MUSIC NEWS - MADONNA was named the Top Earning Musician for the year with approximately $110 million in profits, according to Forbes magazine. The figure is based on the Material Girl's touring, recording and endorsement revenues from June 2008 to June 2009. Two other female artists follow her in the top five: Céline Dion at $100 million and Beyonce Knowles with $87 million. No new artists appear on the top 12 list and three acts; Coldplay
Forbes uses several sources to determine the results, including Billboard, Pollstar, and Nielsen SoundScan, among others. The list includes earnings from album sales, touring, publishing and endorsement deals but merchandise sales at concerts (a big money maker for performers) is missing as it's a difficult figure to determine.
Forbes says the top 10 musicians on the chart earned a combined $719 million, compared to $500 million from the same period ending June 2008. Using numbers from industry analyst Pollstar, this increase was due to the fact that ten concerts grossed more than $10 million in 2008 but only four concerts reached that level in 2007. This year, the average price of a ticket rose $5.26 to $67.33, the biggest single-year increase in 15 years !
Forbes Magazine Top Earning Musicians, 2008-2009:
1. Madonna - $110 million
2. Céline Dion - $100 million
3. Beyoncé Knowles - $87 million
4. Bruce Springsteen - $70 million
5. Kenny Chesney - $65 million
6. Coldplay - $60 million
6. Rascal Flatts - $60 million
6. AC/DC - $60 million
9. The Eagles - $55 million
10. Toby Keith - $52 million
11. Bon Jovi - $50 million
12. Dave Matthews Band - $45 million
Full story at Forbes.com
UPDATE 7/16/10- See 2010 list, here.
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