Adam Lambert has been a sensation in the musical industry since appearing on American Idol. Though he finished the competition as the runner-up rather than the winner, he might as well have won!
Instead of dwelling on his loss, Lambert kickstarted his career and managed to release his debut album in the same year. Flash forward to 15 years later, he’s a successful singer with a hefty net worth and plenty of pop hits.
He even toured with Queen and collaborated with the makeup brand, M.A.C., at some point in his career.
If you’re wondering how the American artist managed to become rich, here’s a rundown of Adam Lambert’s net worth, musical career, and sources of income.
The Early Life of Adam Lambert
Adam Lambert, whose middle name is Mitchel, was born on the 29th of January, 1982, in Indiana. His mother, Leila, works as a dental hygienist, while his father, Eber Lambert, is a program manager who works at Novatel Wireless.
He also has a younger brother called Neil, though his family mostly stays out of the spotlight. Unlike many families of celebrities, they don’t appear publicly, so we don’t know much about them.
Though he was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, Adam Lambert didn’t grow up there. His family moved to San Diego, California when he was still a baby, and he was raised there.
Lambert went to Mount Carmel High School in San Diego, and he showed a passion for acting and singing from a young age. He even participated in the school’s theater program and later joined its choir.
After graduating from high school, Lambert attended California State University, but it didn’t last for long. Only five weeks after starting, he left and decided to pursue a music career instead of getting a bachelor’s degree. As it turns out, that was the best decision he could’ve taken!
The Career of Adam Lambert
Adam Lambert’s net worth took a long time and a lot of bumps along the road to accumulate. He didn’t only become rich by releasing successful hits and albums that topped the charts. He ventured into acting and songwriting as well.
Here’s a rundown of his career to understand how he got rich:
Early Beginnings
We all know Adam Lambert’s first time under the spotlight was in American Idol, and that’s what kickstarted his career. But what was he doing beforehand?
After leaving college and before appearing in the competition, Lambert participated in plenty of theater projects. He was cast in a theater adaptation of Brigadoon and joined its US tour. Likewise, he had a role in Hair and joined its European tour.
Other than that, he earned a role in The Ten Commandments: The Musical and was an understudy on the theater set of Fiyero. If he wasn’t so interested in music, Lambert probably would’ve become an actor, seeing as he was interested in acting from a young age.
Rise to Fame
Adam Lambert’s real rise to fame began when he appeared on the eighth season of American Idol. He was considered a favorite throughout the season. Near the end, Lambert was outed when photos were leaked of him kissing his ex-boyfriend. It is widely believed that these photos cost Lambert the American Idol crown.
Though he didn’t win the title, he was the runner-up to Kris Allen, and his performances on the show gave him national recognition and helped him take his first step on the ladder of fame.
Some of his performances were pretty well-received, like Tracks of My Tears, Mad World, and Whole Lotta Love.
During the finale, Lambert performed with Brian May and Roger Taylor from Queen, and the performance received so much praise that they performed together again repeatedly. They even did a tour under the name Queen + Adam Lambert in 2011 and performed in the closing show of the 2012 Summer Olympics in London together.
Shortly after appearing in the competition, Lambert released his debut album, For Your Entertainment, in 2009, which went straight to number three on the Billboard 200 chart.
The album scored high success, debuting at number three on the Billboard 200 chart. It also earned him his first Grammy nomination for Whataya Want From Me, so needless to say, it was a success.
Career Milestones
After his first album, it was only a series of successes for Adam Lambert. In 2012, he released his second studio album, Trespassing, and it debuted at the top of the Billboard 200, breaking his previous record. His third album came in 2015, and it debuted at number three and included the hit Ghost Town.
He then released his fourth album in 2020 and his fifth album in 2023.
However, singing isn’t the only thing Adam Lamber has been doing. He ventured into acting at some point and even appeared in a cameo role in Bohemian Rhapsody, the 2018 biographical movie about Queen. His other huge hit was appearing in Pretty Little Liars as a guest star.
What Is Adam Lambert’s Net Worth?
Adam Lambert’s net worth is estimated at $45 million, although the star’s financials aren’t made public, so the number may not be accurate. However, Adam Lambert is pretty rich, and it shows. He’s known for his philanthropic activities and contributions to charities.
Adam Lambert’s annual earnings from his music are estimated at $4 million, so it’s not hard to see why he’s rich.
Aside from his successful musical career, he has plenty of lucrative investments that add to his wealth.
For example, he’s been collaborating with many brands, including M.A.C. The makeup brand even released a line that he was a part of. He also collaborated with H&M and released a line with the clothing brand.
On top of that, Lambert doesn’t only contribute to music by singing—he also writes some songs for fellow artists and earns money through royalties. So, he’ll likely only get richer as long as he’s still writing songs and releasing albums.
Final Thoughts
Adam Lambert was passionate about music from a young age, and he worked on developing his skills by joining his school’s choir. After attending college for only five weeks, he decided that it wasn’t for him and that he preferred to venture into music instead.
That’s why he joined American Idol, and it was perhaps the most important decision of his life! He finished the competition as a runner-up, and during the same year, he released his debut album.
His net worth is now estimated at $45 million, thanks to his hit albums, brand collaborations, and songwriting side hustles.
