Stop copying me!
I use to say that a lot as a kid. When you’re just a kid you tend to copy everything you see. From watching Ninja Turtles on TV and copying their high fly kicks, to emulating how your parents or friends speak.
I wanted to be Michelangelo. I remember sawing a piece of wood in two pieces, then grabbing two nails and hammering on the ends of both pieces of wood attaching a small chain.
Now I got some nunchucks. Wha!!!!
After watching the nunchuck duel scene dozens of times between Michelangelo and one of the foot clan members in the (1990) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle movie.
I ended up with a few bumps and bruises on my head after attempting to copy the nunchuck moves. I put down the chucks for a few weeks, then picked them back up again, but this time I wore some head gear and nailed the moves. Wha!!!!
What does this have to with the top 25 artists and how long it took for them to reach fame and riches??
A lot!!
Here are some reasons why they made it.
- Passion: They really wanted it bad.
- Persistence: They didn’t give up no matter what.
- Environment: They were around people that influenced there success.
- They had investors with big bank accounts and big connections.
- They modeled after their influences. Probably the most important factor.
There many other factors, but I believe above are the main reasons. Feel free to debate me on this.
Now, here the are the top 25 artists of all time and how long it took for them to reach fame and riches.
- Michael Jackson
- How long did it take? 7 years
- How was it done? 1964-1971 from joining the Jackson 5 in 1964, to having recorded four number one singles in Billboard Hot 100 by 1970.
- Net Worth: $600 million
- Sting
- How long did it take? 2 years.
- How was it done? From joining the Police in May 1977, to recording a number 1 album in 1979 called “Regatta de Blanc”.
- Net Worth: $300 million
- Mick Jagger (Rolling Stones)
- How long did it take? 3 years.
- How was it done? From joining the band in 1962 to writing and recording their international hit single “Satisfaction” in the summer of 1965.
- Net Worth: $350 Million
- Madonna
- How long did it take? 4 years
- How was it done? From taking on a solo act in 1980 to signing a deal in 1982 with Sire Records, to her hit single “Like A Virgin” in 1984.
- Net Worth: $800 million
- Elvis Presley
- How long did it take? 3 years.
- How was it done? From walking into Sun Records in 1953 to record a song for his mother to having a number one album for ten weeks in the Billboards Top Pop Album charts in 1956.
- Net Worth: $300 million
- Mariah Carey
- How long did it take? 2 years.
- How was it done? From handed her demo tape to Tommy Motolla in December 1988 at a record executives gala to hitting three number one singles in 1990 from her self titled debut album.
- Net Worth: $520 million
- Jay Z
- How long did it take? 8 years.
- How was it done? From being Big Daddy Kane’s hype man in the early 90’s to selling his CDs out of his car in 1995 to releasing “Vol 2 Hard Knock Life” in 1998 selling over 5 million copies and winning a Grammy award.
- Net Worth: $560 million
- Beatles
- How long did it take? 5 years.
- How was it done? From forming the original band which were called the Quarrymen. To hitting number one for “Please, Please Me” in 1962 as the Beatles.
- Net Worth: $1.5 billion
- Whitney Houston
- How long did it take? 9 years.
- How was it done? 1977 at age 14 she become backup singer for the Michael Sager band, later being offered a record deal from Arista records in 1983 and received worldwide acclaim for the hit single, “Greatest Love of All” hitting #1 in the billboard charts in 1986.
- Net Worth: $20 million
- Eminem
- How long did it take? 8 years.
- How was it done? From joining the rap group Soul Intent, to signing with Aftermath Records in 1997 to releasing The Marshall Mathers LP in May 2000, selling over 1 million copies.
- Net Worth: $160 million
- Robert Plant ( Led Zepellin)
- How long did it take? 3 years.
- How was it done? From meeting drummer John Bonham in 1967 to joining Led Zeppellin in 1968, to hitting number #1 for the “Immigrant Song” in 1970.
- Net Worth: $120 million
- Jimi Hendrix
- How long did it take? 5 years.
- How was it done? Jimi formed a band called King Casuals in 1963, but later went with a solo deal afterwards until his second album “Axis Bold as Love” hit number #2 in the U.S.
- Net Worth: $80 million
- Taylor Swift
- How long did it take? 5 years.
- How was it done? After performing at RCA records showcase and scoring a record deal in 2003 to moving to Nashville in 2004 and releasing her number one album “Fearless” in 2008.
- Net Worth: $200 million
- Tupac Shakur
- How long did it take? 3 Years.
- How was it done? Starting with the Digital Underground as a backup dancer and roadie to reaching platinum status in 1993 for the single “Keep yer Head Up” and “I Get Around”.
- Net Worth: $40 million
- Bono (U2)
- How long did it take? 11 years.
- How was it done? Bono formed the band in 1976 at school, then soon got signed to Island Records. After several albums and tours they finally got a number one album in 1987 called “Joshua Tree”.
- Net Worth: $700 million
- Lady Gaga
- How long did it take? 3 years.
- How was it done? Dropping out of the second semester of school NYU in 2005 to focus on her musical career. Getting signed with a publishing deal to Interscope Records in 2007 and later releasing her Grammy awarding album “The Fame”.
- Net Worth: $110 million
- Celine Dion
- How long did it take? 10 years.
- How was it done? Releasing her first album in 1981 and soon becoming a national star by 1983. She didn’t receive international fame until she recorded with Peaboo Bryson in the academy award winning, Beauty and the Beast.
- Net Worth: $630 million.
- James Hettfield (Metallica)
- How long did it take? 8 years.
- How was it done? Drummer Lars Ulrich placed an ad out looking for some musicians. James Hettfield answered it. After their bass players death they released their album “And Justice for All”.. The album was certified platinum after nine weeks of its release.
- Net Worth: $175 million.
- Britney Spears
- How long did it take? 2 years.
- How was it done? Starting in 1997 shopping her demo to record executives they finally signed her to and ordered an album. “Baby One More Time” released in January 12, 1999. It debuted at number #1 in the Billboard 200 and was certified two times platinum after a month.
- Net Worth: $165 million
- James Brown
- How long did it take? 4 years.
- How was it done? Brown joined the Gospel Star Lighters in 1953, after awhile Brown convinced Little Richard’s manager to take him on in 1955 and later released the hit R&B single “Please, Please, Please which went certified platinum.
- Net Worth: $100 million
- Prince
- How long did it take? 4 years.
- How was it done? Prince started his venture in 1975 with his band 94 East. Four years later he signed with Warner Brothers and released his album in October of 1979 and reached number no. 4 in the R&B Billboard charts and went certified platinum.
- Net Worth: $250 million
- Katy Perry
- How long did it take? 9 years.
- How was it done? After finishing her GED in 1999 at the age of 15, she decided to pursue her music career. After some good and bad luck she was signed with Capital Records in 2007 and later that year released her second album “One of the Boys”, which featured the number one single “I Kissed a Girl”.
- Net Worth: $130 million
- Ray Charles
- How long did it take? 4 years.
- How was it done? After The death of Ray Charles mother at the age of 14. It took four years from 1945-49 to reach fame. His national hit “Confession Blues” reached the second spot in the Billboard R&B charts in 1949.
- Net Worth: $100 million
- David Bowie
- How long did it take? 4 years.
- How was it done? Bowie began pursuing his musical career at the age of 15 in 1962. After four years Bowie finally reached public attention when his song “Space Oddity” reached the top 5 of the UK singles chart.
- Net Worth: $215 million
- Diana Ross
- How long did it take? 5 years.
- How was it done? Ross joined the Primettes in 1959 and later hit the number one spot in the Billboards Hot 100 for the tune “Where Did Our Love Go”. It wasn’t until 1967 where the group was renamed to The Supremes.
- Net Worth: $250 million.
Take a good look my friend, as you can see it doesn’t take long to achieve fame and riches, the kicker is you need leverage.
- 84% of these artists took eight years or less to achieve fame.
- 68% of these artists took five years or less to achieve fame.
- 16% of these artists took more than eight years to achieve fame.
- 100% of these artists took no more than 11 years to reach fame.
- 100% of these artists had to hustle and shop themselves to the record labels.
- 100% of these artists were in the right environment or moved to the right environment.
- 100% of these artists built the right relationships.
- 100% of these artists relied on the record labels to achieve success. Without the business aspects, there would be no Michael Jackson or Elvis Presley.
Fame is good an all for me but I’m not that much of a narcissist. Sort of.. 🙂 I would prefer wealth over fame any day. I’m gonna spell out the steps to wealth.
- Fill a need
- Create or buy assets that fill that need
- Build a brand and community
- Modeling
- Build the right relationships
- Market to millions
These are just the core steps, obviously there are many sub steps for each core step. Your path to wealth can move a lot quicker if you have all the right relationships and components in place.
I’ll leave you with a quote from my favorite rat.
“An effective team thinks as one.” -Master Splinter-
Thanks for reading and please leave a comment below and feel free to voice your thoughts.