Net Worth Ranker
What Is Yoko Ono’s Net Worth?
Yoko Ono, a multifaceted Japanese artist and peace activist, boasts a net worth of $700 million. Her financial success is significantly attributed to her marriage to the legendary musician John Lennon. Beyond her artistic endeavors and activism, Ono’s outspoken views on global peace and her philanthropic pursuits have also contributed to her public profile.
Sources of Wealth and Income
Yoko Ono’s net worth is derived from several sources, with the John Lennon estate playing a crucial role. At the time of his death in 1980, John Lennon’s estate was valued at $200 million, which, adjusted for inflation, is equivalent to approximately $620 million today. Upon Lennon’s passing, Ono inherited his entire estate, which included valuable music publishing rights to Beatles and John Lennon solo songs. These publishing rights, coupled with royalties, licensing deals, and merchandise sales, have generated hundreds of millions of dollars in income over the decades following Lennon’s death. Although exact figures for annual income from these sources are not publicly available, industry estimates suggest that music publishing royalties for a catalog of this magnitude could easily generate tens of millions of dollars per year.
Beyond the Lennon estate, Ono’s own artistic creations have also contributed to her wealth. As a conceptual artist, filmmaker, and musician, Ono has produced a diverse body of work, including performance art pieces, visual art installations, experimental films, and musical recordings. While specific revenue figures for individual art projects are not typically disclosed, Ono’s prominence in the art world ensures that her works command significant prices in galleries and auctions. In 2014, her painting “Smile” (1967) sold for $22,500 at Christie’s. Her work “Apple” sold at Sotheby’s in 2015 for $187,500. A signed copy of her book, “Grapefruit,” was auctioned for $2,750 in 2021, emphasizing the value that her art brings in.
In addition to her artistic pursuits and management of the Lennon estate, Ono has also engaged in various business ventures and investments. Although specific details about these ventures are not widely publicized, it is likely that Ono has diversified her portfolio through investments in real estate, stocks, and other assets. The scale of these investments is unknown, but they likely contribute to her overall net worth.
Early Life and Background
Yoko Ono was born on February 18, 1933, in Tokyo, Japan. Her family has ties to the Yasuda clan, a Samurai family dating back to the Edo period known for their prominence in banking as a “financial clan”. Her father’s lineage includes generations of warrior-scholars from the Samurai class. At the time of her birth, Ono’s father was working in San Francisco. At the age of two, she and her family joined him in the United States. In 1937, the family returned to Japan, where Ono began piano lessons and enrolled at Gakushuin, a prestigious school. In 1940, the family relocated to New York City for a year before her father was transferred to Hanoi. She briefly attended another exclusive school before World War II disrupted her education. During the great fire-bombing of Tokyo in 1945, Ono and her family sought shelter in a reinforced bunker. After the war, Ono’s family faced hardship, and she and her mother were forced to beg for food and barter goods for rice. In 1946, Ono returned to Gakushuin school and was in the same class as the future emperor of Japan. After graduating in 1951, she studied philosophy at Gakuishuin University for two semesters.
Career and Key Milestones
After two semesters of studying philosophy at Gakuishuin University, Ono left Japan to rejoin her family in New York City. She continued her education at Sarah Lawrence College, where she developed a passion for the arts. During this time, she began associating with poets, artists, and other individuals who piqued her interest. Her parents disapproved of her social circles. Ono experimented with her own art, staging live performances in which she set paintings on fire. In 1956, she married Toshi Ichiyanagi, a Japanese composer and a figure in the experimental music movement. Their marriage eventually ended in divorce in 1962, and Ono returned to Japan, where she experienced depression and was admitted to a mental institution. Following her divorce from Ichiyanagi, she remarried Anthony Cox, a jazz musician, and they had a child together. They collaborated on performance art pieces but eventually divorced in 1969. In 1966, John Lennon first saw Yoko Ono’s conceptual art exhibit and was impressed. They began communicating and fell in love. Ono visited Lennon’s house to record the Two Virgins album, and they became intimate. Lennon’s wife returned from vacation to find Ono at their home, wearing her bathrobe. Lennon then divorced his wife, and Ono became pregnant with his child but miscarried. Ono and Lennon became involved in protests against the Vietnam War, including “Bed-Ins for Peace.” They married in 1969. Ono collaborated with John Lennon and The Beatles, contributing to the album Unfinished Music No.1: Two Virgins and providing lead vocals for “The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill.” In 1969, Lennon and Ono formed the Plastic Ono Band. Ono released her first solo album, Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band, in 1970, followed by Fly in 1971. By this time, The Beatles had disbanded, and Ono and Lennon relocated to Manhattan. Their relationship became strained, and they separated in 1973. By 1975, they reconciled, and Ono gave birth to Lennon’s second son, Sean. This marked the beginning of John Lennon’s hiatus from music until his murder in 1980.
After John Lennon’s death, Yoko Ono funded and organized the construction of the Strawberry Fields memorial in Central Park, dedicated to Lennon. She continued her art career, creating the “Wish Tree,” where people could write wishes and tie them to its branches. She is also known for her feminist art piece “Arising,” evoking imagery of phoenixes, and other notable works like “Skylanding” and “Refugee Boat.” Before Lennon’s death, Ono gained success with her performance art piece “Cut Piece.” Ono continued releasing albums, including It’s Alright, featuring the hit “Never Say Goodbye,” and Starpeace, which included the hit “Hell in Paradise,” reaching number 16 on the dance charts. Other albums include Blueprint for a Sunrise and Walking on Thin Ice (Remixes).
Real Estate Holdings
Yoko Ono possesses significant real estate holdings, primarily in New York City and surrounding areas. In 1970, John and Yoko moved into The Dakota, a renowned apartment building in Manhattan. John was fatally shot outside the building. After Lennon’s death, Ono continued to reside at The Dakota and acquired additional units to create a 6,000-square-foot living space. By the mid-1990s, the monthly HOA fee was reported to be $12,500, and is likely over $20,000 today based on comparable units.
In 1978, John and Yoko purchased a 600-acre farm near Franklin, New York, for $178,000.
While specific details about other real estate holdings are not publicly available, it is plausible that Ono owns additional properties, given her substantial wealth and investment activities.
