The Hu could have easily been a novelty. When Mongolia’s folk metal horde stormed the mainstream with 2018 single Yuve Yuve Yu, their ‘gimmick’ of playing Western rock with native instruments would have quickly got dull without the songwriting to back it up. Instead, the four-piece have refused to give in.
Hun comes four years after predecessor Rumble Of Thunder, the members’ feet having seldom touched the ground during that time as they toured with Iron Maiden, played Glastonbury festival and lent songs to a Star Wars videogame (for the second time!). In the more distant past, they’ve also collaborated with Metallica, had guest features from Jacoby Shaddix and Lzzy Hale, and received the Order Of Genghis Khan: the highest state honour in Mongolia. To question their staying power at this stage is like pooh-poohing how much money Avengers: Endgame made.
The Hu’s third album shows that they’ve taken mostly the right lessons from engaging with their hard rock heroes. The Real You gallops like The Trooper and evokes Maiden’s double-lead-guitar histrionics with its horsehead fiddle melodies. Universe is a nine-minute juggernaut, the hulking mid-section having more than a whiff of the Black Album about it.
Yet, for all the advancing chops and stylistic hat-tips, The Hu are still The Hu. Warrior Chant bellows their characteristic ‘Hu! Hu! Hu!’ cries within 30 seconds of starting, while Echoes Of My Father straddles the border between windswept folk and crowd-seizing power ballad. The only time ambition exceeds capability is during Lost Soul, as the sterilised electronics and lines from Nothing More radio-rocker Jonny Hawkins pull in two directions too many.
Hun reiterates that The Hu are a serious rock band with serious skill, worthy of all the endorsements they’ve picked up. A good gimmick opens the door but it’s good songs that push you through, and this is another enjoyable platter.
This article originally appeared in the new issue of Metal Hammer, available to order now. Hun is out via Better Noise on Friday, July 24. The Hu will tour Europe and the UK from September to November.
Doing for Cymru what Darkthrone’s A Blaze In The Northern Sky and Immortal’s Sons Of Northern Darkness once did so territorially for Norway, Ysbrydnos’s latest album, Welsh Mythical Darkness, drives another blade deep in the black metal map.
“It’s a declaration,” claims the project’s inscrutable architect, Ysbryd. “A statement that Wales and its legends are to be celebrated. For the last few years, I’ve been using Ysbrydnos as a vehicle to forge personal connections with the Welsh landscape, and this album revisits places important to me, such as Twmbarlwm in Risca and Carmarthen, tying them to fictional versions of their histories.”
Ysbryd’s treatments of his country’s past owe much to the visionary approaches of author-cum-mystics such as Alan Moore and late Welsh supernaturalist Arthur Machen.
“These guys use local legends to create their narratives,” Ysbryd explains. “I hope to remind people that magic is alive in the everyday, in nature and in the places where we live.”
Fully conscious of the problematic relationships between myth, history and nationalism, Ysbryd is quick to distance himself from “the flag-waving, beer-bellied fascists using ‘pride’ as a synonym for intolerance”.
Instead, enhanced by folkish melodies and dungeon synth atmospherics, his fantastical tales – full of wraith-inhabited castles, blood-harvesting hobgoblins and cryptids descended from Madoc, a 12th-century Welsh prince – conjure an alternative medievalism doubling as allegories in support of a marginalised people.
“Tracks such as A Fallow Harvest focus on divisions between rich and poor, exposing the myth of menial work as the peasant’s lot in life,” explains Ysbryd.
“Welsh Mythical Darkness is a rallying cry for Welsh culture – a haunted shriek boldly proclaiming that even after being invaded, our language being banned and every effort being made to remove local culture from the minds of people, we still exist, and are proud to be Welsh.”
This article was originally published in Metal Hammer issue 415, July 2026. Welsh Mythical Darkness is out now.
The Avalanches have lately been cryptically teasing a new album, and they’ve also been dropping collaborative singles — first “Together” with Nikki Nair, Jessy Lanza, and Prentiss, and then “Every Single Weekend” with Jamie xx. Today, they quietly posted a video for another new song, and this one is a team-up with Yeah Yeah Yeahs leader Karen O.
The greatest thrash metal band of all time existed for 37 days on stage, played roughly ten shows in front of a few hundred Bay Area headbangers, and dissolved before ever setting foot in a recording studio. Its name was Metallica — but not the Metallica you’ve seen at a stadium. This was the short-lived 1983 lineup of James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Dave Mustaine and Cliff Burton, a four-man collision of talent so volatile it couldn’t survive a single spring. No official album. No music video. Just a handful of gigs, one lo-fi bootleg tape, and an argument that metal fans will be having until the sun burns out.
This is the story of the band that never was — and why, at Loaded Radio, after decades of covering every era of Metallica and every chapter of the Mustaine saga, we think the evidence says it might be the most dangerous thrash lineup ever assembled.
Go ahead. Get mad. Then read the receipts.
Thirty-Seven Days Of The Perfect Storm
Here’s the thing about lightning in a bottle: nobody ever gets to keep the bottle.
Cliff Burton agreed to join Metallica in December of 1982, replacing original bassist Ron McGovney — but only on one condition. He wasn’t moving to Los Angeles. If Hetfield, Ulrich and Mustaine wanted the kid from Trauma who played bass like a lead guitarist, they had to relocate to the Bay Area. They did. That single demand rerouted the history of heavy metal, planting Metallica in the middle of a scene that would become thrash’s ground zero.
On March 5, 1983, Burton played his first show with the band at The Stone in San Francisco. The opening act that night? Exodus — featuring a young lead guitarist named Kirk Hammett. Read that again. On the very first night the greatest lineup in Metallica history took a stage, the man who would end it was standing in the same room, warming up the crowd.
You couldn’t script it. A screenwriter would get laughed out of the pitch meeting.
The setlist that night was essentially Kill ‘Em All before Kill ‘Em All existed — including “The Mechanix,” the Mustaine composition that would later be slowed down, rewritten and retitled “The Four Horsemen.” A rough audience recording of that show survives, and it’s the closest thing we have to an official document of this band. Ten songs, ten shows, thirty-seven days. Then it was over.
April 11, 1983: A Firing With The Precision Of A Military Strike
Metallica had already made the call. On April 1, 1983 — while Mustaine was still in the band, still playing shows, still writing — they quietly phoned Kirk Hammett and invited him to audition. Ten days later, on the morning of April 11 at the Music Building in Queens, New York, Hetfield, Ulrich and Burton woke Mustaine up and told him he was out. No warning. No second chance. No intervention.
When Mustaine asked what time his flight home was, he got the answer that became metal folklore: he wasn’t flying. He was handed a one-way Greyhound ticket to Los Angeles — a four-day bus ride — departing from Port Authority in about an hour. Hetfield drove him to the terminal himself.
Somewhere on that endless ride west, a hungover, furious Mustaine started scribbling lyrics on a political handbill from Senator Alan Cranston that read, “the arsenals of megadeath can’t be rid.” Drop an “a,” and the rest is history. The firing didn’t just end the greatest lineup Metallica ever had. It created their fiercest rival. One two-month lineup effectively spawned half of the Big Four. We broke down that four-day bus ride — and twelve other jaw-droppers — in our 13 shocking Dave Mustaine facts feature, and it still reads like fiction.
Now for the part that turns friendly bar conversations into shouting matches: how much of classic Metallica is actually Dave Mustaine?
The official credits don’t leave much room for debate. Mustaine has writing credits on four songs from Kill ‘Em All — “The Four Horsemen,” “Jump in the Fire,” “Phantom Lord” and “Metal Militia” — and two from Ride the Lightning: the title track and “The Call of Ktulu.” That’s not a guest spot. That’s foundational architecture on the two albums that defined thrash metal, recorded after he was gone.
And “The Call of Ktulu” isn’t a footnote — Mustaine’s ominous opening arpeggio is the spine the entire eight-minute instrumental is built on. He even recycled the idea nearly two decades later on Megadeth’s “When.” The DNA doesn’t lie.
Then there’s the claim that keeps the feud evergreen: Mustaine insists his fingerprints are on Master of Puppets too — specifically “Leper Messiah,” where he says he wrote the main sliding riff and the mid-song “spider” riff. Kirk Hammett has flatly denied it, saying Mustaine’s contribution amounts to maybe ten seconds of a chord progression and that he personally watched Lars come up with the main motif. The song remains officially credited to Hetfield and Ulrich, and Mustaine never formally challenged it. Who’s right? That’s above our pay grade. But the fact that they’re still arguing about it four decades later tells you exactly how deep Mustaine’s shadow runs through Metallica’s golden era.
Oh, and those Kill ‘Em All solos? Mustaine has spent forty years pointing out that Hammett’s recorded leads followed his originals nearly note-for-note. Hammett stepped into a band whose live set — and whose lead breaks — were already written.
Strip away the nostalgia and the tribalism and ask one cold question: what do people actually lose their minds for at a Metallica show in 2026?
It’s not “King Nothing.” It’s not “Spit Out The Bone,” fine a song as it is. When the lights drop at a stadium on the M72 world tour, the moments that turn 70,000 adults into feral teenagers are “Seek & Destroy,” “Whiplash,” “The Four Horsemen,” “Ride the Lightning,” “Creeping Death,” “For Whom the Bell Tolls.” Overwhelmingly, that’s material either co-written by Mustaine or forged in the white-hot period immediately surrounding his firing — the era when his aggression was still the band’s default setting and Cliff Burton was pushing the musicianship somewhere no thrash band had gone.
The Black Album will inevitably enter the chat, so let’s handle it now: Metallica’s 1991 self-titled record is a colossus. Sixteen-times platinum. A masterpiece of heavy metal songwriting. It is also, by almost any honest definition, not a thrash album — it’s the moment Metallica formally stopped being a thrash band. Which means if we’re arguing about the greatest thrash lineup, the Black Album isn’t a counter-argument. It’s evidence for the prosecution.
Here’s the gut-punch that makes this more than a fun hypothetical: this is the one great “what if” in metal that can never be answered.
Cliff Burton died on September 27, 1986, when Metallica’s tour bus crashed in Sweden. He was 24. Whatever peace Mustaine and Metallica have made over the years — the tearful embrace in the Some Kind of Monster documentary, the Big Four shows, Mustaine joining the 30th anniversary celebrations in 2011 — the four men who stood on that stage at The Stone can never stand together again. And with Mustaine now steering Megadeth through a farewell tour he says will run three to five years — while slamming the door on lineup reunions of any kind — the window for even a symbolic gesture is closing fast.
Ten shows. One bootleg. Zero albums. And a body of riffs that two of the biggest metal bands in history have been fighting over ever since.
The greatest thrash metal band that ever existed never got to prove it. Maybe that’s exactly why the argument will never die — and maybe, just maybe, that’s what makes them the greatest.
TL;DR
The Metallica lineup of James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich, Dave Mustaine and Cliff Burton played together on stage for only about 37 days in 1983 — roughly 10 shows — and never made a studio recording.
Cliff Burton’s live debut was March 5, 1983 at The Stone in San Francisco; Kirk Hammett’s band Exodus opened that very show.
Mustaine was fired April 11, 1983 and sent home on a four-day Greyhound ride, during which he conceived Megadeth.
Mustaine holds official writing credits on four Kill ‘Em All songs and two Ride the Lightning songs, and claims disputed contributions to “Leper Messiah” on Master of Puppets — a claim Kirk Hammett denies.
Metallica’s most explosive live staples today still come overwhelmingly from the Mustaine-era and immediate post-Mustaine thrash period, not the Black Album and beyond.
Cliff Burton’s death in 1986 means this lineup can never reunite — the question of “greatest thrash band ever” stays open forever.
FAQ
Did Dave Mustaine and Cliff Burton ever record an album together in Metallica?
No. The four-man lineup of Hetfield, Ulrich, Mustaine and Burton never made a studio recording. The No Life ‘Til Leather demo (July 1982) featured original bassist Ron McGovney, and Kill ‘Em All was recorded after Mustaine’s firing, with Kirk Hammett on lead guitar. The only known documents of the Mustaine/Burton lineup are live recordings, including the March 5, 1983 bootleg from The Stone.
How many shows did Metallica play with both Dave Mustaine and Cliff Burton?
Roughly ten. Burton debuted live on March 5, 1983, and Mustaine was fired on April 11, 1983 — a 37-day window on stage together.
What Metallica songs did Dave Mustaine write?
Mustaine has official writing credits on “The Four Horsemen,” “Jump in the Fire,” “Phantom Lord” and “Metal Militia” from Kill ‘Em All, plus “Ride the Lightning” and “The Call of Ktulu” from Ride the Lightning.
Did Dave Mustaine write anything on Master of Puppets?
It’s disputed. Mustaine claims he wrote key riffs in “Leper Messiah,” but the song is officially credited to James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, and Kirk Hammett has publicly denied Mustaine’s version, saying his contribution was at most a few seconds of a chord progression. Mustaine never formally challenged the credit.
Why was Dave Mustaine fired from Metallica?
His bandmates cited his volatile, aggressive behavior when drinking. The firing came without warning on April 11, 1983 in New York — Kirk Hammett had already been contacted on April 1 and was hired before Mustaine even knew he was out.
Is the Black Album a thrash metal album?
By most definitions, no. The 1991 self-titled record slowed the tempos and streamlined the songwriting into heavy metal and hard rock territory — a deliberate move away from Metallica’s thrash roots, and a big reason the “greatest thrash lineup” debate centers on the band’s early era.
What do you think — is the Hetfield/Ulrich/Mustaine/Burton lineup the greatest thrash band that never was, or is this pure revisionist history? Sound off in the comments and defend your era. And for more deep dives into the stories that built heavy metal, follow Loaded Radio for daily rock and metal news.
Testament has joined forces with KnuckleBonz for an official collaboration that will bring the Bay Area thrash legends into the upcoming KnuckleBonz360 BackStage Experience. The immersive 3D platform is scheduled to launch in the summer of 2026, giving fans a new way to interact with the band and other members of the metal community.
“Testament is very excited to be a part of a new experience for fans to connect directly with the band,” says Chuck Billy, frontman of Testament. “KnuckleBonz360 is gonna blow some minds with what is available in this digital world.”
KnuckleBonz360 is being built as a digital destination centered around legendary bands and artists, recreating their visual identity through interactive 3D environments. More than 20 dedicated band worlds are expected to be available when the platform launches in 2026. Users will be able to meet other fans, take part in mini-games, browse exclusive collectibles, and experience classic album artwork brought into an explorable digital space.
According to KnuckleBonz CEO and creative director Tony Simerman, Testament was a natural fit for the project.
“Testament has been one of the defining forces in thrash metal for over four decades and building the Testament world inside KnuckleBonz360 means every fan around the globe now has a place to gather and live inside original thrash,” says Tony Simerman, adding: “Chuck and the band understand exactly what this platform can be for fans, and that energy is going to come through in every corner of the experience.”
The Testament experience is being created by a development team made up of artists, engineers, and dedicated music fans. The goal is to give followers of the band a place where they can celebrate its legacy while exploring key elements of its history and identity. Visitors will be able to move through environments inspired by the band’s rise from the early Bay Area thrash scene, alongside its recognizable skull artwork, crushing guitar riffs, and Chuck Billy‘s signature vocal style that has defined Testament for more than 40 years.
In addition to the virtual world itself, the experience will include digital collectibles, physical collectibles, and exclusive merchandise available for worldwide shipping. The multiplayer environment also gives fans the chance to explore the world together when the platform launches in the summer of 2026.
Founded in 2003, KnuckleBonz has spent more than two decades producing premium music collectibles and content for dedicated fans. With the introduction of KnuckleBonz360, the company is expanding into immersive digital experiences while continuing its focus on music memorabilia, art, and collector culture.
WE ALL RISE Release Explosive New Music Video For “Dead And Rotting” Featuring BIOHAZARD’s Billy Graziadei
Debut Album The Beginning of the End Continues To Build Momentum Following Acclaimed Release Through Golden Robot Records
Groove metal powerhouse We All Rise continue their relentless ascent with the release of the brand new music video for “Dead And Rotting,” featuring acclaimed producer, guitarist, and BIOHAZARD legend Billy Graziadei , who also produced the band’s debut album, The Beginning of the End , released via Golden Robot Records .
The video showcases the band’s signature blend of crushing riffs, hardcore attitude, and undeniable groove while highlighting the chemistry that has developed between We All Rise and Graziadei, whom the band has repeatedly described as an essential part of their creative family.
Fresh off their recent appearance on The Zach Moonshine Show on Metal Devastation Radio , the band reflected on Graziadei’s impact on both the record and the band’s evolution.
“We consider him the fifth member of the band.”
Throughout the recording process, Graziadei’s influence extended far beyond producing.
“He helped develop the band… not just musically, but in life.”
Produced by Billy Graziadei and mixed and mastered by renowned producer Tue Madsen (Meshuggah, Suicide Silence), The Beginning of the End delivers a powerful fusion of classic ’90s groove metal, hardcore aggression, and modern heaviness. Fans of Sepultura, Pantera, Biohazard, and Machine Head will find plenty to sink their teeth into.
The album has already generated significant attention thanks to the standout track “Crown,” featuring BIOHAZARD co-founder Evan Seinfeld . During their interview, the band revealed the collaboration unexpectedly became much more than just another guest appearance.
“That was the first real contact Billy and Evan had in almost 15 years.”
According to the band, recording “Crown” marked the first time Graziadei and Seinfeld had shared a track in well over a decade, helping reignite a friendship that ultimately contributed to BIOHAZARD’s now celebrated reunion.
“They inspired us… and we were able to inspire them again. Full circle.”
Rather than relying on modern studio shortcuts, We All Rise took an old school approach to creating the album, recording with live performances, real amplifiers, and genuine emotion.
“We didn’t want plugins. We wanted that real sound.”
The band’s philosophy reflects the same message that inspired their name.
“If I could sum it up in one word… unity.”
That spirit of perseverance, authenticity, and bringing people together continues with the release of “Dead And Rotting,” delivering one of the album’s heaviest and most intense tracks in visual form while celebrating the collaboration that helped shape the band’s explosive debut.
With The Beginning of the End now available worldwide and new music continuing to reach fans across the globe, We All Rise are proving they are more than another new band. They are carrying forward the legacy of groove metal while forging a powerful identity all their own.
Watch the “Dead And Rotting” Music Video:
Stream The Beginning of the End:
https://orcd.co/the-beginning-of-the-end
Purchase the Album:
https://weallrisemusic.bandcamp.com/album/the-beginning-of-the-end
Connect with We All Rise:
Website: weallrisemusic.com Facebook: facebook.com/weallrisemusic Instagram: instagram.com/weallrisemusic Twitter/X: twitter.com/weallrisemusic1 TikTok: tiktok.com/@weallrisemusic YouTube: youtube.com/@weallrise
Management Contact:
Paul Andrejack: EMG.Paul.Andrejack@gmail.com
Band Contact:
Gery Rodriguez – weallrisemusic@gmail.com
Sacramento, California-based band Tesla have a new album for 2026 entitled Homage. It is a mostly cover song release with an original entitled “Never Alone” that starts it off. “Never Alone” is a classic Tesla number that would have been a big radio hit, back when “power ballads” ruled the airwaves in the late 1980s. These days, it is a song that displays Tesla’s roots in rock, by showcasing feel-good songwriting combined with classic rock musicianship. Tesla guitarist Frank Hannon and his acoustic intro sets up the blast of electric guitar and bass, and crush of drums that follow, as Tesla singer Jeff Keith and his raspy, road worn rock and roll vocals, bring a love song that brings to mind the style that Tesla has been bringing to their fans for years.
Homage continues where they left off almost 20 years ago, when they released a double album of cover material entitled Reel 2 Real (Vol 1 & 2) in 2007. Thirteen cover tracks are featured, with an assortment of styles from rock to rhythm and blues and soul, and more, catch the band “honoring” their roots, which started in the early 1980s as a cover band called City Kidd. There are some real gems on this album. I really enjoyed their version of Queen’s “Spread Your Wings,” for instance. Bassist Brian Wheat’s gentle piano intro lets Jeff Keith’s likeable tenor take over. This version will never equal the original version that featured the unique vocals of Queens late singer Freddie Mercury, and it shouldn’t. Keith’s vocals take the song in a slightly different direction, without intending to duplicate it.
Classic rock radio favorites, such as the dusty version of Bob Seger’s classic “Night Moves” and the Lynyrd Skynyrd delta blues of “The Ballad Of Curtis Loew” are very straight forward, but very likeable, again, mostly due to Keith’s vocal takes. Instrumentally, Tesla is right, as we musicians like to say, “In the pocket” as far as keeping it close to the originals but not steering too far away. Another favorite, a version of Climax Blues Band’s 1981 heartfelt ballad “I Love You”(2026 version) is indicative of what can be called a “classic deep track” and a song that they have released before on their 2011 Twisted Wires release, although this version seems to have been recorded slightly different. Any of the versions released of this beauty, are among the best love songs ever released in the “classic rock” era in my humble opinion.
Classic soul songs, such as the Temptations’ “I Wish It Would Rain” and the Etta James epic “I’d Rather Go Blind” are well represented, as Tesla shows off their R&B chops. They get funky with James Brown’s “I Got You” (I Feel Good) without trying to outdo the “Godfather of Soul” in any way. Again, the title Homage is just that. Tesla delightfully shows that they are just a rock band addressing their roots in their own special way. Homage concludes with a very fun and sing-along on the chorus version of the Hank Williams classic shuffle “Mind Your Own Business” that sounds like the band had a blast recording it, just like all the numbers on this release. This recording is perfect for a nice road trip. Crank it up and sing along, just like the many songs in Tesla’s catalog of classic rockers. As a tribute to their roots, they have succeeded in every way.
Nikki Sixx is sitting on a mountain of money estimated at $65 million in 2026, though he hasn’t exactly handed over his bank login to verify it.
This massive pile of cash is the result of forty years of Mötley Crüe mayhem, songwriting gold, massive music-rights sell-offs, global stadium tours, bestselling books, and savvy side hustles.
Current buzz on the street puts him right at that $65 million mark, reminding us that while we can see the flashy public records, the private vaults remain a rock & roll secret.
Remember: a band’s total tour haul isn’t just split four ways. Before the bassist gets his cut, the taxman, the managers, the road crews, and the lawyers all take their bite out of that pie. What hits Nikki’s pocket is the real prize.
Let’s take that $65 million anchor and dive deep into the evidence to see if the lifestyle actually matches the ledger.
Nikki Sixx: The 2026 Wealth Breakdown
Category
2026 assessment
Estimated net worth
About $65 million
Main wealth source
Mötley Crüe music and touring
Major one-time deals
Publishing income and recorded catalog sales
Ongoing income
Live shows, merchandise, licensing and books
Confidence level
Moderate, because assets and liabilities are private
Is Nikki Sixx Really Worth $65 Million?
That $65 million figure is definitely a “Hell Yes” on the plausibility scale, even if it’s not stamped by an auditor.
Sixx has spent his life as the mastermind, bassist, and chief songwriter for the world’s most notorious band. According to BMG’s big catalog reveal, they’ve moved 100 million albums, scoring seven platinum trophies and nine Top 10 hits.
Decades of dominance mean constant checks from performance fees, mechanical royalties, sync deals, and killer merch sales.
Net worth isn’t just about what you’ve earned; it’s about what you’ve kept. Sixx’s lifetime gross is likely astronomical, but after accounting for real estate, smart investments, business overhead, and those rockstar expenses, $65 million is the sweet spot.
How Mötley Crüe Built Nikki Sixx’s Wealth
Mötley Crüe’s 2021 catalog sale likely gave Nikki Sixx a major wealth boost
The Crüe is still the main engine pumping gas into Sixx’s financial tank. Since he lit the fuse in 1981, he’s been the one writing the anthems that keep the stadiums full and the bank accounts overflowing.
Back in 2021, BMG pulled the trigger on buying the band’s entire recorded catalog. We’re talking nine studio albums and 40 years of hits. BMG called it their biggest deal ever, and while they stayed quiet on the price, insiders say it was near $150 million. That is a serious payday for any rocker.
Now, a $150 million band deal doesn’t mean Nikki pocketed $37.5 million in cash. Taxes, management cuts, and ownership splits always whittle down the final check. But even after those deductions, that deal alone was enough to supercharge his current wealth for years to come.
Songwriting Rights Produced Another Major Payout
Nikki was already making money moves before that BMG deal even crossed his desk.
In 2020, Hipgnosis Songs Fund snatched up 100% of Sixx’s writer’s share for 305 songs. The price tag stayed hidden, but industry insiders noted the deal covered massive hits from Mötley Crüe and Sixx:A.M. alike.
Selling your rights is a classic trade: you give up future royalties for a massive, immediate payout. It’s a smart play that provides instant capital for new ventures. Between Hipgnosis and BMG, Sixx has basically won the music industry lottery twice.
Hitting the road has poured tens of millions into Nikki’s pockets over the decades, but remember, the box office total isn’t his personal take-home pay.
The 2022 Stadium Tour with Def Leppard was a certified monster, grossing $173.5 million from over a million tickets. According to the tour tallies, they were raking in nearly $5 million every single night. That’s a lot of loot to split, but it’s still a heavy lift for Nikki’s net worth.
Pollstar’s deep dive shows the scale. Since 1999, the Crüe has sold 6.7 million tickets and grossed $457.1 million by late 2025. The average per-show gross of $721,069 explains why these guys never really retire. The fans keep showing up, and the checks keep clearing.
In 2026, the party is still raging. Mötley Crüe kicked off the 33-date Return of the Carnival of Sins tour on July 17. The announced run goes through September. Between ticket sales and VIP packages, Nikki is still stacking cash today, even if we won’t see the final totals for a while.
Books, Radio and Business Ventures
Books, radio, fashion and real estate gave Nikki Sixx major income beyond music
Nikki’s fortune isn’t just built on bass riffs. He’s diversified his portfolio in ways most rockstars can only dream of.
He’s a four-time New York Times bestselling author. His publisher bio highlights a career that includes huge book royalties and an eight-year stint as a nationally syndicated radio host on Sixx Sense. Advances, royalties, and hosting fees have all padded his $65 million nest egg beautifully.
Then there’s the fashion. Sixx launched Royal Underground in 2006, hitting high-end shelves at places like Nordstrom. While early buzz was huge, we treat this as a solid supporting venture. It’s another piece of the puzzle that makes Nikki Sixx a business mogul in leather pants.
His real estate game is equally strong. He bought a Westlake Village mansion for $4.125 million and flipped it for $5.18 million in 2021, according to public sale records. That’s a cool million-dollar gain before costs, proving Nikki knows how to pick winners on and off the stage.
Why the $150 Million Catalog Sale Is Often Misread
Fans often see a nine-figure headline and assume the rocker just became a billionaire.
Here’s the reality check on why that $150 million isn’t all Nikki’s:
That huge price tag was for the whole band’s catalog, not just Nikki’s share.
Taxes, legal fees, and commissions always take a massive bite out of the gross.
A rights sale is a trade – cash today in exchange for no royalty checks tomorrow.
Net worth factors in spending and debt, not just the money coming in.
You can be part of a massive deal and still “only” have $65 million to your name. For Nikki, that number is a well-earned victory lap.
What Could Change Nikki Sixx’s Net Worth in 2026?
Tours, royalties and brand deals could push Nikki Sixx’s net worth higher in 2026
Touring is the biggest wild card right now. A massive 2026 run could send his net worth north, while any cancellations or high overhead would stall the growth. The road is where the real money is made.
Even after selling his catalog, Nikki isn’t done. He likely still has contractual artist royalties, new music revenue, and branding deals that weren’t part of the BMG buy. The exact details are locked away, but he’s still earning.
Turning 67 in July 2026, Nikki shows zero signs of slowing down. Between the tours, the books, and the brand, the Crüe leader is staying relevant, and rich, decades after the band’s first gold record.
FAQs
What is Nikki Sixx’s real birth name?
Frank Carlton Serafino Feranna Jr.
Where was Nikki Sixx born?
San Jose, California.
Who is Nikki Sixx currently married to?
Model and entrepreneur Courtney Sixx (née Bingham), whom he married in March 2014.
How many children does Nikki Sixx have?
Five children.
What other bands has Nikki Sixx played in outside of Mötley Crüe and Sixx:A.M.?
Early career groups Sister and London, along with side projects 58, Brides of Destruction, and L.A. Rats.
What charity program was established by Nikki Sixx?
“Running Wild in the Night,” an initiative supporting Covenant House for runaway and at-risk youth.
Nikki Sixx’s 2026 fortune sits comfortably at $65 million. It’s a rock-solid estimate supported by those nine-figure catalog deals, half a billion in tour grosses, and a stack of bestselling books that would make any author jealous.
While we don’t have his personal PIN, $65 million is a well-supported look at a legend who turned rock and roll into a financial empire. Music was the start, but Nikki’s business brain is why he’s still on top of the world in 2026.
Los Angeles fixture Mark Oliver Everett has been making permanently bummed-out orchestral alt-pop for decades. Right now, Everett has a few projects in various stages of completion, including a Judd Apatow-produced documentary and an upcoming album called Cookie Happened. We’ve already heard lead single “Cap In Hand,” and today Everett shares two more songs.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DISTANT Earns Major Feature In Louder Sound / Metal Hammer’s “The Best New Metal Songs You Need To Hear Right Now”
“All Will Be (N)One” Featuring Suffocation’s Ricky Myers Continues To Build Momentum Ahead Of Into Despair
European deathcore powerhouse DISTANT has earned another major media spotlight, this time with a feature from Louder Sound / Metal Hammer in their acclaimed “The Best New Metal Songs You Need To Hear Right Now” roundup.
The publication praised the band’s latest single, “All Will Be (N)One,” featuring Ricky Myers of legendary death metal pioneers Suffocation , describing it as ” yet another slab of angular, pummelling violence ” while highlighting Myers’ guest appearance as adding ” some extra lung-shredding nastiness. ”
The recognition marks another significant milestone for DISTANT as anticipation continues to grow for their upcoming full-length album, Into Despair , scheduled for release on November 6 via Century Media Records .
Blending devastating deathcore with elements of brutal death metal, slam, and atmospheric intensity, DISTANT continues to establish itself as one of the genre’s most uncompromising acts. The band’s latest wave of critical acclaim further reinforces the excitement surrounding Into Despair and its crushing lead single.
Congratulations to DISTANT on another well deserved feature from one of heavy music’s most respected publications as they continue their relentless march toward the release of Into Despair .
Check out the feature here: https://www.loudersound.com/music/tracks-singles/best-new-metal-songs-enslaved-moonspell-haken
Check out the video:
Into Despair
Out November 6, 2026 via Century Media Records
New Single
“All Will Be (N)One” featuring Ricky Myers of Suffocation Available now on all streaming platforms: https://distantofficial.com/pages/presave
Production Credits
