Kirk Hammett is undoubtedly one of the most legendary figures in the rock music industry. Hammett not only left an indelible mark on the music industry as the lead guitarist for the legendary band Metallica, but he also amassed an impressive fortune along the way. From his beginnings to his current status as a guitar virtuoso, let’s explore Kirk Hammett’s financial trajectory.
Kirk Hammett’s Net Worth
Kirk Hammett’s extraordinary talent has resulted in an incredible 200 million dollars net worth, which he attributes to his guitar prowess. His contributions to the world of music as the lead guitarist of Metallica have earned him not only fame but also a substantial fortune.
Early life
Kirk Hammett was born on November 18, 1962 in San Francisco. He grew up in the California town of El Sobrante. His mother is of Filipino descent and his father had German, Irish, English and Scottish ancestry. He attended high school in Richmond, California, just across from San Francisco, at De Anza High School. His classmate at De Anza High School was future founding member of Primus, Les Claypool. Kirk and Les were classmates and remain close friends to this day.
His older brother Rick’s music collection, which included albums by Led Zeppelin, UFO and Jimi Hendrix, among others, introduced him to music. At the age of 15, he started playing the guitar.
In 1979, when he was 16, he founded the thrash metal band Exodus. Kirk remained in Exodus until 1983. Also during this period, Kirk began private guitar lessons with Joe Satriani, another Bay Area musician and future guitar god.
Personal Facts
Kirk has been married twice. Since 1998, he has been married to his current wife, Lani. They are the parents of two sons.
Real Estate
Kirk owns (and has owned) a number of prestigious residences, mostly in the San Francisco area.
In 1993, Kirk spent $2.56 million on a large mansion in the affluent Pacific Heights neighborhood of San Francisco. The 10,000-square-foot home, built in 1899, has eight bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a recreation room, a music studio, and a 2,000-bottle wine cellar. In 2006, Kirk attempted to sell the home for $12.5 million, but was unsuccessful. In December 2009, it finally sold for $7.6 million. Here’s a video tour of Kirk Hammet’s former Pacific Heights home in San Francisco:
In 2005, Kirk purchased a property in the ultra-luxurious Sea Cliff neighborhood of San Francisco for $5.7 million. In 2010, he purchased the neighboring home for $8 million with the intention of building a mini-resort there. Those plans never came to fruition, so he eventually put both properties up for sale. In March 2018, he sold his original home for $12.8 million. In February 2019, he sold the second home for $11.7 million. The total profit was $10.8 million.
The documentary “Metallica: Some Kind of Monster” reveals that Kirk also owns a hacienda located somewhere north of San Francisco. The ranch is owned by a trust, and its exact location is difficult to pinpoint.