U2 Are Named Biggest Money Makers in Rock-n-Roll History

U2 is enjoying another phenomenal year as they begin to wrap up the historic 360 Tour. They have officially surpassed the Rolling Stones as the top earning band in rock history and some are calling them the current reigning kings of rock-n-roll. Just what kind of earnings are we talking about?

U2 has raced passed the Rolling Stones concert sales record of 554 million dollars and is projected to make over 700 million dollars in ticket sales by the time the 360 Tour wraps up after two years on the road in July in Canada. Stats on just how many will have seen it vary from over 3 million people worldwide to seven million. These numbers do not take into account the 10 million who watched the Rose Bowl show in October 2009 by live stream on Youtube.com.

Lest we get too giddy, however, it must be recalled that this tour is also the most expensive ever. The famous "claw" or "space station"- as the band call their monstrous stage- is the biggest stage in rock history. It has been claimed that it can be seen from the International Space Station in orbit. The lighting and video effects are no less impressive, and the first few legs of the tour featured an astronaut beemed in via satellite for a cameo in certain songs. It takes 120 carbon emmission free trucks to haul it all from one location to another and one of the largest tour crews in history. According to sources, it costs approximately 750,000 dollars per day regardless whether or not U2 actually have a show.

The costs of the tour meant that even though it won an award for the highest grossing of 2009, it just barely broke even. The figures are better this time around. The Irish press is rumored to report that the members of U2 are expected to earn 150 million each from the tour.

They are well aware of their limits, however. The Edge said: "We're actually at the limit, the absolute limit, when you consider the economics and the practicality of transportation. We're really as big as we could ever get." In other words, don't expect them to top it, no matter how great their drive to continually do so has been.

"The Most Popular Live Band In The World"- most certainly. And it gets better. Their official website, u2.com, has been nominated for both the Webby Award and the Webby People's Choice Award for 2011.

Sources:

M&C Music, U2 Rocks Record For Highest Grossing Tour, April 13, 2011, Monstersandcritics.com.

Female First Celebrity Gossip & Lifestyle Magazine, U2 As Big As They Could "Ever Get", April 12, 2011, First Active Media Ltd.

U2.com, Nominated!, April 12, 2011, U2.com.