Who Inherited Kurt Cobain’s Fortune? Did Courtney Love Receive His Royalties From Nirvana?
Regarded as one of the most influential artists of alternative rock history, Kurt Cobain definitely left his mark in the music industry even within his 9 years of career. The co-founder and frontman of the iconic band Nirvana, Kurt had a controversial life until his tragic death at a very young age.
Cobain’s music career started when he founded the band called Fecal Matter in 1985 following his departure from high school. Around 1987, his friend Krist Novoselic suggested Kurt form a band that later became Nirvana when they hired drummer, Aaron Burckhard. Following the recruitment of several other drummers, the band found their permanent drummer when they hired Dave Grohl in 1990.
Known for using the themes of abjection and social alienation and their unique sound, Nirvana gained worldwide popularity by releasing several hit songs, such as ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit‘ and ‘Come as You Are.’ In addition to being one of the best-selling musicians of all time and winning a Grammy Award, Nirvana members were also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014.
Unfortunately, the band’s praiseworthy career came to an end when their frontman, who had a long history of substance addiction and depression, passed away on April 5, 1994, while he was only 27 years old. Following a series of unfortunate events, Cobain died caused by a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. Since the passing of the talented musician, there have been several issues regarding the inheritance of Cobain’s money and estate as well as the ownership of his musical rights from Nirvana.
Kurt Cobain Net Worth $50 Million
The well-known co-founder, guitarist, and frontman of Nirvana, Kurt Cobain had a net worth of $50 million at the time of his death. Almost 10 years after his death, the value of Kurt’s estate was revealed as $450 million, which mainly comes from his royalties and publishing rights from Nirvana.
Who Inherited Kurt Cobain’s Fortune?
Following the tragic death of Cobain, most of his money and estate were inherited by his widow Courtney Love. She and Kurt got married in 1992 on Waikiki Beach in Hawaii while Love was pregnant. The couple had their daughter, Frances Bean Cobain, on August 8, 1992. Frances was only 20 months old when her father passed away.
When she turned 18 years old in 2010, Frances has taken the control of her trust fund. In two years, when she turned 30 years old, Frances will be in control of her father’s complete estate which will be around $200 million at that time.
Did Courtney Love Receive His Royalties From Nirvana?
Kurt Cobain’s publishing rights from Nirvana were also transferred to Courtney Love soon after he died which made her the owner of 98% of the rights for Nirvana’s music until 2006. Later, Love sold her stake in the publishing rights to a large portion of Nirvana’s catalog to a music recording company for $50 million.
