SIR PAUL McCARTNEY grossed $103.3 million from his US tour last year, making him the biggest earning touring artist of the year.
According to a survey conducted by US ticket website www.pollstar.com, the former Beatle‘s solo tour emphatically beat fellow veterans the Rolling Stones, who grossed $87.9 million on their first North American tour for 20 years, into second place.
Ticket prices in the US are generally higher than in the UK, costing around $130 for a ticket to see McCartney, which is around £80. The higher-end tickets sold for up to $250 (£154).
Third-highest grossing tour in 2002 according to Pollstar was Cher’s farewell tour, which took in $73.6 million. The total ticket sales for US gigs reached a record $2.1 billion (£1.3 billion) across the year.
The Top Ten grossing acts were:
1. Paul McCartney
2. Rolling Stones
3. Cher
4. Elton John with Billy Joel
5. Dave Matthews Band
6. Bruce Spingsteen
7. Aerosmith
8. Creed
9. Neil Diamond
10. The Eagles