Yoko Ono net worth is estimated to be $700 million. Ono is a Japanese multimedia artist, musician, author, and peace activist. She is best known globally as the widow of John Lennon, but her wealth and legacy extend far beyond her marriage. Over several decades, Ono has earned hundreds of millions of dollars through music royalties, licensing deals, art sales, publishing, and stewardship of the John Lennon estate.
Today, Yoko Ono remains one of the wealthiest figures in the history of modern art and popular music.
| Yoko Ono Net Worth | $700 Million |
| Date of Birth | February 18, 1933 |
| Place of Birth | Tokyo, Japan |
| Nationality | Japanese |
| Profession | Artist, Musician, Author, Activist |
How Yoko Ono Built Her Net Worth
Yoko Ono’s fortune comes from a combination of:
- Inheritance of John Lennon’s estate
- Ongoing Beatles and solo Lennon royalties
- Licensing and merchandising rights
- Music publishing and recordings
- Visual and conceptual art exhibitions
- Film, books, and performance art
- Real estate holdings
Since Lennon’s death in 1980, Ono has overseen one of the most valuable music estates in the world, ensuring its continued profitability across generations.
John Lennon Estate and Inheritance
At the time of his death in 1980, John Lennon’s net worth was approximately $200 million, equivalent to about $620 million today after inflation. Compared to his fellow Beatles at the time:
- Paul McCartney: ~$400 million
- George Harrison: ~$100 million
- Ringo Starr: ~$80 million
Yoko Ono inherited John Lennon’s entire estate, including publishing rights, master recordings, licensing control, and branding. Over the decades, she has earned hundreds of millions of dollars through royalties, reissues, synchronization deals, merchandise, and global licensing agreements, significantly increasing the estate’s value.
Early Life
Yoko Ono was born on February 18, 1933, in Tokyo, Japan, into an elite and historically significant family. Her lineage is tied to the Yasuda clan, a powerful samurai family later known for its influence in Japanese banking and finance. Her father descended from warrior-scholars, while the Yasuda name became synonymous with wealth and institutional power.
Shortly after her birth, Ono’s father relocated to San Francisco for work, and the family later followed. After returning to Japan in the late 1930s, Ono studied piano and attended Gakushuin, one of Japan’s most prestigious schools.
World War II Hardships
During World War II, Ono experienced extreme hardship. She was in Tokyo during the 1945 firebombing, surviving by sheltering in a reinforced bunker. In the aftermath, she and her mother were forced to beg and barter for food while the city struggled to recover.
Following the war, Ono returned to her studies at Gakushuin and later enrolled at Gakushuin University, studying philosophy before leaving academia.
Life in the United States
At age 18, Ono rejoined her family in New York City and continued her education at Sarah Lawrence College. There, she immersed herself in the avant-garde art scene, befriending experimental artists, poets, and musicians—relationships her parents strongly disapproved of.
During this period, Ono began producing radical performance art, including live acts involving destruction, silence, and audience participation. In 1956, she married Japanese composer Toshi Ichiyanagi, a pioneer of experimental music. The marriage ended in divorce in 1962, after which Ono struggled with depression and was briefly institutionalized in Japan.
She later married jazz musician Anthony Cox, with whom she had a daughter. The marriage ended in divorce in 1969—the same year Ono married John Lennon.
Yoko Ono Relationship With John Lennon
John Lennon first encountered Yoko Ono’s work at a 1966 conceptual art exhibition in London. Intrigued, the two began collaborating artistically, and their relationship soon became romantic.
They married in 1969 and became globally visible peace activists, staging famous protests such as the “Bed-Ins for Peace.” Artistically, Ono and Lennon collaborated extensively, releasing experimental albums and forming the Plastic Ono Band.
Ono released her debut solo album, Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band, in 1970, followed by Fly in 1971. She also contributed vocals to Beatles recordings, most notably “The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill.”
Later Years With Lennon and His Death
After a brief separation in the early 1970s, Ono and Lennon reconciled in 1975, welcoming their son Sean Lennon. Lennon stepped away from music for several years to focus on family life.
On December 8, 1980, John Lennon was murdered outside The Dakota apartment building in New York City. Ono was left to manage his artistic legacy and their young son.
Career and Life After John Lennon
Following Lennon’s death, Ono dedicated herself to preserving his memory and advancing her own artistic career. She helped fund and organize the Strawberry Fields memorial in Central Park.
Her later art projects include:
- Wish Tree – participatory installations worldwide
- Arising – a feminist art series
- Skylanding and Refugee Boat
- The influential performance piece “Cut Piece”
Musically, Ono continued releasing albums such as Starpeace, Blueprint for a Sunrise, and Walking on Thin Ice (Remixes). Several of her dance tracks charted internationally, reinforcing her long-standing influence on experimental and electronic music.
Real Estate Holdings
Yoko Ono has owned significant real estate assets, including:
- The Dakota, New York City – where she acquired multiple units totaling roughly 6,000 square feet
- Monthly HOA fees reportedly exceeding $20,000 in later years
- A 600-acre farm in Franklin, New York, purchased with Lennon in 1978
These properties alone are worth tens of millions of dollars.
Yoko Ono Net Worth
Yoko Ono net worth is estimated at $700 million.
