U2 & Rolling Stones are the top earners

The Rolling Stones, the Eagles, Paul McCartney and Elton John were among Rolling Stone magazine's fifth-annual list of music's biggest moneymakers. The final number -- which is a ballpark estimate -- comes after all the performer's percentages to various lawyers, management and production companies have been deducted. Rod Stewart's manager, Arnold Stiefel said that a large percentage of an artist's year end gross still comes from tour revenues explaining that, "People want to see artists that they've seen before and who they know. They want a show where they're going to hear things that are signposts of their life and experience."

The Top 10 Moneymakers:

U2 -- $154.2 million
The Rolling Stones -- $92.5 million
The Eagles -- $63.2 million
Paul McCartney -- $56 million
Elton John -- $48.9 million
Neil Diamond -- $44.7 million
Jimmy Buffett -- $44 million
Rod Stewart -- $40.3 million
Dave Matthews Band -- $39.6 million
Celine Dion -- $38.5 million

Honorable mention goes to Bruce Springsteen, who came in 20th earning $19.6 million; Barry Manilow who came in 23rd earning $17.2 million and Tom Petty who came in 30th earning $14.9 million.

RollingStone's list is compiled using interviews with record executives and music industry insiders. It uses figures from Nielsen Sound Scan, Pollstar, the Recording Industry Association of America, Amusement Business/Billboard and other sources.
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