Quarantunes benefit concert. In May 2020, he released his seventh studio album, “Bigger Love.” In July 2020, Legend performed Whitney Houston’s “Greatest Love of All” with Andra Day at a fundraiser for Joe Biden’s presidential campaign. In November 2021, Legend signed with Republic Records after a 17-year contract with Sony Music ended. In September 2022, his eighth studio album, “Legend,” was released.
In 2018, Legend achieved the prestigious EGOT status (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Awards) by winning an Emmy Award for his role as a producer on “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert.” This remarkable feat made him the first African-American man and one of the youngest artists to attain all four major entertainment awards. This achievement not only boosted his reputation but also opened doors to more diverse and lucrative opportunities in the entertainment industry. In addition to his musical accomplishments, John Legend has been a dedicated philanthropist and social activist, championing causes such as education, criminal justice reform, and human rights.
John Legend’s Real Estate Portfolio
John Legend and Chrissy Teigen have invested in several high-value real estate properties. In January 2016, they purchased a mansion in Beverly Hills for $14.1 million. The house, previously owned by Rihanna, features approximately 8,520 square feet of living space, including five bedrooms and eight bathrooms. They listed this home for sale in 2021 for $22 million and accepted $16.8 million a few months later. In April 2020, Legend and Teigen bought a $5.1 million modern contemporary house in West Hollywood, California – not far from their current Beverly Hills home, which they purchased for $14.1 million in 2016.
Their real estate portfolio also includes two penthouses in New York City. They bought one in May 2018 for slightly over $9 million and the second in April for $8 million. In September 2020, John and Chrissy paid $17.5 million for a mansion in Beverly Hills. In January 2022, John and Chrissy placed a duplex New York City apartment on the market for $18 million. The property was originally two apartments. John and Chrissy acquired the first apartment in 2018 and the second in 2020. In total, they spent $16.70 million on the two apartments.
Early Life and Education
John Roger Stephens, born on December 28, 1978, in Springfield, Ohio, began his musical journey early in life. His parents, Phyllis and Ronald Stephens, nurtured his talent, with his mother being a seamstress and church choir director, and his father working at an International Harvester factory and playing drums. John began performing with the church choir at the age of four. He learned to play the piano when he was seven.
Legend’s academic prowess allowed him to skip two grades in school. He enrolled at Springfield North High School at 12 and graduated at 16 as the salutatorian of his class. He was accepted to Harvard, Morehouse, the University of Pennsylvania, and Georgetown. Legend’s educational background includes attending the University of Pennsylvania, where he directed the co-ed jazz and pop a cappella group, The Counterparts. The group’s recording of the Joan Osbourne song “One of Us” was chosen for the 1988 Best of Collegiate a Cappella compilation CD. During college, Legend met Lauryn Hill, who hired him to play piano on the song “Everything is Everything” from her iconic album “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.” Legend graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in African-American literature from the University of Pennsylvania in 1999.
Early Career and Collaborations
After college, Legend worked as a management consultant while he started writing, producing, and recording his own music. He released his self-titled demo in 2000 and “Live at Jimmy’s Uptown” in 2001, which he self-released and sold at his gigs. He soon began sending his demo to record labels. In 2001, Legend was introduced to Kanye West, who was a then-an-up-and-coming-hip-hop artist. West hired Legend to sing the hooks in his songs. West also signed Legend to his label. Legend chose his stage name from an idea the poet and songwriter J Ivy said to him. Ivy basically said that Legend’s music sounded old school, like one of the Legends. So he began calling John Legend. So did West. Eventually, Legend adopted the name himself as well.
Legend’s early collaborations with Kanye West proved to be instrumental in launching his career. He contributed to several of West’s albums, providing vocals and piano arrangements. This exposure helped him gain recognition within the music industry and build a strong foundation for his solo career. Specifically, he was involved in West’s critically acclaimed album “The College Dropout,” released in 2004, which further solidified his reputation as a talented musician.
John Legend’s Philanthropy
John Legend is known for his philanthropic efforts, focusing on education and social justice. He founded the Show Me Campaign, which supports education initiatives aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty. The Show Me Campaign has invested millions of dollars in various programs, including Teach For America and the Harlem Village Academies. His commitment to philanthropy demonstrates his dedication to making a positive impact on society.
Personal Life and Relationships
Legend met model Chrissy Teigen in 2006 when she starred in the music video for his song “Stereo.” They became engaged in December 2011 and were married on September 14, 2013, at Villa Pizzo in Como, Italy. The couple had a daughter in April 2016, a son in May 2018, and a daughter in January 2023, all born via vitro fertilization. In June 2023, they had a fourth child, a son, born via surrogacy. In November 2019, Legend was named People’s Sexiest Man Alive.
In an appearance on Dax Shepherd’s podcast “Armchair Expert” in the summer of 2020, Legend admitted to having a history of cheating on his girlfriends, especially back in his 20s. Legend talked about being two years younger than his classmates in high school and college and, thus, not getting a lot of attention from women. When he did, he lapped it up and acted irresponsibly. He was quick to add that all of that changed when he met Chrissy Teigen. His wife, an expert Twitter troll, took the bait, tweeting, “Especially…the other sh*t is the 10s and 30s, so better be talking the tens, idiot.” Legend and Teigen met when he was 28.
Legend was one of a number of celebrities who took to social media to pay tribute to the late civil rights icon John Lewis when he passed away in July 2020. He tweeted: “Thank you, John Lewis, for being a warrior for justice. Thank you for loving us so much that you devoted and risked your life to bring us closer to freedom. As we mourn and remember his incredible life, let’s rededicate ourselves to carrying on his legacy.”
