Recording Artists Jump Ahead of Athlete Sneaker Influence

Recording artists have jumped ahead of athletes in regards to their overall influence on the sneaker marketplace, flipping previously accepted wisdom on its head. As reported by Forbes, sneaker colabs with musicians are now more valuable in the industry than those with athletes’ names on them.

According to the report, Kanye West sells over 70 per cent more sneakers than Steph Curry, and clears around 9 per cent more in overall sales than LeBron James. Other influential artists listed in the article were Pharrell Williams, Rihanna, Travis Scott, and Drake.

Reasons behind the flipping of influence include the fact that recording artists can appeal to a wider audience beyond just the fans of a particular sport. And, similar to the athletes, the style influence of celebrities continues to grow thanks to social media and the interactivity it allows with fans and followers.

However, the report gave one exception to the new rule: Michael Jordan. The ongoing success of Jordan Brand means that MJ is now pulling in more earnings from one year of sales than he did for his entire NBA playing career.