Around the world young people are spending unbelievable sums of money to listen to rock music. Forbes Magazine claims that at least fifty rock stars have incomes of between two million and six million dollars per year. 'It doesn't make sense, ' says Johnny Mathis, one of the older music millionaires, who made a million dollars a year when he was most popular, in the 1950s. 'Performers aren't worth this kind of money. In fact, nobody is. ' But the rock stars 'admirers seem to disagree. Those who love rock music spend about two billion dollars a year for records. They pay 150 million to see rock stars in person. Some observers think the customers are buying more than music. According to one theory, rock music has a special appeal because no real training is needed to produce it. There is no gulf between the audience and the performer. Every boy and girl in the audience thinks, 'I could sing like that. ' So rock has become a new kind of religion, a new form. of worship. Young people are glad to pay to worship a rock star because it is a way of worshipping themselves. Luck is a key word for explaining the success of many. In 1972, one of the luckiest was Don McLean, who wrote and sang 'American Pie'. McLean earned more than a million dollars from recordings of 'American Pie'. Then, too, like most performers, McLean writes his own music, so he earns an additional two cents on every single record of the song. Records provide only part of a star's income. Around the world young listeners soon want to see the star in movies, on television, and in person. Nell Young, who performs in torn blue jeans, sometimes sings to an audience of 10 000, each of whom has paid at least five dollars for a ticket. After paying expenses, Young leaves with about $ 18 000 in his blue jeans at the end of an evening. How do the rock stars use their money? What do they do when the money starts pouring in like water? Most of the young stars simply throw the money around. England's Elton John gave someone a $ 38 000 Rolls Royce automobile and bought himself a $ 5 000 pair of eyeglasses that light up and spell ELTON. He also bought himself two cars, 'one for each foot'. Many rock stars live like Grace Slick and the Jefferson Airplane. Those performers return from a tour, pay their bills, and buy new toys. Then when they need money again, they do another tour. They save no money, buy no stocks, and live from hand to mouth. In the end the rock star's life is unrewarding. After two or three years riches and fame are gone. Left with his memories and his tax problems, the lonely person spends his remaining years trying to impress strangers. New stars have arrived to take his place. The music millionaire Johnny Mathis doesn't think ______.