Life

U2 top Billboard’s 2010 money makers list

01.03.2010
Irish rock band U2 were by far and away the top-earning music act in the world last year, according to Billboard magazine.

Billboard magazine’s 2010 Top 40 Money Makers list sees Bono and Co comfortably ensconced at the top spot. The Irish band reported earnings of US$109m during 2009, which is almost double the earnings of the next highest-grossing music artist on the list, Bruce Springsteen, who pulled in US$57.6m last year.

The top 10 list of highest-earning music stars sees Madonna taking the third slot with earnings of US$47.2m in 2009, driven by the success of her Sticky & Sweet tour.

Rocking out appears to be quite a lucrative business these days for AC/DC, who make it into the No 4 top-earners position with earnings of US$43.6m. Billboard says the majority of AC/DC’s 2009 earnings came from touring, with the band having raked in US$41.4m from this activity in 2010. The Australian group also saw consistent album sales from their catalogue. In total, the group sold 1.1 million albums in 2009.

Pop star Britney Spears takes fifth place in the Billboard list, racking up earnings of US$38.8m during 2009, with Pink taking up the sixth slot with earnings of US$36.3m.

Squeaky-clean US act The Jonas Brothers reached the No 7 slot in the top earners list. They pulled in US$31.4m from touring and an additional US$1.3m from CD royalties to net total earnings last year of US$33.5m.

The Chris Martin-fronted UK band Coldplay occupy the No 8 slot on the top earners list, having made US$24.7m from touring behind their 2008 album Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends, with total earnings of US$27.3m in 2009.

Meanwhile Kenny Chesney continued to meet expectations of being a big ticket seller, with physical album sales in the US running roughly the same as tickets sold in 2009. The C&W star earned US$26.5m in 2009.

Metallica rounded out the top 10 list, with earnings of US$22.8m from the band’s arena tour helping it to reach earnings of US$25.5m.