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Both music icons co-founded Red Hot Chili Peppers and remained friends for decades, but does lead singer Anthony Kiedis have a higher net worth than bassist Flea? Read on to learn more about their friendship, who has a greater net worth, and the massive fortune the band made by selling their musical catalog.

Flea and Anthony Kiedis, pictured at Coachella in 2013, have massive net worths
Flea and Anthony Kiedis | Christopher Polk/Getty Images for Coachella

Anthony Kiedis and Flea formed Red Hot Chili Peppers after they met in high school

Since meeting in a Los Angeles high school and bonding in driver’s ed class, Kiedis and Flea, born Michael Balzary in Australia, have remained close for more than four decades. They started making music in the early ’80s, heavily influenced by funk and punk rock.

Drummer Chad Smith and guitarist John Frusciante joined, and RHCP released their first majorly successful album, Mother’s Milk. That was followed by hit records like Blood Sugar Sex Magic and Californication.

They’ve sold more than 60 million albums, collected six Grammys, and been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since then. So, it might be no surprise that MTV chose RHCP to receive its 2022 Global Icon Award. According to Variety, they will receive the honor from Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong at the Video Music Awards ceremony.

A source told the outlet they considered Johnny Depp to present but opted for the classic comedy pair. No matter who presents the award, RHCP is also set to take the stage for a VMAs performance. It will be the first time they’ve done that since they received the Video Vanguard Award in 2000.

Anthony Kiedis and Flea both have an astounding net worth

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Kiedis’ net worth is approximately $155 million. He owns $30 to $40 million of high-dollar real estate around the United States. In 2004, he released his memoir Scar Tissue, which topped the New York Times Best Sellers List.

Kiedis has never been married, though he’s rumored to have dated stars from Demi Moore to Hayden Panettiere. He had one child in 2007.

Flea, however, has his old friend topped with a net worth of around $160 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. He owns multiple multi-million dollar properties and has made lucrative real estate deals. For example, he spent $10 million on a two-acre estate in 2006 that sold for $20 million in 2020.

Like Kiedis, Flea wrote a memoir called Acid for the Children, which also made the NYT Best Sellers List. He’s currently in his second marriage and has two children.

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Anthony Kiedis and Flea added to their net worth when Red Hot Chili Peppers sold their musical catalog

In 2021, RHCP sold its catalog for $140 million to Hipgnosis Songs Fund. The songs, mainly written by the members, reportedly bring publishers $5 to $6 million yearly (per SPIN).

They join artists like Bob Dylan, who sold his catalog for $300 million, and Stevie Nicks, who collected $100 million for hers.

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