Rich Rich! Top-Earning Musicians Are...
By Cathryn Conroy, Netscape News Editor
Rock band U2 took home a staggering $61.9 million last year earned from touring, recording, and copyright royalties, to earn the title of top-earning musicians of the year. Rolling Stone magazine's newest issue lists the top 50 earners in the music industry, albeit with some guesswork and back-of-the-envelope calculations. And the figures cited are "net"--what the musicians actually took home after they paid their expenses and people. U2 rocketed to the top of the 2001 list largely because of its ultra-successful "Elevation" tour in North America and Europe, although the group's CD sales and publishing were strong as well.
Taking the No. 2 spot is gangsta rapper Dr. Dre. He had the business foresight to sign hit rapper Eminem to his Aftermath label, which helped Dr. Dre net $51.9 million in income. He also received $35 million when Vivendi Universal SA's Interscope Records upped its Aftermath stake to 80 percent from 50 percent. And even though they broke up more than 30 years ago, the Beatles came in at No. 3 with $47.9 million in net income, due in most part to worldwide sales of the greatest hits album "1." No. 4 was the Dave Matthews Band, which earned its $43.4 million the hard way: touring. Madonna came in fifth with $40.8 million, thanks to a tour and a lucrative renegotiation of her contract with Warner Music Group. Rounding out the top 10: Master P ($36 million); Carlos Santana ($32.7 million); 'N Sync ($26.5 million); Aerosmith ($24.2 million); and Sting ($24 million).
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Gone,
Doxx
By Cathryn Conroy, Netscape News Editor
Rock band U2 took home a staggering $61.9 million last year earned from touring, recording, and copyright royalties, to earn the title of top-earning musicians of the year. Rolling Stone magazine's newest issue lists the top 50 earners in the music industry, albeit with some guesswork and back-of-the-envelope calculations. And the figures cited are "net"--what the musicians actually took home after they paid their expenses and people. U2 rocketed to the top of the 2001 list largely because of its ultra-successful "Elevation" tour in North America and Europe, although the group's CD sales and publishing were strong as well.
Taking the No. 2 spot is gangsta rapper Dr. Dre. He had the business foresight to sign hit rapper Eminem to his Aftermath label, which helped Dr. Dre net $51.9 million in income. He also received $35 million when Vivendi Universal SA's Interscope Records upped its Aftermath stake to 80 percent from 50 percent. And even though they broke up more than 30 years ago, the Beatles came in at No. 3 with $47.9 million in net income, due in most part to worldwide sales of the greatest hits album "1." No. 4 was the Dave Matthews Band, which earned its $43.4 million the hard way: touring. Madonna came in fifth with $40.8 million, thanks to a tour and a lucrative renegotiation of her contract with Warner Music Group. Rounding out the top 10: Master P ($36 million); Carlos Santana ($32.7 million); 'N Sync ($26.5 million); Aerosmith ($24.2 million); and Sting ($24 million).
.............................................................................
Gone,
Doxx