What is Noel Gallagher's Net Worth?
Noel Gallagher is an English musician, singer, and songwriter who has a net worth of $70 million. Noel Gallagher is best known for being the primary songwriter, lead guitarist, and co-lead vocalist of the band Oasis. Oasis became incredibly popular around the world during the 90s, earning Noel a considerable fortune. He eventually left the band in 2009 to pursue a solo career, causing Oasis to break up. Gallagher has been widely praised for his songwriting talents, with one critic calling him the greatest songwriter of his generation.
Gallagher started playing the guitar at a young age and was convinced to join Oasis by his brother, Liam Gallagher. After releasing their debut album in 1994, they reached critical and mainstream success. They then followed up with the chart-topping "Morning Glory" in 1995 before releasing "Be Here Now" in 1997. Unfortunately, the fading popularity of Britpop resulted in Oasis' decline, although their last two albums were hailed as masterpieces by music critics.
Oasis was never a particularly stable band, and the rivalry between Liam and Noel was legendary. After an especially bad altercation between the two brothers, Noel left the band and started a new band called Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds.
Why Is Noel Gallagher So Much Richer Than Liam?
Noel and Liam may be equally famous for their contributions to Oasis, but that does not mean their finances are equal. By our estimation, in mid-2024, Noel's net worth was $70 million, while Liam's was $6 million.
The primary reason for the difference is the fact that Noel was the band's primary songwriter – both music and lyrics – and producer. As a result, Noel earns the lion's share of royalties generated by the band's music. He also, therefore owns arguably the majority of the group's valuable asset, Oasis' publishing rights. Those rights control where and when their songs are used in movies/TV shows/commercials, etc., and would be entitled to the vast majority of income if their catalog rights were ever put up for sale. As a performer of their songs, Liam earns ongoing "mechanical" royalties whenever Oasis' music is purchased or streamed. Unfortunately, mechanical royalties have become significantly less lucrative in the streaming era. When people bought CDs, an artist could get very rich on mechanical royalties alone. And keep in mind, whatever royalties Liam does get, Noel almost certainly gets a share because he is also a performer, whereas Noel's songwriting/producing royalties are not shared.
To top it all off, by his own admission and court filings, Liam Gallagher has spent a fortune on his lifestyle. In a 2013 interview, Liam admitted that he lived well beyond his means while out on tour. He also spent a ton of money on clothes. He said:
"I don't go on the road to come back with a big pot of money. I go on the road to have a good time, do great gigs, and enjoy being in a band. And that means staying in good hotels and flying business class."
He also had a contentious divorce battle with his ex-wife, Nicole Appleton. Liam and Nicole were married from 2008 to 2014. During their divorce proceedings, Liam revealed that at that point, his net worth was "just" $15 million. He was then ordered to pay Nicole 50% of his assets. It is estimated the estranged spouses spent more than $1.1 million on legal fees alone.
Early Life
Noel Thomas David Gallagher was born on May 29th, 1967, in Manchester, England. Raised in the Longsight area in an Irish Catholic household, Gallagher was often beaten by his alcoholic father. In 1982, his mother took Noel and his two brothers and left her husband. During his teen years, Noel had regular run-ins with the police. At the age of 15, he was expelled from school after throwing flour at a teacher. During this period, he became an avid supporter of Manchester City football club.
At the age of 14, he received six months' probation for stealing from a corner shop. During his probation, he spent his time learning how to play the guitar. Inspired by Johnny Marr and The Smiths, he eventually started writing many of the future songs that would appear in "Definitely Maybe." Unfortunately, Gallagher later fell into a period of drug abuse, but he continued to write songs and practice guitar.
Early Career
Noel started his music career as a roadie for the band Inspiral Carpets. After returning from a US tour with the Inspiral Carpets, Gallagher discovered that his brother Liam had started a rock band called the Rain. Liam invited Noel to join the band, and Noel accepted the invitation on the condition that he would be the principal songwriter.
Oasis
After securing a contract with Sony, Oasis toured with the Verve and released the single "Supersonic." They then released their debut album, "Definitely Maybe," in 1994. This became the fastest-selling album in British history.
They followed up with their second album, "(What's the Story) Morning Glory?" This album performed well in the US charts. After a number of successful albums and singles, Oasis split up in 2009 and Noel went on to found a new band called the High Flying Birds.
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Relationships
After marrying Meg Mathews, Noel welcomed his first child into the world in 2000. He and Mathews later separated after allegations of adultery on Noel's part. He then had two children with the woman he had allegedly been unfaithful to, Sara MacDonald. They were subsequently married in 2011.
Rivalries
Noel Gallagher was known for his rivalries with a number of musicians over the years. Oasis had a fierce rivalry with Blur, another band that was extremely popular during the Britpop era. At one point, Noel said that he hoped the members of Blur would "catch AIDS and die."
Noel was also known for his numerous altercations and arguments with his brother, Liam. As early as 1994, the pair were getting into fights on tour and in the recording studio. During one famous incident, Liam backed out of a live performance, leaving Noel to act as lead singer while he heckled his brother from the crowd. Despite being brothers, Noel and Liam stated that they never spent time together outside of their duties with the band. Eventually, this rivalry caused Noel to quit Oasis, stating that he "simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer." Gallagher has also feuded with Jay-Z and Phil Collins. At one point, he referred to the latter as the "antichrist."
(Photo by Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)
Real Estate
In 2018, it was reported that Noel Gallagher had reduced the asking price of his London home to 8.95 million pounds. He had originally listed the home for 11.5 million pounds back in 2016. This residence features six bedrooms, high ceilings, and luxurious gardens. In addition, the home features a pool, tennis courts, and a library. It is also located in Little Venice, one of the most affluent areas of West London. Gallagher originally purchased this home for 8 million pounds in 2010. In 2020, it was revealed that Gallagher had sold this home for a price of 8 million pounds – breaking even and probably losing money when you consider the various fees associated with selling a home.
In 2019, it was reported that Noel had purchased a home in Hampshire for 8 million pounds. The country home is a notable departure from his West London residence, and it is believed that he made the decision so that his son could attend a posh school in the Hampshire area. The mansion features seven bedrooms, a croquet lawn, and an adjoining cottage.
