Songwriters and musicians aren’t quite the same, as Drake and Meek Mill feud. That doesn’t mean singers can’t be popular songwriters. From Joni Mitchell hit “Woodstock” with her classic Reprise Albums to songwriter Carole King, who had hundreds of singles hitting the Billboard Hot 100, the faces you’ll find on this list are all pop culture favorites who rendered themselves popular with their work, both on paper and vocally. Needless to mention, these royalties often earn a nice penny.
Neil Diamond – $175 million
Greatest Hits: Song Sung Blue, Cracklin’ Rosie
Neil Diamond is an artist who has sold over a hundred records globally, with thirty-eight songs hitting the top 10 charts. He’s a best-selling artist in history. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2011 and 1984, respectively. Diamond’s humor is also known. Will Ferrell’s parodied on SNL, but he loved the sketch he featured opposite Ferrell in the last broadcast of the comedian in May 2002.