When Forbes released the list for the highest paid DJs of 2019, some fans might have been surprised by the lack of techno representation on the top ten. But reality is, techno music is still the genre that lives in the underground, pulsating energy from the most hidden places of cities all across the world. The most popular DJs still remain those who dabble on EDM, house, and dance-pop.
Still, techno music will always have its place in the world. And a fantastic example of the loyal following the best techno artists have is the insane amount of money they managed to collect throughout their career. Let's dive into the underground world and take a look at the ten highest paid techno artists to date!
British-Canadian Richard Hawtin has been experimenting with techno sounds ever since the late 80s. An extremely popular presence in the Detroit scene throughout the 1990s, Hawtin began his career when he was only 17 years old, showcasing his skills at local bars and clubs. His popularity grew exponentially ever since.
Richie's discography reads like a novel, and with over 20 albums and almost a dozen DJ mix compilations, he's still making waves in the world of techno music. He doesn't intend on stopping, and a fruitful career clocking in on the decades has granted him a net worth of $11 Million according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Born Richard David James in England, Aphex Twin has been deemed one of the most influential techno musicians in the world. Before settling on the name that launched him into world fame, Twin went through a series of other stage aliases, releasing several records over the course of the 1990s.
In 2014, he won the Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic Album, and over 30 years after officially kick-starting his career, the now 48-year-old techno musician shows no signs of slowing down his winning streak. Celebrity Net Worth reports Aphex Twin has an estimated net worth of $12 Million.
After 37 years in the business of bringing techno music into the lives of people all around the world, German-born Sven Väth can be considered a true veteran of the genre. It was his unexpected love for Ibiza that made him decide to pursue a career as a DJ, and since 1985, that's exactly what he's been doing.
With dozens of singles, albums, and mixes to his name, in addition to three DJ Awards, Väth's rise to fame has been nothing but extraordinary. Even though his career as a club owner flunked, according to Celebrity Net Worth, he can drown his sorrows on a net worth of $14 Million.
Even those who aren't particular fans of the techno genre have probably heard of Carl Cox. The British DJ has a phenomenal career behind him, that began when Cox was only 15 years old, and has since expanded into gigantic proportions. 57-year-old Carl Cox is still out there headlining festivals and living the big life.
Along with his countless award-nominations and four studio albums, Cox serves as a DJ for BBC Radio 1, and has hosted one of the most famous nights in legendary Ibiza for fifteen years in a row. With such an impressive resumé, it comes as no surprise that this techno artist has amassed a net worth of $16 Million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Even those who are pretty familiar with the world of techno music might find some difficulty recognising the name Tom Rowland. However, they will have absolutely no problem knowing by heart the techno duo that propelled Rowland to fame - The Chemical Brothers, who have been around for 1989.
Before getting with mate Ed Simmons and launching the music that would make him a star, Tom Rowland was already dabbing in music, including taking part in another band. The duo called themselves the Dust Brothers before becoming the renowned members of The Chemical Brothers. Thanks to all his ventures, combined with Simmons, The Richest puts their combined net worth at $20 Million.
Yet another English-born techno powerhouse, Dave Clarke was into music since a very early age. Officially active since the 1990s, Clarke release a number of singles, EPs, and albums that would make most of the highest earning musicians out there shrink in shame.
Dave has been very vocal about the hardship of the DJ live, but his love for the craft hasn't stopped him from releasing music and taking on the role of entertainer for the hard-core techno fans with passion. Now 51 years old, Clarke is still active in the music scene. His hard work definitely paid off, with a reported $30 Million net worth by Net Worth Stats.
Back in 2001, British DJ John Digweed was named the number 1 DJ in the whole world by DJ Magazine, twelve years after he first became active in the techno music scene. His passion for music began much earlier, though, as Digweed actually began DJing when he was a teenager, at 15 years old.
He's release over 40 compilation albums, almost a dozen singles, and has been featured on the rankings of DJ Magazine a grand total of sixteen times. At 52 years of age, Digweed continues to be one of the top figures in techno, and his career has managed to grant him a reported net worth of $48 Million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Curiously enough, it was Deadmau5 who inspired one of the highest earning DJs of 2019, Marshmello, thanks to his signature mouse mask. Controversies aside, Canadian-born Joel Thomas Zimmerman is one of the youngest and most successful techno artists out there, mostly due to his unique style and aesthetic.
Six Grammy Award nominations and eight studio albums later, Deadmau5 is showing no signs of wanting to slow down a career that has turned him into one of the most recognisable names in the industry. And quite the career so far, with an estimated net worth of $53 Million as reported by Celebrity Net Worth.
Another German techno presence that has been shaking the industry since the early 1990s is Paul van Dyk. In addition to the eight studio albums van Dyk has to his name, he's been contributing to soundtracks of movies, Video Games, and TV shows.
In 2005, Paul van Dyk was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Dance/Electronic album, eventually snatching a win for Best Soundtrack In A Motion Picture thanks to his contribution for the incredible movie The Dark Knight. Playing everywhere from Ibiza to Moscow during the FIFA World Cup in 2018, van Dyk has made quite a name and fortune for himself. According to Wealthy Gorilla, his net worth clocks in at $60 Million.
And topping the list of the highest paid techno musicians to date is Paul Oakenfold, the English superstar who's been nominated for three Grammy Awards. With a career that has spanned decades and generations, Oakenfold still remains an incredibly influential celebrity in the world of techno and electronic music.
For an artist with only three studio albums, Paul Oakenfold's sound repertoire is nothing short of amazing, and his talent as an entertainer almost surpasses his knack for music. Still an active force close to reaching his 57th birthday, Oakenfold has built a career powerful enough to grant him a net worth of $65 Million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.
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