Matthew Wilder Net Worth - Pulptastic

What is Matthew Wilder’s Net Worth?

Matthew Wilder is a musician, composer, and record producer with a net worth of $18 million. He is a rare artist who managed to surpass the stigma of having only one hit song and went on to achieve significant success in the music industry.

Wilder’s 1983 Top 5 hit, “Break My Stride,” is his best-known work, reaching #5 in the US and inspiring dozens of samples and covers, including Puff Daddy’s “Can’t Nobody Hold Me Down.”

As a producer, Wilder is responsible for No Doubt’s breakthrough album “Tragic Kingdom,” which sold 16 million copies worldwide. He has also produced albums for Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, and Miley Cyrus.

Early Career and Signing with Arista Records

Matthew Wilder began his music career in the 1970s as part of the folk duo Matthew & Peter. They released one album, “Under the Arch”, in 1972. In 1978, Wilder moved to Los Angeles, where he started singing for TV commercials and working as a backing vocalist for artists like Rickie Lee Jones and Bette Midler. During this time, he also began working on his own solo material.

In 1981, Wilder signed a record contract with Clive Davis’ Arista Records, launching his solo career.

Matthew Wilder’s Music Career

Matthew Wilder’s debut album “I Don’t Speak the Language” was released in 1983 and peaked at #49 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album’s success was largely due to the single “Break My Stride”, which reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Wilder had some continued success with the single “The Kid’s American”, which reached #33 in 1984. However, his second LP, 1984’s Bouncin’ Off the Walls, did not perform well.

Break My Stride: The Hit Song That Almost Never Was

Matthew Wilder’s hit song “Break My Stride” was rejected by Arista label honcho Clive Davis, who rejected every song Wilder brought to him. The song’s anti-establishment lyrics were aimed at Davis personally, and after paying for the recording costs himself, Wilder submitted the song to Arista but never received a response. When he called to follow up, a label executive explained that Davis had returned the cassette with a note that read, “Interesting song, but not a hit.” Frustrated, Wilder demanded the label drop him, which they did. As a result, Wilder owned all of the rights to the song with his co-writer Greg Prestopino.

Despite the setback, “Break My Stride” has been licensed for dozens of commercials, films, and television shows over the decades. It has also been covered or sampled by many artists, including Puff Daddy, whose version “Can’t Hold Me Down” spent six weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, selling 3 million copies in the US alone as a single.

Matthew Wilder’s Career Highlights

Matthew Wilder transitioned from a successful career as a musician to a producer in the 1990s. He produced No Doubt’s “Tragic Kingdom,” which sold more than 16 million albums worldwide. He also produced for Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson, and Miley Cyrus. He wrote the song “Reflection” for Christina Aguilera and performed the singing parts for Ling in Disney’s “Mulan,” earning an Academy Award nomination in 1998. Additionally, he has produced music for movies like “Pretty Woman” and TV shows like “Dawson’s Creek.”

Matthew Wilder’s Real Estate Ventures in Malibu

Matthew Wilder and his wife Tamara Dunn have been involved in buying and selling valuable properties in Los Angeles for many years. One of their notable purchases was a 7.4-acre property in Malibu, which they bought in 2004 for $6.85 million. Shortly after, they acquired the adjacent 4.6-acre lot for $2.4 million. In 2014, they sold the larger lot to actor Liam Hemsworth for $6.8 million. Unfortunately, the property was destroyed in 2018 during the Woolsey fire.

In June 2020, Wilder and Dunn bought another property in Malibu for $1.7 million from Miley Cyrus, who had purchased it for $2.5 million in 2016, resulting in a significant loss. The couple still owns the undeveloped 4.6-acre lot next to Hemsworth’s burned property.