# The biggest money hog in music **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 18, 2009, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biggest-money-hog-in-music/493549 "2009-04-18T19:07:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biggest-money-hog-in-music/493549/1 "2009-04-18T19:07:24Z")
Who has made the most money in popular music for the least artistic contribution? Now, before people jump in with Celine Dion, you have to admit that she really can sing. She may have saccharine tastes, but she can actually sing, and there would be no act without her. I mean someone who is just along for the ride while making truckloads of money. As much as I like U2 generally, I have to say that Adam and Larry from U2 are big contenders. If they had quit after a few albums, would they really be missed by the fans? I hear that Larry has been the brakes on some of Bono’s weirder ideas, and that’s valuable, but I think either of them could have been replaced with little disruption. So, the formula is: money made divded by crucial contributions to the act. The greater the contributions, the smaller the score. Big money and little contribution gets a big score. Musings for winners: Bill Bruford, AC/DC’s bass player, Nick Mason… But I like the U2 rhythm section because each member of U2 is said to be worth about 250 million. They’ve been crediting each and every song to all four members since the beginning, even if they only wrote their own part after the melody and lyrics were finished. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biggest-money-hog-in-music/493549/2 "2009-04-18T19:25:54Z")
Many would say Ringo Starr. Certainly his songwriting contributions added nothing to the Beatles success, but his drumming was certainly an important factor. John Densmore of the Doors gets a songwriter credit on all their songs and is arguably the least important member of the group. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biggest-money-hog-in-music/493549/3 "2009-04-18T19:41:52Z")
Most drummers in bands could be replaced, so we shouldn’t focus too much on them. I’d say that Britney Spears is a serious candidate. While she can dance, she can’t sing and was pretty much developed by a marketing machine. She really could have been just about any Mouseketeer. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biggest-money-hog-in-music/493549/4 "2009-04-18T19:42:03Z")
Lisa Marie Presley? ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biggest-money-hog-in-music/493549/5 "2009-04-18T19:44:43Z")
LM Presley has made lots of money in the music business? That is, opposed to inheriting it? ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biggest-money-hog-in-music/493549/6 "2009-04-18T19:49:03Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Most drummers in bands could be replaced, so we shouldn’t focus too much on them. You mean like Spinal Tap does? ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biggest-money-hog-in-music/493549/7 "2009-04-18T20:04:13Z")
Andrew Ridgeley ---
**Author:** ![casdave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c6cbf5/32.png) [@casdave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/casdave)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biggest-money-hog-in-music/493549/8 "2009-04-18T20:43:59Z")
Damn you **Bearflag** ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biggest-money-hog-in-music/493549/9 "2009-04-18T21:18:17Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I’d say that Britney Spears is a serious candidate. While she can dance, she can’t sing and was pretty much developed by a marketing machine. She really could have been just about any Mouseketeer. I don’t disagree with anything you said, except for the fact, she CAN carry a tune. She can sing. She’s not the greatest singer in the world but she does a good job at carrying a tune. Certainly there are singers like Paul McCartney and Rod Stewart who may be better performers but I can find lots of songs where they sing off key. Their voice isn’t a strong point in their music. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biggest-money-hog-in-music/493549/10 "2009-04-18T21:20:44Z")
> [@Bearflag70](#): > > Andrew Ridgeley I could see why you’d say this, but I would disagee. While it is true he contributed virtually NOTHING to Wham! George Michael WANTED him to be there. His solo album was not well received but it was a result of needed to complete a contractual agreement and he hasn’t actively persued a music career. So while he didn’t contribute much, if anything, I wouldn’t consider him a hog, as much as someone who was ASKED to come along for the ride and enjoyed it while it lasted ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biggest-money-hog-in-music/493549/11 "2009-04-18T21:37:01Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > I don’t disagree with anything you said, except for the fact, she CAN carry a tune. > > She can sing. She’s not the greatest singer in the world but she does a good job at carrying a tune. Wasn’t there some clip of her singing without pre recorded music and her being just ridiculously bad? Or was that a fake? I think I saw it on youtube a while ago but people were questioning its veracity. ---
**Author:** ![ToeJam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@ToeJam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ToeJam)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biggest-money-hog-in-music/493549/12 "2009-04-18T23:11:28Z")
William Hung. 4 albums (That’s right FOUR), $25k signing bonus, and a few cameos in films with a staring role in one chinese film. For what now exactly? It may not be a lot of money in total, but I’m betting everyone else nominated at least had SOME artistic contribution to use to hog their money. For Hung, he just went to step 3: PROFIT! ---
**Author:** ![velvet\_goldminer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5daacb/32.png) [@velvet\_goldminer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velvet_goldminer)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biggest-money-hog-in-music/493549/13 "2009-04-18T23:17:09Z")
[quote=“Cardinal, post:1, topic:493549”] Who has made the most money in popular music for the least artistic contribution? _insert name of any record label CEO here_ ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biggest-money-hog-in-music/493549/14 "2009-04-18T23:33:39Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Wasn’t there some clip of her singing without pre recorded music and her being just ridiculously bad? Or was that a fake? I think I saw it on youtube a while ago but people were questioning its veracity. That’s just it, she doesn’t sing live so who knows if she can carry a tune? It could all be done with autotune and other studio tricks. Another rumor about Spears: supposedly a talented back-up singer records the songs first and then Britney sings along for the final track. As for the biggest money hog: Madonna. Can’t sing for shit and is worth God knows how much. ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2009, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biggest-money-hog-in-music/493549/15 "2009-04-19T01:30:37Z")
Does Paul McGuinness, U2’s manager, count? My understanding is that it’s been a five way equal split from day one. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2009, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biggest-money-hog-in-music/493549/16 "2009-04-19T01:41:20Z")
**Vanilla Ice.** His sole hit was a ripoff of a Queen/David Bowie song, which he got sued for. Since then, every attempt to reinvent himself has been a miserable failure. ---
**Author:** ![Nutty\_Bunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d07c76/32.png) [@Nutty\_Bunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nutty_Bunny)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2009, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biggest-money-hog-in-music/493549/17 "2009-04-19T01:47:52Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > As for the biggest money hog: Madonna. Can’t sing for shit and is worth God knows how much. You’ve already won the thread, but my vote was going to be for Oates (of “Hall and..”). None of the songs he’s sung lead on have been Top 10 hits. He was more famous for his 'stache. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2009, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biggest-money-hog-in-music/493549/18 "2009-04-19T04:07:17Z")
> [@velvet\_goldminer](#): > > _insert name of any record label CEO here_ I think this may actually be the correct answer. [QUOTE=The Kinks] Do they all deserve Money from a song that they never heard? They don’t know the tune and they don’t know the words But they don’t give a damn. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2009, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biggest-money-hog-in-music/493549/19 "2009-04-19T04:11:24Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > Many would say Ringo Starr. Certainly his songwriting contributions added nothing to the Beatles success, but his drumming was certainly an important factor. Ah, but he didn’t get songwriting credit on more than a very few Beatkes songs. And from what I understand, songwriting credit is where a lot of the money in popular music comes from. ---
**Author:** ![dzeiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/46a35a/32.png) [@dzeiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dzeiger)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2009, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biggest-money-hog-in-music/493549/20 "2009-04-19T05:21:04Z")
Not sure how the contracts are set up, but I think “Anyone currently in Kiss not named Paul Stanley or Gene Simmons” might be in the running. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-biggest-money-hog-in-music/493549.md?page=2)