Who Is Allen Klein? Age, Biography, and Wiki
Allen Klein was born on December 18, 1931, and passed away on July 4, 2009. At the time of his death, he was 77 years old. A prominent figure in the American music industry, Klein was known for his role as a manager for some of the biggest names in rock music, including The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. His business acumen and controversial reputation shaped his legacy, making him a polarizing figure in the entertainment world.
| Occupation | Film Producer |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | December 18, 1931 |
| Age | 77 Years |
| Birth Place | Newark, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Sagittarius |
| Country | Jersey |
| Date of death | 4 July, 2009 |
| Died Place | New York City, New York, U.S. |
Popularity
Allen Klein's Popularity over time
Height, Weight & Measurements
While there are no publicly available specific details regarding Klein's height and weight, many sources describe him as having a robust build typical of a businessman of his era.
- Height: N/A
- Weight: N/A
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Family, Dating & Relationship Status
Unfortunately, due to Klein's passing, details regarding his personal relationships in 2025 are based on historical data. Allen Klein was married twice during his lifetime. His first marriage was to his childhood sweetheart, which ended in divorce. He later married Susan Klein, with whom he shared a son.
While Klein was primarily known for his business dealings, his relationships often remained private, and any current dating or relationship statuses in 2025 would be speculative.
His mother died of cancer soon afterward, and Klein lived for a time with his grandparents, then in a Jewish orphanage, until his father remarried shortly before Klein's 10th birthday. An indifferent student, he graduated from Weequahic High School in 1950; fellow graduate Philip Roth was the only classmate to sign his yearbook.
Net Worth and Salary
At the time of his death, Klein's estimated net worth was around $40 million. His business ventures and music management significantly contributed to his wealth. In 2025, his estate continues to earn royalties from the music contracts he negotiated, further bolstering his legacy and financial impact on the industry.
Rather than offering financial advice and maximizing his clients' income as a business manager normally would, Klein set up what he called "buy/sell agreements" where a company that Klein owned became an intermediary between his client and the record label, owning the rights to the music, manufacturing the records, selling them to the record label,
and paying royalties and cash advances to the client.
Although Klein greatly increased his clients' incomes, he also enriched himself, sometimes without his clients' knowledge.
The Rolling Stones' $1.25 million advance from the Decca Records label in 1965, for example, was deposited into a company that Klein had established, and the fine print of the contract did not require Klein to release it for 20 years.
Klein's involvement with both the Beatles and the Rolling Stones would lead to years of litigation and, specifically for the Rolling Stones, accusations from the group that Klein had withheld royalty payments, stolen the publishing rights to their songs, and neglected to pay their taxes for five years, thus necessitating their French "exile" in 197
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Career, Business, and Investments
Klein's career spanned several decades and was marked by both remarkable successes and controversies. He founded ABKCO Music and Records, which became a major independent music publishing firm. Klein was instrumental in negotiating lucrative contracts for iconic artists, allowing them to retain control over their work.
Klein's investment strategies also included real estate and other businesses, but his reputation largely stems from his music industry ventures. He played a key role in the commercialization of rock music during the 1960s and 1970s, securing his place in music industry history.
Allen Klein (December 18, 1931 – July 4, 2009) was an American businessman whose aggressive negotiation tactics affected industry standards for compensating recording artists. He founded ABKCO Music & Records Incorporated. Klein increased profits for his musician clients by negotiating new record company contracts.
He first scored monetary and contractual gains for Buddy Knox and Jimmy Bowen, one-hit rockabillies of the late 1950s, then parlayed his early successes into a position managing Sam Cooke, and eventually managed the Beatles and the Rolling Stones simultaneously, along with many other artists, becoming one of the most powerful individuals in the mus
ic industry during his era.
Social Network
While Allen Klein is no longer alive to maintain an active social media presence, his legacy continues through various platforms. Fans and followers of his work can explore tributes on sites such as:
- Facebook: Various fan pages and tribute accounts
- Twitter: Discussions concerning his influence in music
- Instagram: Posts celebrating his legacy and contributions
Jagger, who had studied at the London School of Economics, gradually became distrustful of Klein, particularly because of Klein's ability to insert himself as a profit participant in the group's ever-growing financial affairs. For example, in 1968 Klein very profitably bought out Oldham's share in the band for $750,000.
By 1968 the Stones were so concerned with how Klein was handling their finances that they hired a London law firm, Berger Oliver & Co, to look into it, and Jagger hired the merchant banker Prince Rupert Loewenstein as his personal financial adviser.
Another possible factor in the Stones' dissatisfaction with Klein was that when he began to manage the Beatles he focused more of his attention on that band's affairs than on the concerns of the Stones. In 1970, on the occasion of needing to negotiate a new contract with Decca, Jagger announced that Loewenstein would replace Klein as manager.
Education
Details about Klein's education are limited. He attended the City College of New York, where he studied accounting before venturing into the music industry. His educational background helped shape his business practices, making him a savvy negotiator and manager.
