What is Chris Stein’s Net Worth?
Chris Stein is a musician, songwriter, record producer, and photographer who has a net worth of $20 million. Chris Stein is best known for co-founding and playing the guitar in the rock band Blondie. Additionally, he worked on the soundtracks of the early-’80s films “Union City” and “Wild Style.” As a photographer, Stein has been published in books and has held exhibitions around the world.
Catalog Sale
In August 2020, Chris Stein and Debbie Harry sold 197 of their biggest hits to Hipgnosis Songs Ltd., for an undisclosed sum.
Early Life and Education
Chris Stein was born on January 5, 1950 in New York City to Jewish parents. He grew up in the Midwood neighborhood of Brooklyn and attended Midwood High School, from which he was ultimately expelled due to his long hair.
(Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic for HBO)
Blondie
In 1973, Stein joined the band the Stilettos and began dating the band’s singer Debbie Harry. The next year, he, Harry, and the rhythm section of the Stilettos left to form their own group, which eventually became the rock band Blondie. Soon, Blondie became a fixture of the punk and new wave scenes in New York City. Following the releases of its self-titled debut album in 1976 and “Plastic Letters” in early 1978, Blondie had its international breakthrough with the album “Parallel Lines.” Peaking at number one on the UK Albums Chart and at number six on the US Billboard 200, the album launched some of the band’s biggest hit singles, including “Heart of Glass,” “Sunday Girl,” and “One Way or Another.” Blondie continued its success with its next album, 1979’s “Eat to the Beat,” which was the band’s second consecutive number-one album in the UK and second consecutive album to be certified platinum in both the UK and US.
Blondie released its fifth studio album, “Autoamerican,” in late 1980; another international hit, it spawned the singles “The Tide is High” and “Rapture.” After the release of the album “The Hunter” in 1982, Blondie broke up. The band got back together 15 years later and did a trio of live performances, with the first being in Washington, DC. An international tour followed in late 1998. In early 1999, Blondie released its first album of new material in 17 years: “No Exit.” Reaching number three on the UK Albums Chart and number 18 on the US Billboard 200, the album spawned the hit single “Maria.” Blondie released its next album, “The Curse of Blondie,” in 2003. The band didn’t release another album of new material until 2011, with “Panic of Girls.” Blondie’s studio albums since then include “Ghosts of Download” (2014) and “Pollinator” (2017). The latter album, featuring several songs written by other artists, peaked at number four in the UK.
Movie Soundtracks
Beyond his work with Blondie, Stein contributed to two major movie soundtracks. The first was for the 1980 neo-noir “Union City,” starring Debbie Harry. Stein composed and performed the film’s original score. He next co-produced and composed music for the influential 1983 hip hop film “Wild Style,” collaborating with such artists as Grandmaster Caz and Fab 5 Freddy. The “Wild Style” soundtrack album has been called one of the key hip hop albums of the era.
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Photography Career
During the early days of his music career, Stein photographed the burgeoning New York City punk scene, including Blondie, Debbie Harry, and his collaborations with such artists as Andy Warhol and H.R. Giger. His photography has been published in multiple books, including “Negative: Me, Blondie and the Advent of Punk,” which was accompanied by an exhibition at the Chelsea Hotel’s Storefront Gallery in New York City. Stein has also had photography exhibitions at Somerset House in London and at the Morrison Hotel Gallery in West Hollywood. Elsewhere, at the University of Suffolk, he had a joint exhibition with Eddie Duggan.
Personal Life and Health
In 1983, after the disbanding of Blondie, Stein was diagnosed with pemphigus vulgaris, a rare autoimmune disorder targeting the skin. He was cared for during the time by Blondie singer Debbie Harry, with whom he was in a relationship. The two maintained their relationship but never married; they eventually separated in 1985. In 1999, Stein married actress Barbara Sicuranza. The couple had two daughters, but one of them died from a drug overdose in 2023.
In the late 2010s, Stein was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, a heart condition characterized by prolonged irregular heart rhythm. Due to the condition, he has stopped touring with Blondie, but has continued recording.
