Rock Stars with Degrees

The typical rock star is usually busy with trashing hotel rooms and doing illicit drugs. But they’re not all Keith Richards! Some have gone to college! And while you’d expect them to have  Visual and Performing Arts degrees, a lot of them went to school for something unrelated to their talent. Below is a list of surprisingly smart rock stars who pursued an education.

First on our list is the great Lionel Richie. Not only is he responsible for bringing the world Paris Hilton’s ex/current BFF Nicole Richie, but he also got his Business degree at Tuskegee University.

When I studied for finals, I studied..."all night long"

Chris Martin is famous for many reasons: his band Coldplay, his wife Gwyneth, and their usual inclination towards odd baby names. But he also has his First in Greek and Latin from the University College London. I’m not 100% sure what a “First” is, but I’m gonna guess it’s better than getting a “second” or “third”, so that’s a good thing.

Carrie Underwood is one of the most famous American Idol winners in the show’s history; the first major country star to come from the show as well as a Grammy winning singer. Carrie went to Northeastern State University and got a degree in mass communications and most likely got a double-minor in vibrato communications and Louisville Slugger communications.

"I'm gonna mass communicate my anger with this louiville slugger straight to the top of the charts!"

Another big country name to make the list is Garth Brooks. He graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in advertising. Oklahoma State, eh? Wonder if that’s where he met his Friends in Low Places? Just kidding!

The Cuban-American songstress Gloria Estefan got a degree in Psychology from the University of Miami.  Bet she wasn’t worried if the rhythm was gonna get her! (When did this blog turn into a bunch bad song puns?)

So you see, even rock stars have degrees! Besides, it never hurts to have a back up plan should you decide to move to LA to become famous and things don’t exactly work out. Just think, if Vanilla Ice had received an accounting degree he could’ve been working for Queen’s payroll instead of being sued by them.