On 11 February (12 February MYT), the highly anticipated Super Bowl LVIII saw defending champions Kansas City Chiefs take down the San Francisco 49ers. Not only that, but one of the world’s biggest sporting events in 2024 also treated football and R&B fans to electrifying performances by musicians, including Usher who headlined the Apple Music Super Bowl LVII halftime show. While moments from the game captured the attention of the global audience, garnering over 100 million viewers, the halftime show’s grand success added to Usher’s renown and wealth. Let’s look at the expensive things Usher spends his massive net worth on and how he has amassed his fortune.
R&B star Usher sparked global interest when it was announced in September 2023 that he would be headlining the 2024 Super Bowl. Taking to the stage, Usher wowed his fans with some of his biggest hits like “Caught Up”, “U Don’t Have To Call” and “Love In This Club”, joining the club of handpicked Super Bowl halftime performers.
🔥🔥🔥 @Usher #AppleMusicHalftime pic.twitter.com/HFtG4qHeSH
— NFL (@NFL) February 12, 2024
The event has always been a massive hit, garnering the most famous brands as sponsors. However, the National Football League (NFL) does not pay performers an appearance fee but a nominal union scale. It, however, covers all costs of the performance, including crew and setup.
According to Newsweek, the NFL’s vice president of communications, Brian McCarthy said, “The NFL covers all costs associated with the show and does pay the performers’ union scale. There is not an appearance fee, but the artists are indeed paid union scale.” The union scale is the minimum amount that performers have to be paid and their rates are determined by the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA).
That being said, Usher’s music needs no introduction. Chart-topping titles, such as “Yeah” and “DJ Got Us Fallin in Love” have been crowd-pullers for his shows over decades. So much so that the very announcement of him headlining the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show led to the rise of his music catalogue streams and digital song sales in September 2023, further contributing to Usher’s net worth.
All about Usher’s net worth, career graph and other details that prove his ‘superstar’ status
Usher’s early career
Usher’s tryst with music began at a very young age. Parade states he started singing for the local church choir when he was nine years old. At 13, he met singer Bobby Brown’s bodyguard A.J. Alexander at an Atlanta talent show who took him in for some local events.
Around the same time, Usher participated in Star Search and recorded the longest run for a child on the show. Impressed by his impeccable talent, Alexander brought LaFace Records A&R rep Bryant Reid to the show who then got the young boy to audition for his famed producer brother L.A. Reid. Usher was signed on the spot, and his first single “Call Me A Mack” was released in 1993.
Usher worked rigorously with Sean Diddy Combs and released his debut self-titled music album the following year which has sold over 500,000 copies to date. It paved the way for his second album My Way in 1997. Debuting at No. 4 on the Billboard 200 chart, it bagged a Gold status from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in no time.
My Way features the hit singles “You Make Me Wanna…” and “Nice & Slow,” both of which are three-time Platinum tracks. Currently, it is a seven-time Platinum album with over seven certified units sold.
Usher’s other albums and hit releases
Usher’s net worth is justified by his hit albums and chart-topping songs. In 2004, he rolled out his fourth studio album Confessions, which went on to define his career. Investopedia states that it sold more than 20 million copies by 2016. Hitmakers like “Burn”, “Yeah”, “Confessions: Part II” and “Caught Up” buoyed the album, and it achieved Diamond status having sold more than nine million units.
“Yeah” is among his greatest hits and spent 12 weeks at the No. 1 position on the Billboard Hot 100 list in early 2004. This was followed by “Burn,” which stayed on top for eight weeks.
Usher’s “U Got It Bad” from 8701 (2001) is also among his biggest crackers that rested for six weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard list in late 2001. On the contrary, his 1997 track “U Make Me Wanna” hit the No. 2 spot but spent a whopping 47 weeks on the list — the highest for any of his songs.
Quoting a Billboard report, the Independent states that when Usher’s halftime show performance was announced, “the singer’s catalogue had risen to over 7.8 million in total on-demand US streams from Sunday to Monday (24 to 25 September), as compared to just under 6.8 million during the previous Sunday to Monday (17 to 18 September).”
Usher’s “digital song sales more than doubled during that period, up 128 per cent to over 1,500 per cent. His latest released hit, ‘Good Good’, with 21 Savage and Summer Walker, was up five per cent with 1.1 million streams, while his other classics, including ‘Yeah!’ and ‘DJ Got Us Fallin in Love’, were up 13 per cent and 18 per cent, respectively,” mentions Independent.
Usher’s multi-million-dollar music catalogue
As of 12 February 2024, RIAA data shows that Usher has over 33 million certified units in album sales and 81.5 million certified units in digital singles, making him one of the best-selling artists of all time with a stunning music catalogue.
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His latest studio album Coming Home released on 9 February 2024 and is expected to become a massive hit as well.
Usher’s Las Vegas residency
Usher has earned a colossal amount from his concerts and tours. Between 2021 and 2023, the R&B icon has held two Las Vegas residencies that have yielded a total of USD 114.6 million and sold 479,000 tickets across 100 dates.
A 2022 report by Billboard states that the previous year, Usher sold out 18 out of 20 shows and grossed about USD 18.8 million during his first year of residency at Caesars Palace. This was a rather short stint with 14 shows in July and August 2021. Six more shows were held towards the end of the year. Together, 20 dates sold a whopping 84,000 tickets.
The second round of residency, titled My Way: The Vegas Residency, was held at the Park MGM’s Dolby Theatre. The more extensive presentation saw 80 shows between 15 July 2022 and 2 December 2023. During this time, Usher grossed USD 95.9 million and sold 394,000 tickets. According to Billboard, it averaged USD 1.198 million every night.
Tours and concert earnings
The “Bad Girl” singer has also made an enormous fortune from tours and concerts. In 2004, he started the acclaimed Truth Tour, in support of Confessions, which became one of the highest-grossing concert tours in North America, earning 29.1 million with each night grossing USD 698,000.
In 2010-2011, Usher embarked on the OMG Tour, which changed the course of his life and career. It made a staggering USD 76 million with an average of USD 1.026 million every night.
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In 2024, Usher used the days leading up to the Super Bowl halftime show to parlay his upcoming tour Usher: Past Present Future into a bigwig event. It marks his first solo headline tour in a decade. Announced on 6 February 2024, it kickstarts in August of the same year. A celebration of three decades of entertaining audiences and dominating the charts, this tour can be expected to be one of his biggest that would catapult Usher’s net worth.
Awards won
With an exemplary track record, it is only natural for Usher to have a galore of accolades and awards — American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards, BET and Soul Train Music Awards, NAACP Image Awards and World Music Awards.
He won his first Grammy in 2001 for “U Remind Me” in the Best Male R&B Vocal Performance category. To date, Usher has bagged eight Grammy Awards out of 23 nominations.
In 2023, he received an honorary doctorate from the Berklee College of Music as an applause for his exceptional contributions to the music industry and philanthropic efforts in making resources and expertise accessible to aspiring creatives.
Television appearances
Besides his musical endeavours, a slew of roles in movies and a television stint has also contributed to Usher’s net worth.
He joined The Voice cast as a season 4 coach in 2014. The Hollywood Reporter states he was offered USD 7 million when he returned in season 6. The “Bad Habits” crooner also appeared in minor roles in Moesha (1996-2001), The Faculty (1998) and In the Mix (2005).
He also had small roles in the 2010 comedy action film Killers and an episode of the TV series Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996-2003).
What is Usher’s net worth?
As of 24 January 2024, Celebrity Net Worth mentions that Usher’s net worth stands at USD 180 million. This is a massive jump, considering Forbes placed him at No. 12 on the 2011 list of The World’s 25 Highest-Paid Musicians.
However, his fortune has seen a slump over the past few years, as Usher was slammed with a number of lawsuits.
He is the co-founder of a record label
In 2002, Usher teamed up with Scooter Braun and co-founded the record company Raymond Braun Media Group (RBMG Records). The label is credited for signing Justin Bieber in 2008 and managing his career. In 2022, Harbour View Equity Partners acquired the firm for an amount close to USD 40 million.
Usher has an array of endorsem*nts and business ventures
Besides being a flamboyant entertainer and musician, Usher has built a diversified business and investment portfolio, which can boost his net worth. Like Alicia Keys, Rihanna, Madonna and Beyoncé, he is one of the many celebrity investors in Jay-Z’s streaming service TIDAL. In 2021, Jack Dorsey’s Square lapped it up for USD 297 million and each artist received a smooth USD 8.91 million.
In the sports arena, Usher invested USD 9 million in the NBA team Cleveland Cavaliers in 2005 for a 1 per cent stake. In 2023, Forbes valued the team at around USD 3.35 billion. While it may not be known how much Usher pockets from this, considering the valuation, it is a handsome amount. Usher is also an investor in the hydration brand Liquid I.V.
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An array of lucrative brand endorsem*nts that boost his net worth include Rémy Martin, Hungry, Pepsi, Samsung and Belvedere vodka. Mastercard even launched his image on their cards as part of his campaign. In February 2024, he dropped a campaign with SKIMS to promote Coming Home.
Usher’s real estate portfolio
With a net worth of USD 180 million, it is only natural for Usher to have a penchant for luxe homes.
Riding high on the success of 1999, Usher shelled USD 1.2 million for Reid’s former mansion in Alpharetta, Georgia. The 10,823 sq ft (about 1,005 sq m) property had a grand foyer with black marble columns, a black marble fireplace surrounded by built-in mahogany bookcases and an open hallway on the second floor that gave a glimpse of the living room. In 2018, Usher sold it for USD 1.5 million.
Then there was the Atlanta pad worth USD 970,000 that Usher bought in 2007. Comprising three bedrooms, three bathrooms and a rooftop deck, it was located almost adjacent to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium and covered an area of 2,908 sq ft (270 sq m). However, the “Trading Places” crooner sold it for USD 775,000 in 2019.
In 2015, he splurged USD 3.3 million for a Spanish-style home in West Hollywood’s Sunset Strip. The three-storeyed 4,261 sq ft (approximately 395.85 sq m) house had five bedrooms and four full and two half bathrooms. Other amenities included a premium home theatre with velvet curtains, a primary suite with a private terrace and two-person soaking tub and a family room with French doors that lead to a deck overlooking the swimming pool. Usher sold the place in late 2015 for a no-profit-no-loss deal.
In 2022 came his latest real estate purchase — a Hollywood Hills home worth USD 3.4 million. The “No Limit” singer bought it from Cara and Poppy Delevigne who purchased it from Jared Leto in 2017.
Usher’s personal life
The world knows him by his first name, but the “Climax” hitmaker was born Usher Raymond IV in Dallas, Texas, on 14 October 1978. He was raised by his single mother in Chattanooga, Tennessee. When they realised his musical prowess, the family moved to Atlanta for more opportunities.
Usher married long-time girlfriend Jenn Goicoechea in a secret Las Vegas ceremony right after his 2024 Super Bowl gig. The couple shares two children — Sovereign Bo Raymond and Sire Castrello Raymond.
Between 2007 and 2009, Usher was married to fashion designer Tameka Foster with whom he shares two kids — Usher Raymond V (aka Cinco) and Naviyd Ely Raymond. After this, he married writer Grace Harry in 2015 but called it quits in 2018.
Usher’s philanthropy initiatives
Usher has a philanthropic arm as well and in 1999 founded a non-profit charity organisation, New Look. It aims to offer education and holistic experiences to young people. The organisation worked tirelessly for social justice and civil and human rights, and Usher was conferred with the Freedom Award for New Look by the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis in 2011.
When Hurricane Katrina wrecked New Orleans in 2005, the R&B icon initiated Project Restart to help over 700 families with rebuilding housing.
(Hero and feature image credit: Usher/ @usher/ Instagram)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
-How much does Usher make per show?
According to Parade, going by average ticket sales, Usher makes about USD 1 million per show.
-Did Usher perform at the Super Bowl?
Usher was the headlining act at the 2024 Super Bowl halftime show.
-Has Usher done the Super Bowl?
Prior to the 2024 event, Usher appeared as a guest performer at the 2011 Super Bowl halftime show with Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am.
-Who performers at the Super Bowl 2024?
Alicia Keys, will.i.am, H.E.R, Lil John, Ludacris and Jermaine Dupri are the other musicians besides Usher who performed at the Super Bowl halftime show in 2024.
-What college band performed with Usher at the Super Bowl?
The Jackson State University’s Sonic Boom of the South band was featured in the 2024 Super Bowl Halftime show alongside Usher.
