Here's How Much Neil Diamond Is Really Worth
2020 has had an incredibly rough start, thanks in no small part to the novel coronavirus. But in March 2020, to the joy of ears everywhere, a diamond shined through that roughness — specifically, a Neil Diamond. As reported by CBS, in an entertaining effort to encourage people to stay farther away from each other and get closer to soap and water, Neil Diamond adapted the lyrics to his endlessly catchy classic, "Sweet Caroline," which was posted online to the delight of everyone: the lines, "Hands, touching hands/Reaching out, touching me, touching you," transformed into "Hands, washing hands/Reaching out, don't touch me, I won't touch you."
In the moments up to that point, pandemic-induced time at home had felt more like the lonely lyrics to Diamond's "I Am... I Said." But even if you "never cared for the sound of being alone," Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" adaptation made it so, for at least for a few sweet minutes, good times never felt so good. If nothing else, that brief reprieve reaffirmed that Neil Diamond is a priceless gem. His wealth, however, isn't. So, what is this walking treasure worth?
Bittersweet Caroline
When it comes to music, platinum is a Diamond's best friend. Per NeilDiamond.com, over the course of five decades, the singer has sold more than 130 million albums, with 40 Gold albums, 21 Platinum albums, and 11 multi-platinums. As of 2018, Business insider ranked Diamond as the eighth best-selling artist of all time, surpassed only by other once-in-a-lifetime talents like the Beatles and Elvis.
All that gold and platinum have amassed a lot of green for Diamond. Celebrity Net Worth estimates says his net worth tops $175 million. In a kinder world, he would be able to keep making music about not touching people with your spotless hands, while the dough continues to roll in. Sadly, the artist was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2018, forcing him to retire from touring. That makes his social distancing edition of "Sweet Caroline" all the more special and bittersweet. There's no putting a price on that.