Madonna: 2008's Top Money-Maker

02/12/09 1:02pm

Madonna earned more money — by a wide margin — than any other music entertainer last year. Just think how well she would have done if people liked Hard Candy.

Madonna earned $242.2 million U.S. (about $301 million Canadian) in the same year she was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, according to Billboard's Moneymakers list. Her Sticky & Sweet tour, the highest grossing musical journey of 2008, accounted for $229.9 million of that. The Material Girl will play a couple dozen more concerts in Europe this summer, so she shouldn't fare too badly on this year's list either.

Touring was the primary money-maker for most of the artists in the top 20, and the top five earners ranked in the same order for 2008 tour grosses.

If the credit crunch makes it difficult to get a bank loan, try hitting these people up for some dough:

1. Madonna: $242,176,466
2. Bon Jovi: $157,177,766
3. Bruce Springsteen: $156,327,964
4. The Police: $109,976,894
5. Celine Dion: $99,171,237
6. Kenny Chesney: $90,823,990
7. Neil Diamond: $82,174,000
8. Rascall Flatts: $63,522,160
9. Jonas Brothers: $62,638,814
10. Coldplay: $62,175,555
11. The Eagles: $61,132,213
12. Lil Wayne: $57,441,334
13. AC/DC: $56,505,296
14. Michael Buble: $50,257,364
15. Miley Cyrus: $48,920,806
16. Taylor Swift: $45,588,730
17. Journey: $44,787,328
18. Billy Joel: $44,581,010
19. Mary J. Blige: $43,472,850
20. Kanye West: $42,552,402