Country's Top Wage Earners

[HariAJFan]

From All About Country:

Country Stars Make Big Bucks
"It's All In One Or Two Dial Positions In Any Given Market"
Being at the top of the page in Country Music means big bucks. Forbes Magazine has just published its list of the Country Music's Top 10 Earning Stars.

Forges says the big Concerts continue to bring in the biggest bucks, citing Kenny's average of $1.6-million per night. But the mag cites yet another great source of revenue for COUNTRY artists: Radio Airplay. Eight of the ten most-played artists in all of Radio were COUNTRY acts, according to Nielsen SoundScan, with Tim, Toby and George logging over 7.5 million spins each!

Live Nation/Nashville President Brian O'Connell says, "We don't have the division that other genres of music have. Whether it's new or old, it's all in one or two dial positions in any given market."

The mag took into account concert box office receipts, merchandise revenue, album sales, publishing royalties and income from endorsement or licensing deals. Here's the list:

Kenny Chesney ($50-million)
Toby Keith ($48-million)
Taylor Swift ($45-million)
Rascal Flatts (tie) ($5-million)
Tim McGraw ($30-million)
Keith Urban ($28-million)
George Strait ($25-million)
Brad Paisley ($22-million)
Alan Jackson ($15-million)
Carrie Underwood ($13-million)

[mar4aej]

I think there is an error behind Rascal Flatts' name...probably should
read 45 million....  and that would be Forbes..not Forges.

I am really surprised that Carrie is under Alan with her total number.

[Jeri_MS]

Kenny Chesney works hard, being single etc. Lots of energy there! but my opinon the list should be starting at the bottom
and the biggest wages to them from bottom to top , except Kenny who has many huge concerts.

Carrie with a voice like that and all her contributions, she should earn more. Perhaps Alan should go back to huge Concerts and have Carrie along with him. It seems like a lot of big Singers are doing Songs together, such as Reba and Brooks and Dunn.
Alan doesn't get enough airplay here, and I have requested him more and more. Taylor Swift gets the most airplay, infact over play here. as an adult, I do not care to hear her music over & over..
The guys touring with Alan are being played really well on radio, infact Chris Young's  new song is a hit now!Josh's is doing great too.

[Alanfan]

They certainly are doing well.  I wish Alan was at the top.  I would not want my wages
published in a magazine no matter what I was making.  I guess you just lose your
privacy.  I hope Alan continues to do very well.  He's spectacular!!  Just saw that wonderful
concert at Mohegan Sun in CT.  WOW!!!!!

Alanfan

[HariAJFan]

I think there is an error behind Rascal Flatts' name...probably should
read 45 million....  and that would be Forbes..not Forges.

I am really surprised that Carrie is under Alan with her total number.

Marilyn, you're probably right about the corrections but I copied this directly from the article so hate to change anything.

Jeri, as far as Carrie I think she has just started headling tours in the last 2 years & Taylor gets all the money from her songs being played on Radio because she wrote them. The money goes to the songwriter, not the artist.

Also Alan chooses to tour less these days to be with his family more & he still makes this list so that's great.

[BIGHUSKERSRED]

Here's the article "in pictures" from forbes.com (courtesy of yahoo.com). Click on OPEN at the lower right hand corner of the pictures to read the captions.

http://www.forbes.com/2010/05/19/top-earning-country-music-stars-business-entertainment-country-stars_slide.html

I'm not sure that Tim McGraw should have been included on the list because I think they also took into account his wages from the movie(s) he starred in while the rest of the country artists' earned wages are only from their music career. I could be wrong, though.

BHR

[Jeri_MS]

I'm sure it takes in All wages from their work, including movies , commercials etc..

If it was for TALENT alone, Alan Jackson would be Number one ha! He has worked for years and contributed and enriched
our Lives with his Country Music!


Remember Alan was once not as rich and he still said "they were happy & would have had all they needed without this ."
It doesn't mean they aren't grateful, they just have their priorities in order..God first, most likely.

Nothing can replace time away from family in the beginning. I am so happy Alan can spend more time home now.
They really do work hard for the money, Alan may not realize it, as he loves his work..
If he was paid for his music alone, he would be worth far more to me!

I'm glad he made the list!!

[nelle]

Harriet  I think it is great that he made the list. He deserves every penny and more.   Take Care  nelle