While this year's pop charts have been dominated by young singers, it is the veteran music stars, led by Madonna, who are commanding big money in tour ticket sales, in a new list compiled by Billboard on December 18.
Madonna topped Billboard's list of highest-grossing live tours, earning an estimated $228.4 million in ticket sales from her sold-out ninth worldwide tour in support of her 12th studio album "MDNA." The singer will wrap her tour in South America this weekend, after performing more than 80 shows across the world starting in Israel in May.
Madonna came ahead of pop star Lady Gaga, who landed at No. 6, with ticket sales of $124.9 million from her worldwide "Born This Way Ball" tour. Gaga, is currently midway through her tour, which kicked off in South Korea in April, and will wrap in Oklahoma in March 2013.
The top five highest-grossing tour acts of 2012 included Bruce Springsteen, and the E Street band at No. 2 with $199 million, Pink Floyd's Roger Waters at No. 3 with $186 million, Cirque Du Soleil's homage to late singer Michael Jackson in "The Immortal World Tour" at No. 4 with $147.3 million, and British rockers Coldplay rounded out the top five with $147.2 million over 67 shows.
