Putting their music career to a start after high school, Joel and Benji Madden took the pop-punk and rock music industry by storm with their music style and artistry that accounts for the incredible success they have encountered so far in their careers. The twins are famous for being members of the Good Charlotte band. They have also collaborated on a few occasions to release music as the Madden Brothers duo.
But while the brothers always do things together as they share similar interests, there is a slight difference in their net worths. The identical twins, however, don’t seem to care about one being wealthier than the other. They usually work together on most projects, trying to take their music career to the next stratosphere. Aside from their exploits in the music arena, the twins have equally tried their hands on other side ventures to supplement their earnings. Here’s a look at the Madden brother’s estimated fortunes, as well as their career achievements.
Joel Madden is Worth $25 Million While Benji Has a Net Worth of $20 Million
Joel and Benji Madden have been active in the music industry since 1995. They have released a good number of commercially successful albums as members of Good Charlotte and equally collaborated with many music artists, serving as the supporting acts for their tours. Through these efforts, and a few others outside of music, Joel Madden has gathered an estimated total wealth of $25 million while his twin brother sits on a net worth estimated at $20 million. As such, the rock star brothers have a combined net worth of $45 million.
Good Charlotte Has Sold Over 10 Million Records
Joel and Benji Madden formed the Good Charlotte band in the year 1996 in Waldorf, Maryland after they graduated from high school. They formed the band with bassist Paul Thomas and drummer Aaron Escolopia, with Joel serving as the lead vocalist and Benji as a guitarist and back-up vocalist. The group got their band name from the “Good Charlotte: Girls of the Good Day Orphanage” children’s book.
Good Charlotte began performing in clubs and acoustic shows. Billy Martin later joined them as a guitarist and Aaron was replaced by Chris Wilson who later left the group and was replaced by drummer Dean Butterworth. Good Charlotte was able to garner a fan base by playing supporting acts for many musicians, including Lit, Bad Religion, and Blink-182. They also served as the opening act for Save Ferris’ tour in 1999.
In May 2000, the band signed a deal with Epic Records and moved on to release their self-titled debut studio album four months later. The album clinched the No. 185th spot on Billboard 200 and sold over 500 thousand units in the United States. Their second album, The Young and the Hopeless was a commercial success. It was released in 2002 and peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard 200 and No. 15 on the UK Albums Chart. The album was a top-ten charting album in many countries and sold almost 5 million copies worldwide, attaining a triple-platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Although the band is yet to record such massive album sales again, other of their albums have recorded moderate success commercially. Good Charlotte’s third album, The Chronicles of Life and Death, released in 2004, peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and debuted as a top-five charting album in Australia and Canada. It registered sales of a million copies in the United States. In total, Joel and Benji Madden along with their bandmates have released seven studio albums, two live albums, two Extended Plays, and twenty-eight singles. Most of their singles have emerged as international hits in Australia, gaining platinum certifications from the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). They include ‘Dance Floor Anthem (I Don’t Want to Be in Love)’ (RIAA platinum-certified), ‘Like It’s Her Birthday’, ‘Sex on the Radio’, and ‘Last Night’.
It is worth noting that Good Charlotte went on a hiatus in 2011, a time during which Joel and Benji Madden formed a pop-rock collaboration called The Madden Brothers. The two released a free mixtape titled Before – Volume One that same year, followed by their debut studio album Greetings from California in 2014. The album debuted atop the Australian Albums Chart.
Good Charlotte, however, made a comeback in 2015. So far, the group has sold more than 10 million records worldwide. They have also won many accolades, including MTV Australia Award, MTV Video Music Award, NRJ Music Award, Kerrang! Award, and Nickelodeon Australian Kids’ Choice Award.
Joel and Benji Madden Have Dabbled as Actors
Over the years, Joel and Benji Madden have gained a handful of acting credits to their names. They made their first acting appearance as members of Good Charlotte in Not Another Teen Movie in the year 2001. The parody film, which also stars Chyler Leigh and Chris Evan, was a commercial success, grossing $66.5 million globally at the box office on a production budget of $15 million. The twins further made a cameo appearance in the animated comedy movie, Fat Albert three years later, followed by another role in the 2006 teen comedy film, Material Girls. They also featured in Live Freaky! Die Freaky! that same year.
On a separate endeavor, Joel guest appeared in the TV series The Naked Brothers Band, as well as Empire, while Benji featured in the 2007 documentary movie, Punk’s Not Dead. Together, they starred in the 2016 Grammy-nominated documentary film, I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead.
They Have Jacked Up Their Earnings with Other Side Gigs
Beyond their earnings from music, the Madden twins have additionally plied their trade in the fashion industry, although it was not as fruitful as they would have wanted it to be. Along with their older brother Josh Madden, Joel and Benji launched the clothing label, MADE Clothing. In 2006, they renamed the clothing line to DCMA Collective, opening an outlet in Los Angeles in 2008. The clothing store eventually got closed, as the brand wasn’t successful. Later in 2015, the trio launched an artist management company, MDDN. Since its establishment, the company has managed music artists such as Hollywood Undead, Jessie J, Chase Atlantic, and Sleeping with Sirens, among others.
The twins also have a production company called Dead Executives and the record label, D.C. Flag. Additionally, Joel Madden has served as a judge on the singing reality TV competition, The Voice Australia, from season one to season five. His twin brother assisted him as a mentor on the show from season one to three before he was included among the judges in season four. The twins have also written and produced songs for other music artists such as Kalin and Myles, 5 Seconds of Summer, and Hilary Duff.
Furthermore, Benji Madden has served as a backup vocalist for a good number of musicians, including Three 6 Mafia, Sean Kingston, Mest, Kill Hannah, Chamillionaire, The 69 Eyes, Berzerk, and MxPx. Joel, on the other hand, launched a live streaming company for musicians called Veeps in 2018 and it has attracted over 350 music artists.
The Madden Brothers Were Born in 1979
In Waldorf, Maryland, on March 11th, 1979, Joel and Benji Madden were born as Joel Rueben Combs and Benjamin Levi Combs. They are the sons of Roger Combs and Robbin Madden. As mentioned above, the twins have an elder brother named Josh and a younger sister christened Sarah Madden. Along with their siblings, Joel and Benji completed their high school education at La Plata High School situated in La Plata, Maryland. They, afterward, pursued a music career and didn’t attend college.
AQuick Comparison of Joel and Benji Madden
| Joel Madden | Benji Madden | |
| Age | 45 | 45 |
| Height | 5 feet 7 inches (1.7 m) | 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 m) |
| Nationality | American | American |
| Net Worth | $25 million | $20 million |
| No. of Acting Credits | 7 | 6 |
| Highest-grossing Film | Not Another Teen Movie – Grossed $66.5 million | Not Another Teen Movie – Grossed $66.5 million |
