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Highest Grossing Concert Tours of 2008
By: Paul Toscano, Producer, CNBC.com | 03 Feb 2009 | 03:27 PM ET
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Highest Grossing Concert Tours
Photo Courtesy: Unai Goikoetxeta
Each year, Billboard assembles rankings of where the money is going in the music industry. Although industry revenues have declined in recent years, live performances still continue to reliably pad the pockets of popular entertainers. With concert tours stretching around the world, live shows offer a unique experience that cannot be downloaded. It’s also an experience for which fans were willing to shell out almost $4 billion worldwide last year, up 13 percent over 2007, according to Billboard. In North America, the average per-show box office gross was up 18 percent, with average per-show attendance up 6.3 percent. So, who made the most at the box office in the last year? Click ahead to find out!By Paul ToscanoPosted 3 Feb 2009

15. Billy Joel
Photo Courtesy: AP
Total gross: $41,133,051Total attendance/capacity: 424,984/430,548Number of shows: 29Number of sellouts: 25Average ticket price: $97.00

14. Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus
Photo Courtesy: AP
Total gross: $45,376,189Total attendance/capacity: 816,421/816,421Number of shows: 57Number of sellouts: 57Average ticket price: $55.58

13. Michael Bublé
Photo Courtesy: MichaelBuble.com
Total gross: $46,333,163 Total attendance/capacity: 640,674/646,889Number of shows: 85Number of sellouts: 67Average ticket price: $72.30

12. Trans-Siberian Orchestra
Photo Courtesy: Trans-Siberian.com
Total gross: $47,382,901Total attendance/capacity: 1,103,256/1,229,524Number of shows:  120Number of sellouts: 67Average ticket price: $42.95

11. Van Halen
Photo Courtesy: AP
Total gross: $49,017,853 Total attendance/capacity: 462,349/470,536Number of shows: 44Number of sellouts: 41Average ticket price: $106.00

10. Rascal Flatts
Photo Courtesy: AP
Total gross: $55,863,364Total attendance/capacity: 941,827/967,726Number of shows: 65Number of sellouts: 58Average ticket price: $59.30

9. The Eagles
Photo Credit: AP
Total gross: $56,625,336Total attendance/capacity: 427,231/436,075Number of shows: 34Number of sellouts: 27Average ticket price: $132.55

8. Spice Girls
Photo Courtesy: AP
Total gross: $70,123,272 Total attendance/capacity: 581,066/595,220Number of shows: 45Number of sellouts: 34Average ticket price: $120.70

7. Neil Diamond
Photo Courtesy: AP
Total gross: $81,206,383 Total attendance/capacity: 834,689/834,689Number of shows: 61Number of sellouts: 61Average ticket price: $97.30

6. Kenny Chesney
Photo Courtesy: AP
Total gross: $86,306,618Total attendance/capacity: 1,187,622/1,252,227Number of shows: 46Number of sellouts: 25Average ticket price: $72.67

5. Celine Dion
Photo Courtesy: AP
Total gross: $91,006,221 Total attendance/capacity: 738,947/755,710Number of shows: 44Number of sellouts: 36Average ticket price: $123.15

The Police
Photo Courtesy: AP
Total gross: $149,623,800 Total attendance/capacity: 1,468,705/1,492,947Number of shows: 78Number of sellouts: 71Average ticket price: $101.80

3. Madonna
Photo Courtesy: AP
Total gross: $185,696,018 Total attendance/capacity: 1,357,906/1,369,452Number of shows: 39 Number of sellouts: 38Average ticket price: $136.75

2. Bruce Springsteen
Photo Courtesy: AP
Total gross: $204,513,630 Total attendance/capacity: 2,094,851/2,181,839Number of shows: 82Number of sellouts: 46 Average ticket price: $97.60

1. Bon Jovi
Photo Courtesy: AP
Total gross: $210,650,974 Total attendance/capacity: 2,157,675/2,157,675Number of shows:  99Number of sellouts: 99Average ticket price: $97.60>> Replay Slideshow>> Best Selling Albums of All Time>> More from Billboard.com

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