The Whos Farewell Tour Will Add A Fortune To Pete Townshends Net Worth, Despite His Hatred For

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Highlights

  • Pete Townshend is open to a farewell tour with The Who to make more money, despite not enjoying touring.
  • Townshend's net worth of $150 million could increase with a final tour, as fans would eagerly buy tickets.
  • The musician tours for financial reasons and to support family, investing earnings in various ventures.

When Howard Stern once named the three best rock bands and didn't include The Who, many fans would likely disagree with him. Ever since the 1970s, the band has had a huge presence in the music industry. Sadly, since bassist John Entwistle died in 2002 and drummer Keith Moon passed away in 1978, only Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend are left. Over the years, fans have enjoyed seeing the two talented musicians perform live or watching them at The Super Bowl XLIV Halftime Show in 2010.

In March 2024, Pete Townshend was interviewed by The New York Times and said he thinks The Who should have a Farewell Tour. Since he has said that he doesn't love touring, this was an interesting statement. In this article, we'll take a look at how much money Pete Townshend would make from a final The Who tour, along with why he tours even though he hates it, and what he spends his earnings on.

How Much Will The Who's Farewell Tour Add To Pete Townshend's Net Worth?

While at the time of this writing, it's unclear exactly how much money Pete Townshend will earn from The Who's goodbye tour, he will definitely become even wealthier as a result. In his interview with The New York Times, Pete Townshend said he would agree to a Farewell Tour with The Who in order to make money. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Townshend has a $150 million net worth, and that number would likely increase from a final tour. Even though artists like Taylor Swift see their net worth grow after a Grammy win, fans know that touring is where the real money is.

Since Townshend has explained that he has earned a lot from touring, he seems confident that one last tour would be a smart financial decision.

He told The New York Times:

“It feels to me like there’s one thing the Who can do, and that’s a final tour where we play every territory in the world and then crawl off to die. I don’t get much of a buzz from performing with The Who. If I’m really honest, I’ve been touring for the money.”

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Since touring with The Who has been so lucrative for Townshend in the past, there's no question that the band's final tour would add to his net worth even more. Fans would do everything in their power to secure tickets, and the tour would likely sell out fast.

In the same interview, he added that he doesn't enjoy going out on the road or live performances, but he has continued to because he makes money. He said:

“I don’t get much of a buzz from performing with the Who. If I’m really honest, I’ve been touring for the money. My idea of an ordinary lifestyle is pretty elevated.”

Pete Townshend echoed this sentiment in several other interviews. According to The Guardian, when he played at the Desert Trip California festival in 2016, he treated it as a job. He said, “I would be a liar if I said, ‘It was really fun, man. It was great!’ It wasn’t great. It was a gig. I did it and I got paid. The fact is, I don’t really like performing. But I’m good at it. I’m lucky to be good at something. I could have worked in an abattoir.”

What Was The Who's Most Recent Tour? (As Of March 2024)

  • The Moving On! Tour
  • May 7th-October 24th 2019
  • 29 tour dates in the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States

The singer shared more of his perspective on touring with The Who in a 2019 interview with PBS. He said:

"I don't feel excited. I feel I'm there to do a job. I have no — there's no thrill. Indeed, I would say that I don't like it much. As I said to my wife, now, Rachel, I said, I must be a really brilliant actor if I look like I'm enjoying it."

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He added that touring is "easy" for him, which seems to be another reason why he would be happy to go out on the road one last time with The Who.

Which Rock Musicians Made The Most Money On Tour In 2023?

Tour Gross (According to Billboard)

#1: Coldplay

$342.5 million

#2: Elton John

$210 million

#3: Depeche Mode

$175.2 million

#4: Metallica

$125.8 million

#5: Dead And Company

$114.7 million

#6: Guns 'N Roses

$92.7 million

#7: Blink-182

$95.7 million

#8: Muse

$92.7 million

#9: Red Hot Chili Peppers

$77.2 million

#10: Phish

$76.8 million

It's interesting to hear Pete Townshend say he would be open to a Farewell Tour for The Who since, in 2023, Roger Daltrey said touring was pricey. In an interview with USA Today, Daltrey explained that bands had a harder time earning money from tours after the COVID-19 pandemic. He said, "if you’re doing a 12-show run, you don’t start to earn it back until the seventh or eighth show." However, since Townshend floated the idea of a world tour, it sounds like he and Daltrey would have so many tour dates that they would definitely earn money.

How Does Pete Townshend Spend His Earnings From Touring With The Who?

Since Pete Townshend has made it clear that he goes out on tour because he earns money, not because he enjoys it, it's hard not to be curious about how he spends his tour earnings. As it turns out, he needs to keep earning an income because he and The Who are responsible for paying other people's salaries.

He also shared that he needs to make money for his family. While he does have a huge net worth, it sounds like he pays for quite a lot.

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In his 2019 interview with PBS, Townshend said, "My daughter Aminta, for example, has got a full spectrum autistic boy. And when we worked out how much it would cost to get him through education, it came to a million pounds. And I employ people and the band employs people. And it's great to be the person who kind of decides whether that happens or not. It's a moment of power."

What Other Income Streams Does Pete Townshend Have?

  • licensed songs for movies and commercials
  • The Who songs are featured in the CSI opening themes
  • royalties from writing songs
  • book deals (including his memoir "Who I Am")

Pete Townshend also said that he likes to race a yacht, but that it's fairly pricey. He told NPR, "So, it's $200,000 a year to run a tiny little boat I go racing in twice a year."

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