David Byrne, an accomplished singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, record producer, and filmmaker, has an estimated net worth of $60 million. Best known as the lead singer of the influential rock band Talking Heads, Byrne has also made significant contributions in solo music, film, photography, literature, and theatre. His musical “American Utopia” opened on Broadway in 2019 and was later adapted into a concert film directed by Spike Lee in 2020.
| David Byrne Net Worth | $60 Million |
| Date of Birth | May 14, 1952 |
| Place of Birth | Dumbarton |
| Nationality | Scottish |
| Profession | Musician, Singer, Artist, Actor, Film Producer, Film director, Guitarist, Record producer, Songwriter, Film Score Composer |
Early Life
David Byrne was born on May 14, 1952, in Dumbarton, Scotland. He is the eldest child of Emma and Tom Byrne. At the age of two, Byrne’s family moved to Canada, settling in Hamilton, Ontario, before relocating to Arbutus, Maryland, in the United States when he was around eight years old. Growing up, Byrne learned to play several instruments, including the guitar, violin, accordion, and harmonica. His father, an electronics engineer, modified a reel-to-reel tape recorder for Byrne, allowing him to make multitrack recordings.
During his time at Landsdowne High School, Byrne began his music career in a teen band called Revelation and later formed the music duo Bizadi with Marc Kehoe. He attended the Rhode Island School of Design and the Maryland Institute College of Art for his higher education but eventually dropped out. Byrne then formed a band called the Artistics with his classmate Chris Frantz. After the group disbanded, Byrne moved to New York City, where Frantz and his girlfriend, Tina Weymouth, soon joined him.
Talking Heads
In 1975, Byrne, Frantz, and Weymouth founded the rock band Talking Heads. In 1977, Jerry Harrison joined the band on keyboard, guitar, and backing vocals. Talking Heads released their debut album, “Talking Heads: 77,” featuring the hit single “Psycho Killer.” Over the next few years, they released critically acclaimed albums produced by Brian Eno, including “More Songs About Buildings and Food,” “Fear of Music,” and “Remain in Light.”
Also Read: Danny Bonaduce Net Worth
The band achieved commercial success in 1983 with the hit song “Burning Down the House” from the album “Speaking in Tongues.” This success was followed by the release of the acclaimed concert film “Stop Making Sense” in 1984, directed by Jonathan Demme. Talking Heads’ popularity continued to grow with their bestselling album “Little Creatures” in 1985. The band’s final album, “Naked,” was released in 1988. After Byrne’s departure, the remaining members performed under the name Shrunken Heads and released an album as the Heads in 1996.
Solo Music Career
While still with Talking Heads, Byrne engaged in various solo and collaborative projects, including the 1981 album “My Life in the Bush of Ghosts” with Brian Eno. After leaving Talking Heads, Byrne released his first solo album, “Rei Momo,” in 1989, featuring a mix of Afro-Cuban, Brazilian, and Afro-Hispanic music styles. Subsequent solo albums included “Uh-Oh” (1992), “David Byrne” (1994), “Feelings,” “Look into the Eyeball,” “Grown Backwards,” and “Everything That Happens Will Happen Today,” another collaboration with Eno.
In 2012, Byrne released “Love This Giant,” a collaborative album with St. Vincent. His critically acclaimed tenth solo studio album, “American Utopia,” was released in 2018, earning a Grammy nomination for Best Alternative Music Album and featuring the single “Everybody’s Coming to My House.”
Other Projects
Throughout his career, Byrne has ventured into various media, including film, television, theatre, photography, and literature. He wrote, directed, and starred in the 1986 satirical comedy film “True Stories,” which included music from Talking Heads. In 1987, Byrne won an Academy Award for Best Original Score for “The Last Emperor,” which he composed with Ryuichi Sakamoto and Cong Su. He has worked on numerous soundtracks and collaborated with artists like Richard Thompson, Devo, Morcheeba, and Arcade Fire.
Byrne’s “American Utopia” project has been one of his most notable multimedia successes, debuting on Broadway in 2019 and becoming a concert film in 2020. He also released a companion picture book for the Broadway production. Additionally, Byrne has showcased his visual art in galleries and museums worldwide.
Personal Life
In the early 1980s, Byrne dated singer and filmmaker Toni Basil and choreographer Twyla Tharp. During a trip to Japan in 1982, he met costume designer Adelle Lutz, whom he married in 1987. The couple had a daughter, Malu, in 1989, and divorced in 2004. Byrne later dated art curator Louise Neri and artist Cindy Sherman.
Byrne holds dual citizenship in the United States and the United Kingdom and resides in New York City. He suspects he has Asperger syndrome, though he has not been professionally diagnosed.
David Byrne Net Worth
David Byrne net worth is $60 million.