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In compiling these rankings, the editors used proprietary data from the Billboard Boxscore archives (concert grosses), Nielsen SoundScan (sales of physical albums, digital albums and digital tracks), Nielsen BDS (tethered downloads, on-demand streams and noninteractive streaming at Rhapsody, Napster, AOL and Yahoo) and Nielsen RingScan (master ringtone sales), and then applied the corresponding mechanical rates and estimates where necessary for each category to determine the industry's top-earning artists. The ranking covers the one-year period from the first week of 2009 (which ended Jan. 4) through the last tracking week of the calendar year ended Jan. 3. It combines an artist's estimated take from those products with box-office results from concert performances that took place during the calendar year.
Sales data tallies all available titles for each artist during the tracking period. Artists receive 100% credit for sales of a title if credited as the lead artist or as an equally billed lead artist. In calculating an artist's share of revenue from recorded-music sales, Billboard used a royalty rate of 20% for superstars and 16% for newer artists, minus producer fees and the usual packaging and free-goods deductions for CDs.
An artist's take of revenue from on-demand streams was calculated based on the average wholesale rate paid to labels, while revenue from non-interactive streams was based on SoundExchange's rate settlement with webcasters. An artist's share of revenue from tethered downloads was calculated on an average-per-download basis. In instances when the artist is a songwriter, Billboard estimated the share of songs written by the artist. CD mechanical royalties for artist/songwriters were calculated by assuming the standard royalty rates. For digital downloads for track, album and ringtone sales, Billboard used the current statutory rates, assuming 12 tracks per album. Billboard also subtracted a 10% manager's fee for each revenue category. For touring revenue, we credited each artist with 34% of gross tour receipts, after the promoter's fee, the artist manager's fee and other costs are subtracted.
Our figures do not include revenue from merchandise sales, sponsorships, synchronization deals and songwriter performance royalties. The data used in this report was compiled and calculated by Billboard Research manager Gordon Murray, senior Billboard correspondent Ed Christman, Nielsen Music special projects manager Deborah Schwartz and Boxscore chart manager Bob Allen.
1. U2 (108 Million)
2. Bruce Springsteen (57 Million)
3. Madonna (47 Million)
4. AC/DC (43 Million)
5. Britney Spears (38 Million)
6. Pink (36 Million)
7. Jonas Brothers (33 Million)
8. Coldplay (27 Million)
9. Kenny Chesney (26 Million)
10. Metallica (25 Million)
11. Fleetwood Mac (24 Million)
12. Nickleback (23 Million)
13. Beyonce (23 Million)
14. Elton John (22 Million)
15. Miley Cirus (21 Million)
16. II Divo (21 Million)
17. Dave Matthews Band (20 Million)
18. Andre Rieu (19 Million)
19. Rascall Flats (18 Million)
20. Michael Jackson (17 Million)
21. Taylor Swift (17 Million)
22. Deepeche Mode (16 Million)
23. Billy Joel (15 Million)
24. Trans-Siberian Orchestra (14 Million)
25. Kings Of Leon (14 Million)
26. Celine Dion (14 Million)
27. Brad Paisley (14 Million)
28. Keith Urban (14 Million)
29. Tina Turner (13 Million)
30. Lil Wayne (12 Million)
31. Paul McCartney (12 Million)
32. Green Day (12 Million)
33. Toby Keith (12 Million)
34. Kiss (12 Million)
35. Cher (11 Million)
36. Andrea Bocelli (10 Million)
37. Phish (10 Million)
38. Bob Dylan (9 Million)
39. Leonard Cohen (9 Million)
40. Bette Midler (9 Million)
http://www.billboard.com/news/music-s-t ... 1338.story
http://www.billboard.com/news/music-s-t ... 1201.story
Sales data tallies all available titles for each artist during the tracking period. Artists receive 100% credit for sales of a title if credited as the lead artist or as an equally billed lead artist. In calculating an artist's share of revenue from recorded-music sales, Billboard used a royalty rate of 20% for superstars and 16% for newer artists, minus producer fees and the usual packaging and free-goods deductions for CDs.
An artist's take of revenue from on-demand streams was calculated based on the average wholesale rate paid to labels, while revenue from non-interactive streams was based on SoundExchange's rate settlement with webcasters. An artist's share of revenue from tethered downloads was calculated on an average-per-download basis. In instances when the artist is a songwriter, Billboard estimated the share of songs written by the artist. CD mechanical royalties for artist/songwriters were calculated by assuming the standard royalty rates. For digital downloads for track, album and ringtone sales, Billboard used the current statutory rates, assuming 12 tracks per album. Billboard also subtracted a 10% manager's fee for each revenue category. For touring revenue, we credited each artist with 34% of gross tour receipts, after the promoter's fee, the artist manager's fee and other costs are subtracted.
Our figures do not include revenue from merchandise sales, sponsorships, synchronization deals and songwriter performance royalties. The data used in this report was compiled and calculated by Billboard Research manager Gordon Murray, senior Billboard correspondent Ed Christman, Nielsen Music special projects manager Deborah Schwartz and Boxscore chart manager Bob Allen.
1. U2 (108 Million)
2. Bruce Springsteen (57 Million)
3. Madonna (47 Million)
4. AC/DC (43 Million)
5. Britney Spears (38 Million)
6. Pink (36 Million)
7. Jonas Brothers (33 Million)
8. Coldplay (27 Million)
9. Kenny Chesney (26 Million)
10. Metallica (25 Million)
11. Fleetwood Mac (24 Million)
12. Nickleback (23 Million)
13. Beyonce (23 Million)
14. Elton John (22 Million)
15. Miley Cirus (21 Million)
16. II Divo (21 Million)
17. Dave Matthews Band (20 Million)
18. Andre Rieu (19 Million)
19. Rascall Flats (18 Million)
20. Michael Jackson (17 Million)
21. Taylor Swift (17 Million)
22. Deepeche Mode (16 Million)
23. Billy Joel (15 Million)
24. Trans-Siberian Orchestra (14 Million)
25. Kings Of Leon (14 Million)
26. Celine Dion (14 Million)
27. Brad Paisley (14 Million)
28. Keith Urban (14 Million)
29. Tina Turner (13 Million)
30. Lil Wayne (12 Million)
31. Paul McCartney (12 Million)
32. Green Day (12 Million)
33. Toby Keith (12 Million)
34. Kiss (12 Million)
35. Cher (11 Million)
36. Andrea Bocelli (10 Million)
37. Phish (10 Million)
38. Bob Dylan (9 Million)
39. Leonard Cohen (9 Million)
40. Bette Midler (9 Million)
http://www.billboard.com/news/music-s-t ... 1338.story
http://www.billboard.com/news/music-s-t ... 1201.story
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