Jason Newsted Net Worth - Pulptastic
Olivia Shea
Published Apr 11, 2026
What is Jason Newsted’s Net Worth?
Jason Newsted, an American heavy metal musician, has a net worth of $60 million. He is widely recognized as the former second bass guitar player for Metallica and has also played with Voivod and Flotsam and Jetsam.
After the death of Metallica’s original bassist, Cliff Burton, in 1986, Newsted joined the band and remained a member until 2001, becoming their longest-serving bassist at the time. Following his departure from Metallica, he pursued his project Echobrain, played with Ozzy Osbourne, and joined heavy metal band Voivod.
As an alias, Newsted goes by Jasonic, which serves as both his stage name in Voivod and the name of his music publishing company. He is also the founder of Chophouse Records studio and label, located in California.
Jason Newsted: Early Life and Influences
Jason Newsted was born on March 4, 1963 in Battle Creek, Michigan. He started playing guitar at the age of 9 before switching to bass at 14 after being inspired by Gene Simmons of Kiss. Newsted’s major influence was Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath, while he also drew inspiration from Lemmy Kilmister of Motörhead, Steve Harris of Iron Maiden, Peter Baltes of Accept, Geddy Lee of Rush, Rob Grange of Ted Nugent and Bill Church of Montrose.
Metallica: Formation and Jason Newsted’s Career
Metallica was formed in 1981 by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, with Dave Mustaine on lead guitar and Cliff Burton on bass. Mustaine was fired in 1983 and replaced by Kirk Hammett. Tragically, Burton died in a tour bus crash in 1986. Jason Newsted was the last person to audition to replace him and became a session musician before being inducted as a full member in 1987.
Newsted played with Metallica during their commercial peak from 1986 to 2001, contributing to albums such as “…And Justice for All,” “Metallica,” “Load,” and “Reload.” He co-wrote three notable Metallica songs: “Blackened,” “My Friend of Misery,” and “Where the Wild Things Are.”
In 2001, Newsted left Metallica due to frustration with the band’s lack of incorporation of his ideas into new projects. He was replaced by Robert Trujillo.
Metallica’s “Black Album” Continues to Sell Strong
Metallica’s self-titled album, commonly referred to as the “Black Album”, has been certified 16X platinum since its release in 1991. The album’s success has led to speculation that Jason Newsted and other Metallica members could live off its annual royalties alone.
Despite being 30 years old, the album still manages to sell 5,000 copies every week, making it one of Metallica’s most successful releases.
Jason Newsted’s Career After Leaving Metallica
After leaving Metallica, Jason Newsted released an album with his new band Echobrain and eventually joined Canadian thrash metal band Voivod. He also replaced Robert Trujillo in Ozzy Osbourne’s band during Ozzfest 2003, which included Voivod as a second stage act. However, plans to write a new album with Osbourne fell through, and Newsted left the band upon finishing tour duties in late 2003.
Newsted played with Metallica again in 2009 at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in Cleveland, Ohio, alongside current bassist Robert Trujillo. Currently, he performs in his self-titled band Newsted, in which he provides lead vocals as well as bass.
Jason Newsted’s Properties
Former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted owned a 6,700 square foot mansion in Walnut Creek, California, which he listed for sale in August 2019 for $2.9 million. He sold it in November 2019 for $2.3 million. The property can be viewed in the video tour provided.
Jason also owned a 545-acre ranch in Montana called the Rockin JN Ranch, which he listed for sale in October 2017 for $4.95 million. As of this writing, it’s unclear if the property has been sold, as no official transaction has been recorded yet. The ranch can be viewed in the video tour provided.
In addition, Jason owns several homes in the upscale community of Jupiter, Florida, and a large country property in Michigan.
In early 2020, Jason purchased a three-acre lakefront property on Skaneateles Lake in New York for $6.1 million.
Marriage History of Jason Newsted
Jason Newsted, former bassist of Metallica, has been married twice. His first marriage took place in 1988 but did not last a year. Currently, he is married to Nicole Leigh Smith, and they tied the knot in 2012.
