Net Worth Ranker
What Was Christine McVie’s Net Worth?
At the time of her death in November 2022, Christine McVie, the celebrated English musician, possessed a net worth estimated at $105 million. This substantial net worth was primarily built through her enduring career as a pivotal member of the rock group Fleetwood Mac. McVie’s talent as a songwriter significantly contributed to her financial success, with her compositions becoming some of the band’s most recognizable and commercially successful tracks.
Fleetwood Mac’s Success and McVie’s Contribution to Her Net Worth
Fleetwood Mac’s global success is a major factor in McVie’s $105 million net worth. The band has sold over 150 million albums worldwide. Notably, their 1977 album “Rumours,” featuring McVie’s songs “Don’t Stop” and “You Make Loving Fun,” sold over 40 million copies. Her songwriting prowess meant that she was the sole or primary writer on half of the tracks of Fleetwood Mac’s greatest hits album, showcasing the significant financial benefit derived from her intellectual property.
The band’s continued presence as one of the highest-grossing touring acts further solidified McVie’s financial standing. In 2018, a lawsuit filed by Lindsey Buckingham revealed that each band member was expected to receive $200,000 per show over 60 shows as part of their Live Nation tour deal. This equated to a potential payout of $12 million per member, possibly reaching $14 million depending on attendance milestones and additional dates. While the specifics of Buckingham’s settlement remain undisclosed, it suggests the lucrative nature of Fleetwood Mac’s touring income. The financial success of Fleetwood Mac, bolstered by album sales, touring revenue, and songwriting royalties, played a crucial role in establishing Christine McVie’s substantial net worth.
Catalog Sale and Royalty Income
In August 2021, Christine McVie made a strategic financial decision by selling the rights to her publishing royalties to Hipgnosis, a music investment company. While the exact sale amount was not publicly released, the transaction likely contributed a substantial sum to her net worth. This move followed a similar decision by Stevie Nicks, who sold her catalog rights for $100 million. The fact that Nicks’ sale included a collection of solo hits suggests that McVie’s catalog, comprising significant contributions to Fleetwood Mac’s discography, was also valued at a considerable amount. The sale of her catalog rights provided McVie with a significant lump sum and potentially simplified her estate planning, further cementing her financial legacy.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Christine McVie was born on July 12, 1943, in the Lake District of Bouth, Lancashire, England. Her father, Cyril, was a concert violinist and music professor at St. Peter’s College of Education. Her mother, Beatrice, was a psychic and faith healer. McVie grew up near Birmingham with her older brother, John. While she began playing piano at the age of four, she didn’t seriously study music until age 11. After focusing on classical music for several years, she shifted her interests to rock and roll at the age of 15. Though McVie initially planned to become an art teacher, she studied sculpture at an art college in Birmingham for five years. It was during this time that she met musicians involved in the local scene, leading her to join a band called Sounds Of Blue. Although the band dissolved before she finished her studies, McVie moved to London and joined Chicken Shack, recording two albums with them.
Career with Fleetwood Mac
While playing with Chicken Shack, McVie developed a strong appreciation for Fleetwood Mac. Because both bands were signed to the same label and frequently toured together, they often crossed paths. In 1970, after marrying Fleetwood Mac’s bassist, John McVie, she joined the band as a permanent member. Her arrival was especially timely as the band had recently lost Peter Green. McVie was a fan of Green and knew all of the lyrics to his songs. Her first full album with the band was “Future Games.” Despite challenges in the early 1970s, Fleetwood Mac relocated to the United States in 1974, a move McVie reluctantly agreed to. The following year, Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joined the band. Their 1975 album, “Fleetwood Mac,” became a hit, featuring songs like “Over My Head” and “Say You Love Me.”
In 1976, McVie began an affair with the band’s lighting director. This relationship led to the song “You Make Loving Fun,” which became a top-10 hit on the album “Rumours.” “Rumours” became one of the best-selling albums of all time, with McVie’s biggest hits being “Don’t Stop” and “Songbird.” While the affair produced popular content, it also led to McVie’s divorce by the end of the “Rumours” tour. The band then released the double album “Tusk,” which performed well but didn’t match the success of “Rumours.” After touring with the album, the band took a short break before reuniting in 1981 to record “Mirage,” which performed much better on the charts.
Solo Career and Later Fleetwood Mac Albums
Around the same time, McVie recorded a solo album, released in 1984. The album achieved moderate success and featured the songs “Got a Hold on Me” and “Love Will Show Us How,” both of which charted in the United States. During this period, McVie also began a relationship with Eddy Quintela, who collaborated with her on songs later featured on Fleetwood Mac albums. McVie rejoined the band for “Tango in the Night,” which was their biggest success since “Rumours.” The album’s most successful song, “Little Lies,” was co-written by Quintela. McVie’s song “Everywhere” also became very popular and remains one of Fleetwood Mac’s most well-known tracks.
Following her father’s death, McVie decided to retire from touring with the band, but she continued to actively contribute to Fleetwood Mac, writing and recording new songs for their albums. Despite some internal conflicts, John McVie, Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, and McVie reunited in the mid-1990s. They released a live album, “The Dance,” which reached number one in the U.S. McVie agreed to tour for this album and also performed with the band. In 1998, Fleetwood Mac was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. After that year, she officially decided not to continue with the band, citing a phobia of flying. Since then, McVie has been semi-retired. She rejoined Fleetwood Mac on-stage in 2013 to play “Don’t Stop” in London, marking her first appearance with the band in 15 years. Since then, she has appeared on stage more often and has continued releasing new music, both on her own and with the band or its members.
Personal Life and Relationships
McVie married John McVie of Fleetwood Mac in 1968. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1976. In 1979, she became engaged to Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys, but they called off the engagement in 1982. She later began dating keyboardist Eddy Quintela, and they married in October 1986, divorcing in 2003.
Real Estate Holdings
In 2015, Christine McVie invested in a penthouse apartment in London’s Belgravia neighborhood. In March 2025, her estate listed this property for sale at a price of $9 million. The decision to sell this London penthouse indicates a process of estate management following McVie’s death and represents a tangible asset contributing to her overall net worth.
