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U2 Tops Billboard's Top 40 Money Makers of 2009

8:31 a.m. · March 1, 2010 · by Nick Neyland

The last U2 album may not have shifted many copies, and the tour undertaken to support it was certainly controversial. But none of this stopped people from shelling out cash to experience the band’s music, as Bono and the boys were the highest earning act in the U.S. in 2009.

U2 made $109 million from record sales and touring, which is almost double what the second placed artist, Bruce Springsteen, earned (the Boss has a meager $57.6 million to his name). The Billboard chart also includes Madonna ($47.2 million), AC/DC ($43.6 million) and Britney Spears ($38.8 million).

Outside the top five, a few other interesting facts and figures crop up. The Michael Jackson industry that whirred into action following his death managed to pull in $27.3 million, and the biggest selling hip-hop artist was Lil Wayne, who came in at No. 30 with earnings of $12.8 million.