The rockstar lifestyle has always been larger than life, they have fast cars, wild parties, and bank accounts that seem bottomless. But for some musicians, fame and fortune didn’t just mean living comfortably; it meant spending with abandon, in ways that leave the rest of us shaking our heads.
When we think about overspending for artists, we think private jets, huge party bills and lavish mansions, but these splurges are the stuff of legend. They’re not just purchases, they’re symbols of excess, ego, and sometimes eccentricity that turned ordinary luxuries into jaw-dropping spectacles.
The reason behind some of these we’ll never know, but one thing’s for sure, these spending sprees remind us that when money meets music, it gets weird and the results can be as outrageous as the headlines.
1
Eric Clapton - guitar buyback
Paid $4 million to buy back his Strat “Blackie” at auction.
2
Nikki Sixx - antique shopping sprees
Blew six figures on antiques in a single weekend, filling storage units with furniture he barely used.
3
Elton John - flower king
Spent $300,000 in one year on fresh flowers because he couldn’t bear waking up without them.
4
Madonna - holy water
Spent $10,000 a month on "imported Kabbalah water". Her tour riders included spiritual hydration.
5
Gene Simmons - comic book fortune
Amassed one of the largest comic book collections in the world, sinking millions into rare issues.
6
Slash - snake pit
Turned his mansion into a private reptile zoo, filled with venomous snakes and exotic lizards.
7
Ozzy Osbourne - diamond shark
Once dropped $20,000 on a Tiffany diamond-encrusted shark.
8
Axl Rose - therapist on tour
Flew his therapist across the country for private sessions before shows.
9
Bono - hat by jet
Paid $1,500 to fly his favorite hat first class from Italy to England.
10
David Bowie - art collector
Amassed a $100 million art collection, scooping up Warhols, Basquiats, and Picassos.
11
Prince - purple everything
Turned Paisley Park into a palace of purple cars, pianos, couches, and phones. If it wasn’t purple, it wasn’t Prince.
12
Elvis Presley - Cadillacs for miles
Bought 30 Cadillacs in one day and gave them away to friends and strangers.
13
Mick Jagger - wellness
Hired a fleet of personal trainers, yoga instructors, and chefs costing millions.
14
Rod Stewart - backyard soccer stadium
Built a full-size soccer field complete with stands and floodlights. When he wasn’t singing, he was scoring goals.
15
Mariah Carey - humidifiers
Has spent thousands on dozens of custom humidifiers that follow her on tour to keep her pipes in peak condition.